Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-01-17
The Two Troubles.

seen Wenulug their way along the streets
of large manufacturing town.
Slowly they proceeded with detected
countenances, not exchanging a word UNI
| til the one whom we shall call Smith halt
ed before neat little house and Unattached
the gate. Then there was such q look of
utter misery and despair cleaning from his
eyes, that his companion murmurcd, ave
must trust in God, smith,
Yes" he articulated gloomily, and go-
ing to the cradle took up the six weeks
old baby, and sorrowfully pressed it to his
heart.
~ do wish you would put that child
down and get ready for supper eXclaim-
ed his wife, after enduring his gloominess
for some time.
He slowly obeyed, and then seated him
self at the table with sigh.
"What in the world is the matter with
you tonight" she asked, as she sat down
opposite him.
His voice trembled a. he replied, ~ sup
pose you might as well know first as last
l have been discharged"
There ~ exclaimed his wife quickly,
pushing back her chair; "iust what j
might have expected I'd like to know
what we are going to do now. Winter
coming on and all. | declare, Smith, you
will torture me to DEATH
81 am very sorry, Lydia, but | cannot
help it,
"Sorry No, you are not sorry at all.
You would Just as lief see your wife and
children starve rs not. Its nothing in
the world but your poor managing"
Lydia, you are cruel. Instead of help
ing me to endure my great trouble,
which is bearing me down to the earth,
you make il ten times harder to bear. |
was not the only one discharged. There
was.Jim Hawley and ever SO many others.
Business is dull
business is dull she mimicked after
him. Always an excuse for n worthless
man. To think that you should be dis
charged now, Just as our rent is due and
then we are out of wood and look at my
shoes, won't you ? my feet almost on the
ground. / wish ] had never married YOU
and II dark look accompanied the last
words. The poor husband covered his face
with his hands and groaned aloud. This
seemed to encourage his wife TO go on for
she uttered words more and more bitter,
until at last, driven almost TO state of
frenzy, the wrctched man rushed from the
house to the tavern, and there sought to
bury the thoughts of the past and future
in the rum cup.
In the mean time james Hawley, his
companion to labor, entered his home with
very sad countenance. But before he
had stepped over the threshold flowing
pair of arms were thrown around his neck
and pair of sweet lips were pressed to
his. He returned the salutation sadly, and
then inquired for the baby.
"She is sleeping sweetly in her cradle.
She has been a perfect little darling all
day. Supper is waiting, SO make haste.
Here is warm water and n towel. Are
you not later than usual, tonight
"Ies Alice, | bring bad news to YOU
bad news!n she exclaimed, turning
pale as, for the first time, she noticed that
something was wrong.
'Yes: | was discharged tonight and
do not know as | can get anything to do
before spring. Business is so dull"
as that all ~ asked his wife with a sigh
of relief. 81 thought it was something
terrible, the way you looked"
"And is it not terrible enough" What
will become of us this winter if ! am out
of employment
"The same God who feeds the sparrows
and clothes the lilies in the field will not
let us suffer, dear James"
"God bless you, dear Alice. There is
sweet comfort in your words.'
And now let us newspaper eXclam-
ed his wife, cheerfully. "See, | have your
favorite dish-shOrtcale and toast. DO
not let your troubles impair your appetite
and then after tea, we will talk it over.
God doeth everything for the best And
as our day is, so shall our strength be-"
In the evening ii was determined that q
quarters rent should be paid Immediately,
q new supply of coal obtained, and the re-
portion of the money be placed .
in the wife's hands to be dealt out as spar
ingly as possible,
Then Alice suggested that all her pretty .
parlor furniture be put away in the .
garnet, and the front room let out. Fur
ther than this they could lay no plans, and .
as the husband went out to pay the rent,
the future looked so dark to tho young
wife that she could not altogether restrain
her tears but seeking strength from on
high, her face wore the same cheerful
full smile when her husband returned, and
little did he know that all that night long,
while he and his baby were soundly sleep
ing, his wife lay awake planning for the
future.
Three months have passed without Il
days work all that time, and now anoth-
err quarters rent is due. In vain the labor
or thrusts his hands into his empty pock-
cts, apd in vain racks his brains for some
solution TO the problem how the rent is to
be paid. The lodger has paid his money
but then that was not enough to
meet the sum, if he had it, and of course
his wife had spent that as fast Is she had
received it, and it was an everyday Won
der how Alice managed so WELL
With feelings of deep despair he entered
the house. The table was spread with the
same favorite dish. There was the short
cake and toast, fiapked with golden lump
of butter, plate Of honey, and deep
dish of roasted apples, TO be served with
sugar and cream, while at his wife's plate
sat the steaming teapot. AS James took it
i'm all a ono tglanpa ha rrraotI,, .