Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-04
RICH and POOR

z luS uyf .poai"u1I asNoo Seo "eAe
nil half-past seven, and then it was
another half hour before you got to
work." an9 biaaasi 49,
True; ma'am, I was half an hour
late. for my baby has been sick for a
rev days past, and this morning ]
i.yared to leave him, he was so bad !;
but / think I have made good the
day, for I worked near an hour later
"You do, indeedl" said the lady,
"well, I doinot, so I shall pay you
but three shillings for what you
have done;;" and her white jewelled
hand haughtily profered the silver
coin.
Indeed, ma am, it is too little, :
said the woman, as with half sup
pressed sigh she took the money,
and stood irresolutely contemplating
the shining bits as they lay in her
rough palm. Then gathering courage,
she ventured the request
Can t you make it three and six
pence, ma'am? Indeed, the times
are very hard with me, food and fuel
are SO high these cold months p and
she looked, swith,a shudder, towards
the window, against which the wind
and snow beat furiously.i 81
It is all you have earned" was
the cold reply, as the lady turned
away. -.
Wrapping her thin shawl about
her, the poor washwoman stepped In
so the street. Hurrying along through
the deep snow, she soon reached a
secluded a1lev, and stopped before
the doorEof one of the most misera-
BE tenements Of that wretehed spot.
For moment her hand trenbled on
.te latch, and she bent her head for
ward eagerly, as if listening for some
{, Use within. Ali appeared to be
oaiet. Starting from the doorstep,
sle almost>aew along the way to the
nlarket-place. - - :.
What's the price of, your chick
ens?" she asked, of a burly- looking
man, who had fowls for sale,
Three shilGnas," was the curt
reply. -,
aCant you sell one for less?"
"No poor folks shouldn't dine on
dainties. :;
The color mounted to her face at
this unlocked for rudeness, but, mas
tering her feelings, she replied
"Give me one of the tenderest
and best you have; I want it, for a
sick child"
AZ have got just the one you want,
bandly replied the dealer, now see
ing three bits in prospect. GA fine
fat pullet, fit for the son of queen.
Shall l take its head OFF,"
"No-yesl" said the woman " but
be quick, I am in hurry.
One stroke of the hatchet severed
the head from the body. Throwing
the price of her entire days work
into the hands of the trader, she
caught the yet quivering body of the
fowl in her hand, and hastily retrac-
ed her steps. A few moments brought
her once more to the door cf her
home. She did not hesitate now, nor
stop to listen at the door, but bou nd-
ed in with the air Of one made .des-
perate by suspense.
Upon a palletof straw, in the only
room which the house possessed, lay,
a child about four years of age. His
cheek was flushed with fever, and in
coherent murmurs escaped his lips.
An aned woman bent over him, bath
ing his head with water. She was
one of the poor neighbors.
I am so glad to find you here,
exclaimed the mother, {" I feared poor
Charley would be alone all day"
"I got through my work early,
and have been with him since noon,
was the kind-hearted reply; i Char
ley was very uneasy when came
in, and called incessantly for you to
come and bring him chicken. bpt
now he is feverish, and seems to be
doing
Bitter tears stole silently down the
cheeks of the poor mother as she
looked upon her boy. He was the
last one of five that had called her
mother, and in his crimson cheek
and difficult breathing she recognized
the approach of a messenger that fill
ed her with alarm.
Seeing the struggle which was go
ing on in the mind Of the mother,
nelghbor Alice sought to divert her!
mind by asking if she mad a hard
d VS. FORK.
God have. mercy on the rich +
vas she bitter reply. "There was
30 end to the fine shirts, skirts, laces
aud muslins, which [ did to-day and
vary few moments ! was interrupted
BY the lady herself, at one time prg-
ing lae to be quick and lose no time
and again saying, use a little less
soap, q little less soap, Mrs Hardy;
and when at last the work was done,
and the washroom put to rights, she
turned me away with three shilllngs
then she oa0ed me tourt Oh, God !!
!. is not of enlargement of the heart
l.at woman will ever die p
Blame her not, gentle reader, that
lie thus gave way to the expression
Of her sense of injury and wrong.
She was as rich in. maternal love as
!: she had been born to more wordly
wealth; and to see her child suffer
iac the pangs of sickness without
the power to procure the aid Of a
doctor, or even provide the little
comforts which he had at first g
craved, had reused her usually quiet
nature to desperation; and, tulI OF
aeiple wrath, she raved against
those who had themselves put curses
in.fead of blessings into ller mouth.
leaving her to prepare the chicken
4gainst the child's awakening, let rs
take q peep into the house Of her
employer.