Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-05-29

WORM TWO cents at eXt0lllDg III
merits Of erasive soap, or trumpetln
the praises ofa patent wash boiler.
"Did't try either of them," smile
Aunt Lois, shaking her head. "Nc
nor selling any thing else either. Pr
afraid | shouldn't have been courage
Gus enough; but couldn't be spare
for it, any way. 1t was Lizzie, dea
Lizzie"
Aunt Lizziey" Marion's voic
dropped low.
at was a dreary Winter" said tn
elder lady, slowly, with eyes fxec
dreamily on the glowing Goals, as i
some old-time picture were bidder
there. "The Ceirncliff Company ha(
suddenly suspended operations th'
Spring before, with their railroad nal
built, whether from real inability tC
proceed, or to further some deeplaiC
scheme of swindliDg, it was hard tt
tell, and, indeed, mattered but little
to the many thrown out Of employ
ment. Fathers comfortable clerk
ship had gone with the stopping Of
the works, and it was, hard to fnd
any thing to take its place. Business
was dull everywhere, and then he
had not young mans chance, he
used to say, sadly sometimes. But
even those were poor enough, for
Bert could find nothing better to do
than going to work in the print mills,
at long hours and low wages.
ave had moved during the Sum
mer to little house quite in the
suburbs of the town, where rents
were cheaper, and where trying to
retrench and ecouomize in count
less ways, with the need for doing so
growing daily more imperative. 1t
was in the Autumn that father n ct
with the accident that made him
helpless for months, fall from the
second story Of store where he had
been assisting for few days. Even
the bright sunshine Of those bright
Autumn mornings wore wan, hope
less look to me that year, and the
Winter was dreary one. Mother
was always an invalid, and Lizzie
and | had the care Of every thing.
| can see our little sitting-room yet
as it looked then-the carpet, some
what worn and faded; the large, old
fashioned sofa, where father lay all
day, with his little stand Of books
and papers beside him; the open fire
in the low CRATE, and mothers easy
chair drawn up in front of it; the
wide, uneven hearth that Lizzie's care
kept 20 clean, but could not make
ary thing else than rough and ugly.
Early every morning Bert started
on his long walk to the mills, dinner
basket in hand, and it was late in the
evening before he returned. He did
all that he could do, but that was
little for SO many, and both father
and mother needed medical attend
ance, and many little Injuries that
were hard for US to procure. Lizzie
and | used to talk it all over, many
and many night, sitting by the
smoldering fire on that old hearth,
after the others had gone to rest.
1t was almost our only time for such
talking. The restless, anxious look
on fathers pale face, and mothers
patient quietness, urged US to ap-
parent cheerfulness in their presence.
Bert, poor fellow, was to tired with
doing to have much energy left TO
expend in planning, with nothing
definite to plan about. lie was brave,
strong. and hopeful, but we knew
how how hard and uncongenial the
work was; and it was a steady head
ache to see him growing worn and
thin, and have him, in his brief
hours, at home, silent from very
weariness.
"Ah me- sighted lizzie, enc night,
pushing aside her sewing, aud letting
her hands fall listlessly upon her lap,
when we were left alone together.
The Bible has promise, somewhere,
has n t it? that God will restore again
the years that the canker-worm has
eaten. | wonder if be ever, erer, will
for US"
'Ifo only we could be doing some
thing | said, breaking the silent
that followed her words; something
to help
I'VE must interposed Lizzie; "at
least I must. 1t is all one can do to
look after things here at home, and
take care Of father and mother; but
it need not take US both all the time
There is surely something that would
pay US for the doing, if only We
knew what, snd where TO End it,
But what aud where were ques-
tions not easily answered. though we
pondered them auxiously; and project
after project was discussed. and giVen
up as useless, in those earnest even
ing talks. For some enterprises we
| lacked money, for others skill. Sew
ing promised nothing unless to those
far more expert at it than we Music
or drawing We could not teach, even
! if pupils for such branches had been
plenty. The common schools were
crowded with applicants for teacher 1
positions; stores afforded but ie"
clerkships to ladies' where we were
and there were no vacancies for US
We even considered the feasibility
of one of US going out to do house
work; but, aside from the stock o.
physical strength required, the ne
cessity of living altogether away
from home, made it, in our circum
stances, almost impossible.
Il never thought what crowded
world this is until lately" said Liz