The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-03-14
The Fools Pence.

Inthe year ls3-, in the handsomely furn
ished parlor, which opened out of that notice
London gin-shop, called "The Punch Bowl,
sat its mistress, the gaudily dressed Mrs
Crowder, conversing with an obsequou:
neighbor.
"Why, Mrs. Crowder, I must really say
you have things in first class style here! what
elegant papering! what noble chairs! what g
nice pair of tire-screens all so bright and
fresh! Then the elegant stone copings to
your windows, and those beautiful French
window framesI And you have been sending
your daughter to the best boarding-school;
your shop is the best furnished, and your
cellar is the best filled of any shop in all this
part of Lunnun. Where can you find the
needful for all these grand things {? Dear
Mrs Crowder, how do you manage? 80:
Mrs. Crowder simpered, and cast a look Of
contempt through the halfopened door of the
shop, filled with doughty customers. 'The
fools halfpence-'tis THE FOOLS HALF
PENCE that does it for u.s." she said. And
her voice rose more shrill and loud with the
triumph she felt.
Her words reached the ears of one of the
customers, George Manly, the carpenter, who
stood near the counter. Turning his eyes
upon those around him. he saw pale cheeks,
sunken eyes and ragged garments. He then
turned them upon the stately apartment, he
looked through the door into the parlor and
saw looking glasses, and gliding, and fine fur
niture, and rich carpet, and Miss Lucy in
her silk gown at the piano; and he thought
to himself how strange it is how curious that
all this wretchedness on my loft should be
made to turn into all this rich 6nery on my
right
"Well, sir,-and what's for you?" asked
the shrill voice which had made the FOOLS
pence ring in his ears.
"a glass Of gin: man, is what was wait
ing for; but think l have paid the last fools
pence that I shall put down on this counter
for many long day."
George Manly hastcned home. His wife
and his two little girls were seated at work.
They were thin and pale, really for want of
food. The room looked very cherries, and
their fire was so small as scarcely to be felt;
yet the dullest observer would have noticed
the neatness that prevailed.
1t was joyful surprise to them, his return
ing SO early that night, and returning sober,
pnd in good humor.
"Your eyes are weak to night, wife," said
George, tsor else You have been crying. I'm
afraid you work too much by candle light!
His wife smiled and said, "Working docs
not hurt my eyes" and she beckoned to her
listla hoy who was standing uparL in o corner.
evidently as cnlprit. "Why John, what is
this | see ?" said his father. "come and tell
me what you have been doing"
John was plain spoken boy and had
a straightforward way. lie came up to his
father; looked full in his face. and sand, "The
baker came for his money tonight. and would
not leave the loaves without it; but though
he was coarse and rough, he said mother was
not to blame, and that he was sure you had
been drinking away all tho money; and when
he was gone mother was crying over her
work, but she did not say anything. l did
not know she was crying until l saw the
tears dropping upon her hands, and then !
said bad words, and mother sent me to stand
in the corner"
"Tell me what your bad words were, John"
said the father; ''not swearing, 1 hope"
"No,' said John, coloring, IL said you
was bad mani / said bad father"
"And they we're bad words, I am sure,"
said his mother; "but you are forgiven; so
now bring me some coal from the box"
George looked at the face of his wife, and
as he met the tender gazc Of her eyes, now
turned to him, he felt the tears rise in his
own. He rose up, and putting money in her
hand, he said 'There are my weeks wages
Come, come, hold out both hands, for you
have not got all yet. Lay it out for the best,
as YOU always do. I hope this will be be-
ginning of better doings on my part, and hap
pier days on yours" ,,
George told his wife, after the children
had gone to bed, that when he saw what the
pence of the poor could do towards keeping
up " a fine house and dressing out the landlord 5
wife and daughter, and when be thought OF
his own hard-working uncoinplaining Susan,
and his children in want, and almost In rags,
while he was sitting and drinking, night at
ter night, destroying his health and strength,
he was so struck with sorrow and shame that
he seemed to have come to himself at last
He determined from that hour that he never
again would put the intoxicating glass to
his lips.
More than year afterward, one Sunday
afternoon, as Mrs. Crowder of the "Punch-
Bowl" was walking with her daughter to
the tea gardens, they were overtaken by
violent shower of rain, and had become at
least half.drenched, when they entered a
comfortable house, distinguished by its COM
forts and tidiness, from all others near it
It's good .natured mistress and her two girls
did all they could to wipe away the raln-drops
and mud. splashes from the ladies' fine silk
gowns, all draggled and soiled, and to repair
as far as possible, every mischief done to
their dress and persons.
When all had been done that could be
done and as Miss Lucy said, they began to
nlook themselves again" Mrs. Crowder, who
was lolling in large armchair, and anus
ing herself by stare at every one and every
tb;no in the room, suddenly started forward