Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-06-29

BY ELEANOR KIRK.


lor, ~ am fast growing out of. patience
WIN tnis teXt-'a woman at the bottom
OF H. 1t would be strange in this world
made up as far as we are aware, of moth.
ing but the two sexes, if woman
would not occasionally be found at the
bottom OF a scrape. A woman, mind
you, IS never accused Of being at the
potion OF anything good 1t is the in
justice OF the thing that makes me an
CRY. Now there are hundreds of us Door
devils who owe all we are, all we have.
all we can hope TO become, in this world
or the next, to the unselfish love of w.
men,"
The gentleman's face was flushed. and
he spoke very warmly and feelingly, 50
much so that his wife, rocking her baby
to slet in the further corner of the room
inquired:
But why should you care, John? 1t
mas always been SO, and always will be.
we don't think much about IL now. be-
cause we have been taught to expect it,"
But you should care and you should
hght for each other more than YOU do.
There is one chapter in nv life history
that l have always kept locked in nv
heart, but tonight feel as it it were my
auty 10 open 1t for your inspection; and
L do IT for the love of the woman who
made me what | am worthy to be, the
husband of good woman"
""Why john" said Mrs. Haviland.
softly approaching-baby still held tight
TO her bosom-"you absolutely frighlen
me-"
Lets have the Story" said the rest of
the group, certain that something good
might be anticipated and John com
menced, at first little tiniidly, but gain
ed confidence as he proceeded.
"When | first came TO New York. at
the age Of twelve years TO seek nv for
tune, could cell myself a precocious
chap, without danger of being accused
OF AN unusual degree OF self-apprecation
l was quick to learn everything, the bad
as well as the good. My employer used
proiane language. Ipicked up the oaths
he dropped with uaturalness that sur
prised myself, even. The boys in the o.,
tice all chewed tobacco. This was a lit
tie the hardest job l ever attempted, but
alter two weeks of nausea and indescrib-
able stomach wrenchings, came off vic
torious, and could get away with my pa
per day with the best of them"
"Oh, joint" interrupted Mrs. Havi-
land, her pretty face all drawn up into
knots
"True, every word OF it," continued
the speaker.
"One afternoon / was sent with note
from my employer 10 a house in the up-
per part of the city. l hadn't anything
to read, but had plenty of tobacco, and
with that proposed to entertain m yself
during the two or three hours / must
spend i'll the passage. For some distance
l did not notice who were beside me.
bat by and by a lady said very softly
and pleasant: "Would you please. little
boy, be more careful, l am going TO
party this afternoon and should hate to
have my dress spoiled"
looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face | ever saw. Pale, earnest,
and loving; to my boyish heart it was
the countenance OF an angel"
"What in the world did YOU say 2" in
terrupted Mrs. Haviland, her bright eyes
filling with tears, as she saw how the
memory Of this beautiful woman affected
her husband
'S'y! There was very little could
say. | think all did for some time was
to look. / managed to dispose of the
tobacco, however, and wiped my mouth
very carefully, all of which felt certain
she saw and mentally commented upon.
'Have you mother, little boy p" she
next asked, in the same low tones.
"No ma'am," l answered, and / felt
my throat filling up, and knew that l
must swallow mighty fast to keep from
subbing.
"You have father then, l suppose?"
she kept on.
mo ma'am, no father"
"Brothers and sisters?"
"Neither, ma'am."
"Then the little boy is all alone in tie
world ?"
"All alone ma'am."
"How long has his mother been dead
and the dear woman looked away from
my face and waited until could speak.
"Two years." answered.
"And you loved her?"
Dearly" was all l could say. She
was silent for a moment and then said
so weetly-oh! l shall never forget it
" And what DO you think your dear
mother would say-how do you think she
would feel-to know that her little bov
was guilty of such disgusting habit as
this ?" pointing to my cheek, where the
tell-tale cud had vainly tried to stand its
ground,
az must leave now," she continued,
" but here is my card, and if you can
come to me most any evening, shall be
glad to see you, and perhaps we can be
OF service to each other" ~
She gave me her little gloved hand,
and to my dying day | shall never forget
the sensations OF that moment. l could |
not bear to part with her; without her
1 felt that could do nothing-wi,h her,
| could grow to mans estate--a man in |
the truest sense of the word. From that
moment tobacco never passed my lips.
As soon as I could muster courage, / |
called upon the lady. Well do remeii,-
Der how my heart beat, as l waited in
the elegant parlor for her to come down
and how awkward felt as followed my
guide to her private sitting room. Here
she got at every point in my life, and |
before l bade her good bye it was ar
ranged that should spend two evenings