Middletown transcript., 1871-10-21
NDDIEowN COUNTY DELAWARE SATURDAY MORNING. OCTOBER

uoo osess y0o. wary. Teere 70 sweet
couSost 10 your words"
"Asd nov let ~ have supper" ex.
slai'ned bic wife. eheerfslly. :" Bee. l
have your ihvorits dish--shorteskc sad
toast. Do not let your troubles impair
your sppesise. aud then, aiter tea, 10 will
talk il oil over. God dvsth everything
for the best. And - our day 70 shall
our strength BE-"
In tbs evening Il was dstsrmiusd that
the quarters rent should bs paid immodi.
atsly. . new sspply Of coal obtained. and
the remaining portion Of the money placed
10 the wi6s's hands 10 b. dealt out @ spar.
inely - possible.
Then Mary suggested that oil hsr prst.
y parlor farulturs should be put away in
the gsrret. and the front room lot out.
Further than this they could lay no plans.
and - the husband went out 10 pay the
rent The future looked 90 dark to the young
wife thst she could not altogether restrain
her tsars; but seeking strength from on
high. her face wore the same cheerful
smile when her husband returned. and lit.
lie did he know that during I'll thss long
night. while he aud hIs baby we're 90
sosudly sleeping his wife lay swaks,
planning out the future.
Three months have passed. with scarce
y days work in oil that time, and now
another quarters rent is due. In vain
tho laborcr thrusts bis hands into his emp
~ pockets aud in vain racks his brain for
some solution Of tho problem how tha,
rent is to be paid. The lodgcr bad paid
his money monthly; but then that was
not enough to meet the sum. IL he had il,
and his wife had spent that as fast as she
received ii, and it was M every day won-
der to James how Mary managed 50 we'll
With feelings Of great despair he en-.
tered the house. The table was spread
with the same avorit. dish. Th.rc was
the shorto.sc aud .vast, Aankcd with n
golden lamp Of butter. plate Of honey,
and deep dish Of roasted apples to be
served with sugar and cream. while ut his
wifc's plate sat the stcaming teapot. As
James took il in all at one glance, he
greatly wondered At the frugal yet COM
Portable way Of living. How his wife had
been able to make the small amount Of
money last so longwas a mystery to him.
aud yet he could not help wishing inward
ly thn. she had been more economical !;
then. perhaps, the rent might have been
paid. aud he felt that il would be better
10 have subsistcd on one crust OF bread
rather than be turned ou, Of doors home
less.
lie refused to sit at the table. pleading
tina, he had no appetite. And great
large tear arose IN the strong mans eyes
us he informed his wife that on the NOR.
row they would be turned from their home,
to 20 be knew not where, ~ be had not
dollar 10 his pockets to secure them room
elsewhere.
- Is that il 7" exclaimed his wife in
soft tone. aud .ripped up stairs. and soon
returned, aud placed two ten dollar bills
IN his hand.
Where did You get them 2" he asked.
eagerly turning thom over in his hands.
As though to ascertain whether they were
really genuine or not.
=" i earned them" replied his wife gni-
ly. II knit Afghans. shswls. children's 8
hoods. saques aud socks; At first only for
those whom | providentially heard wished
articles Of the kind afterwards was en-
ployea TO furnish n trimming establish
mcnt with my work"
3" Aud kept Il secret from me ?"
/" Yes. because l thought you would be
worried for fear was doing too much l
love to knit dearly. and consider il moro
Of n pleasant pss,ime than labor"
"God be praised for giving me such
wife. !" exclaimed her husband earnestly.
aud pressing his wife and child oloscly to
his bosom. ho said: - Her children arise
up and call her blessed her husband al
so, and he praiscth her far many daugh-
tcrs have dane virtuously, but thou cx-
cellest thcm all"
Twenty years have passed. and James
Hawley 10 rich man. But Joseph Smith
10 q confirmed drunkard. while his wife
hns long since passed from earth y victim
Of misery and want.
Why will not wives assist their hus-
bands to bear their trials. with helping
hands aud hearts! II they would but do
this. how many families would be saved
from ruin and how sweet would be their
reward. pot only upon earth bu. in Hea-
ven.