The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-03-05
THE TWO TROUBLES.

streets of large manufacturing town.
D Slowly they proceeded with dejecte
+ countenances, not exchanging 4 word III
Il til the one whom we shall call Smit
halted before neat little house and vi
e latched the gate. Then there was such
d look of utter misery and despair gleamin
f from his eyes, that his companion mul
t INJURED, "We must trust in God, Smith.
t Eyes, he articulated gloomily, and &c
r ing TO the cradle, took up the six week,
4 old baby, and sorrowfully pressed it I
his heart
a 81 do wish you would put that chill,
! down and get ready for supper" ex
! claimed his wife, after enduring hi
J gioominess for some time.
He slowly obeyed, and then seated him
self at the table with a sigh.
, ''What in the world is the matter will
| you, tonight" she asked, as she sa
down opposite him.
His voice trembled as he replied, 81
suppose you might as well know it first al
last. have been discharged"
There !" exclaimed his wife, quickly
pushing back her hair; 'just what
might have expected I'd like to know
what we are going to do now winter on
and all. declare, Smith, you will tor
ture me to death"
Il am very sorry, Lydia, but / can.
not help it."
''SOrry! No. you are not sorry at all.
You would just as lief see your wife and
children starved as not. It's nothing in
the world but your bad managing"
Lydia, you are cruel. Instead of
helping me to endure my great trouble,
which is bearing me down to the very
earth, you make it ten times harder for
me to bear. was not the only one dis
charged. There was Jim Hawley and
ever SO many others. Business is dull. !"
Business is dull? ?" she mimicked at
ter him. Always an excuse for a
worthless man. To think that you should
| be discharged now, just as our rent is
due and then we are out of wood and
look at my shoes, won't your my feet ON
the ground. wish had never married
you" and a dark look accompanied the
words. The poor husband now 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 al
most to a state Of frenzy, the wretched
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 meantime John Hawley, his
companion in labor, entered his home
with a very sad countenance. But he
fore he had stepped over the treshold allow
ing pair of arms were thrown around his
neck and pair of sweet lips were press
ing 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 towel. Are
you not later than usual to-nightY
Eyes, Mary; | bring bad news to
you"
bad newsw she exclaimed, turning
pale, as for the first time she noticed that
something was wrong.
Eyes; / was discharged tonight, and
/ do not know as l can get anything to
do before spring. Business is so dnll."
rs that all?" asked his wife, with
sigh of relief | thought it was some
thing terrible, the way you looked"
''And is it not terrible enough2 What
will become of us this winter if i am out
of employment"
1.-The same God who feeds the sparrow
and clothes the lilies of the field, will
not let us suffer, dear James,"
God bless you, my dear Mary. There
is comfort in your words"
''And now let US have supper" ex-
claimed the wife cheerfully. "See |
have your favOrte dish--shOrtcake and |
toast Do not let your troubles impair
your appetite, and then, afteR tea, we'll |
talk il over. God doeth everything for |
the best. And as our day, SO shall our
strength be-"
In the evening it was determined that
the quarters rent should be paid immedi-
ately, and new supply of coal obtained,
and the remaining portion of the money |
placed in the wife's hands to be dealt |
with as sparingly as possible.
Then Mary suggested that all her pretty |
parlor furniture should be put away in |
the garnet and the front floor let out. |
Further than this they could lay no plans, |
and as the husband went out to pay the |
rent, the future looked so dark to the
young wife that she could not altogether |
restrain her tears but seeking strength |
from on high, her face wore the same
cheerful smile when her husband returned |
and little did he know that during all |
that night long, while he and his baby |
were soundly sleeping, his wifelay awake
planning for the future.
Three months have passed without |
days work all that time, and now another |
quarters rent is due In vain the la |
borer thrusts his hands into his empty |
pockets, and in vain racks his brain for |
some solution of the problem how the rent |
is going to be paid. The lodger had |
paid his money monthly, but then that |
was not enough to meet the sum if he had |
it, and of course his wife had spent that |
just as fast as she hal keceived it, and it |
was an every day wonder to James how |
Mary managed so well.
With feeling of deep despair he enter
ed the house. The table was spread with |
he same favOrite dish. There was the |
hor tcake and toast, Aanked 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
look it in, all at one glance, he greatly |
wondered at the frugal, yet comfortable |
way of living. How his wife had been
able to make that small amount of |
money last SO long was q mystery to him, |
and yet he could not help wishing in |
wardly that she had been more econ0mi-
cal; then, perhaps, the rent might have |
been paid, and he felt that it would have |
been better to have subsisted on one
crust of bread rather than to be turned |
out of doors homeless.
He refused to sit at the table, pleading
that he had no appetite. And great,
large tear arose in the strong mans eyes,
"a he informed his wife that on the morrow