The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-02-21
The Dark Hour.
80 CAN'T stand it any longer, Jane
Il I'll go out and perhaps something


VIII 0uIu up lor us.
It's a cold night, Robert"
"Cold, yes But it's not much colder
outside than in. 1t would have been
better for you if you had married John
Tremaine," he said bitterly.
"Don't say that Robert; I've never re-
GREETED my choice"
"Not even now, when there is not
loaf of bread, in the house for you and
the children 7"
Not even now, Robert Don't be
discouraged God has not forsaken us.
Perhaps this Christmas Eve the tide will
turn, and better days may dawn upon us
tomorrow"
Robert Brice shook his head despond-
ingly.
You are more hopeful than |, Jane.
Day after day [ have been in search of
employment; | have called at fifty places
only to receive the same answer every
where.
Just then little Jimmy, who had been
asleep woke up.
Mother" he pleaded, won't you give
me piece of bread I'm so hungry"
"There is no bread, Jimmy, darling"
said the mother, who with an aching
heart.
"When will there be some, asked the
child piteously.
Tears came to the mothers eyes. She
knew not what to say.
"Jimmy, I'll bring you some bread"
said the father hoarsely, and he seized his
hat and went to the door.
His wife, alarmed, laid her hand upon
his sleeve. She saw the look in his eyes,
and she feared to what step desperation
might lead him.
Remember, Robert" she said solemn
ly it is hard to starve, but there are
things that are worse"
He shook off her hand but not roughly,
and without word passed out.
Out in the cold streets They would
be his only home next, he thought. For
brief time longer he had the shelter
of cherries room in cold tenement
house, but the rent would become due at
the end of the month, and he had moth
ing to meet it.
Robert Brice was a mechanic, compe-
tent and skillful. Three years since he
lived in country village where his ex-
penses were moderate and he found no
difficulty in meeting them. But in an
evil hour he grew tired of his village
home, and removed to the city Here he
vainly hoped to do better. For a while
he met with very good success, but he
found his tenement house, in which he
was obliged to live, but poor substitute
for the neat cottage which he had occu-
pied in the country. He saw his mistake
but was too proud to 60 back
"Of course [ can't have as good ac-
commodations here as in the country"
he said, "but it is something to live in,
and be in the midst of things"
I'd rather be back again." said his
wife. "Somehow the city does not seem
like home. There used to run in and
take tea with neighbor, and have a
pleasant, social time. Here l know
scarcely anybody"
"You'll get used to it after while,"
said her husband.
She did not think so, but did not like
to complain.
But time of great depression came
and with it a suspension of business en-
terprise. Work ceased for Robert Brce
and many others. If he had been in his
old home he could have turned his hands
to something else, and at the worst could
have borrowed of his neighbors till bet
ter times. But the friendly relations
arising from neighborhood do not exist
in the city to the same extent as in the
country. So, day by day he went out to
seek work only to find himself one of
large number, all of whom were doomed
to disappointment If he had been alone
he could have got along somehow, but it
was a sore trial to come to cheerless
room and pale wife and hungry children
with no relief to offer them.
When on that Christmas Eve, Robert
Brice went into the streets, he hardly
knew how he was to redeem the promise
he had made to Jimmy. He was abso-
lutely penniless, and had been so for
three days. There was nothing that he
was likely to do that night,
81 will pawn my coat" he said, at
last, cannot see my wife and children
starve."
1t was well-worn oyercoat, and that
cold winter night he needed something
more to keep him warm.-W Weakened by
enforced fasting, he was more sensitive to
the cold, and shivered as he walked along
the pavement.
L n