Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-09-19
Eelecten 0iscellaug.
A WOMAN AT THE BOTTOM OF IT

''To tell the truth" said John Hav-
iland, as he threw aside the evening
paper and faced the little group in the
parlor, II am fast growing out of pa
tience with this te1t-'a woman at the
bottom of it. It would be strange in
this world, made up, as far as we are
aware, of nothing but the two sexes, if
a woman would not occasionally be
found at the bottom Of anything good!
1t is the injustice of the thing that
makes me angry. Now there are hun
dreds Of us poor fellows who owe all
we are, all we have, and all we can
hope to become, in this world. or the
next, to the unselfsh love of woman" :"
8 The gent tlla,aaa1,'s face Was anshad.
and he spoke very warmly and feeling
ly, so much so that his wife, rocking
her baby to sleep in the further corner
Of the room, inquired:
"But why should you care, John ?
1t has always been so, and always will
be so. We don't think much about it
now because we have been taught to
expect it.
''But you should care and you
should fight for each other more than
you do. There is one chapter in my
life's history that [ have always kept
locked in my heart, but tonight | feel
as if it were my duty to open it for
your inspection; and [ do it for the
love Of woman-for the love of one wo-
man who made me what [ am worthy
to be, the husband of good woman .
"Why, John!'' said Mrs. Haviland,
softly approaching-babe still held
tight to her bosom-"you absolutely
frighten me-"
"Let's have the story" said the rest
of the group, certain that something
good might be anticipated, and John
commenced, at first little timid, but
gaining confidence as he proceeded.
"When I first came to New York, at
the age of twelve years, to seek my for
tune, can call myself d precocious
chap without danger of being accused
of an unusual degree of self-apprecia-
ton. was quick to learn everything,
the bad as well as the good. Ny en-
ployer used profane language. pick
ed up the oaths he dropped with ma
turalness that surprised even myself.
The boys in the office all chewed to-
bacco. This was little the hardest
job [ ever attempted, but after two
weeks Of nausea and indescribable
stomach wrenchings, [ came off victo-
rious, and could get away with my pa
per a day with the best Of 'em.
"True, every word Of it." continued
the speaker.
''One afternoon [ was sent with a
note from my employer to a house in
the upper part of the city. l hadn't
anything to read, but | had plenty of
tobacco, and with that I proposed to
entertain myself during the two or
three hours | must spend in the pas
sage. For some distance did not no.
tice who were beside me, but by and
by lady said very softly and pleas
antly: "Would you please, little boy,
be more careful. I am going to par
ty this afternoon, and [ should hate to
have my dress spoiled"
81 looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face | ever saw. Pale, earn
est and loving, to my boyish heart it
was the countenance of an angel"
"W hat in the world did you say %
interrupted Mrs. Hayiland, her bright
eyes filling with tears, as she saw how
the memory Of the beautiful woman
affected her husband.
''oay! There was very little could
say, think all did for sometime was
to look. [ managed to dispose of the
tobacco, however, and wiped my mouth
very carefully, all Of which I felt Ger,