New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-11
Communicated.
A Touching APPEAL.

EDITOR REpUBIICAN:
Tread this morning in one OF our daily
papers the following pathetic advertise
ment:
WASTED.-Work is wanted by a young
man of family who is almost destitute. rs
good penman. quick at figures and compe-
tent to till almost any position; will accept
ANYTHING that will enable him to gain an
honest living for himself and family.
Poetry in the Want" column. Why not!
Does not this pressing cry for work" not
patronage. not a place, but simply the privi-
lege to earn, by any kind OF honest work.
the means to support wife and children,
to keep the wolves hunger and debt from
the door. appeal most earnestly to every
sympathetic ileart What touching scenes
of want and anxiety does it not suggest
of impotent struggle and carking care-ot
long, weary days, spent in unwilling idle
ness and long tossing nights wasted III vain
watching for a morning which brings only
unsupplied wants. | seem TO see. i'll read
ing these few lines on which so many hopes
depend. the care-worn face of the Young
father wanting work" the sad. Yet ten
der NlSage OF TIE sui younger HetHtI
counterteitng cheertulness for his sake. the
rosy. smiling countenances of the children.
happily unconscious of the family needs.
and with the all-grasping desires of in
fancy asking for things entirely beyond the
parental means. Perhaps the young man
of family who is almost destitute, got out
of work BY his own fault. by indOience. ne
elect. diSobGging manners. Ii SO, the hard
experience he has since known will
doubtless prove a profitable lesson to him.
Perhaps, on the other hand. lris misfortune
was brought about by no fault of his own.
but by circumstances over which he could
not possibly have any control. Before he
was reduced to SO desperate a strait as TO
put his hope in a want" advertisement. he
had probably applied to every likely and
every unlikely source of aid; had called
upon every business man of his acquaint-
ance, and met with repulse or GOODNESS. or
hollow. empty promises of something to do
in the remote future, when his wife was
awaiting him on the doorstep. with expect
ant eyes, and his children with outstretched
hands.
Oh, poverty is a weary thing,
And full OF grief and pain;
1t boweth down the heart OF man,
And dus his cunning BRAIN
And maketh even the little child
With heavy signs complain.
Yes, poverty, prolonged hand to mouth
poverty. must dull the cunning brain. and
dull it greatly, before it could lead man
to found hopes on so uncertain chance as
an advertisement like the above That set
| tied. accustomed poverty, which is certain
Of even the Lumblest work steadily. which
| can reconcile itself to circumstances, and
reduce its wants to the measures of its earn
ings, is not so much to be pitied; but the
poverty that las no earnings, and is living
only on expectations; that is conscious OF
ability to do much and gets no chance to do
anything; that makes a man feel as if he
were supertuous being in the world. and
tempts him to quit it even by the monstrous
means of ''selfslaughter' that is the pow
erty which appeals to sympathy. Alas. that
it is only i'll charming novels, like Nicholas
| Nickleby that benevolent old brothers are
10 be found who seem to conduct flourish
ing mercantile firms for the benefit of every
needy person they meet l should like
now, to feel that we had here in New Or
leans firm OF .'Cheeryble Brothers
TO assist worthy young men of family. who
are almost destitute" and | should like ope
of these brothers to answer the advertise
ment, which strikes Inc as so pathetic, and
if he should find the young man" worthy
to employ him Immediately, and send him
home tonight to his vile with half Iii:
months salary in advance. N. Z.
The Boston consumers OF gas are exulting
over notice that the Boston Gas Company
| will reduce tie price of Gas to two dollar: