Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-03-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
RETRENcHME
A STORY FOR THE TIMES,

AIIs Livingston looked nquiflnBiy INTO her
hn-band's face and there was shade of anxiety
IN the tone of her voice as she inquired
"Is there necessity for it in our case, my
dear"
:. Not exactly necessity. am happy to say.
# is rather a measure OF expediency than neces-
.ty. Every man ought to ask if he cannot lessen
his EXPENSES at such time as this. As said o.
treucllluent is the watchword now.
{" 1t ought to be with many, no doubt, bnt l
rannot see why all should adopt 1t. Our ex-
uelses have ever born WISE and reasonable
1roportiou to our Income, and you admit that
even now there is no necessity for retrench-
ment."
times. it 10 wise to cut OF all unnecessary ex-
penses. There is proprety i'll doing 30. Be-
rldes. the claims Of charity will be great this
winter There will be an immense
amount OF suffering among the poor, and we
should cheerfully economize that we may have
more to bestow on the needy and suffering"
'There ID something in that, certainly" said
Mrs Livingston, who WAS never very pertinacious
in her opposition to any plan proposed by her
misband. Bat where shall we begin5
% Have we not more servants than we really
need? think we might spare one or two with
ont serious Inconvenience"
After Il thoughtful silence, Mrs. Livingston
said
very much, though she is such good, faithful
creature, that shall regret to part with her"
.'If you can spare her without Inconvenience
think YOU had better send her away. Can't wa
lind some other place to economze?'
IL might dismiss the girl who has dono plain
sewing for us for a month past. told her L
should want her two months, and | could easily
iiud work for her that time; but can do with
ont her service very well, and will DISMISS her
on Saturday night, il you think it best"
Mr.. Livingston assented. Retrenchment ill
other departments was discussed, and various
plans proposed, some OF which were adopted,
and others laid on the table for future consider
atlon.
Three weeks Inter Mr. Livingston observed to
his wife, with an air of comfortable self satis-
faction
"My dear, am more convinced every day
that we were right in the plans we adopted three
weeks ago / can assure you it is hard times
Tor the poor people. A poor follow came to Inc
to-day. He was out of work, and six children
TO support He told pitlful story.
~ hope IL helped him."
"Yes / gave him twenty dollars. portion Of
what we have saved by economy"
The next evening Mr.. Livingston settled HIM
self in his easy char with u grave and somewhat
troubled look. The expression of his counte-
nance was that of man whose self ,complacency
had been seriously disturbed. Mrs. Livingston
was quick to observe tins. She waited some
time for her husband to break tho silence, but
seeing that he was not disposed to do it, she
said:
thing occurred to annoy you Z?
"Not unless you call it annoyance for man
to discover that ho has been acting unwisely and
without due consideration, when he really sup
posed that he was doing very wise thing.
- Ii that your caBe my dear = said Mrs. Llv.
ingston in tone IN which wifely sympathy and
womanly anxiety were about equally blended.
" Precisely"
"Please explain yourself"
'You remember the plans for retrenchment
oil oil
III do and it was only yesterday that you
were descantiug on the wisdom of the proceed
ings OF that evening""
HThat is true but have learned since then
this wisdom was folly, not to call it by IL harder
name. But will tell you what has opened my
eyes You remember what said to you about
the poor fellow whom | assisted yesterday
This morning mentioned the circumstance TO
my friend, Mr.. Chase, as we were speaking OF
the hard times and the suiierngs OF the poor.
To my surprise, lie exclaimed, earnestly:
II would not have given the fellow cent.
"Why not 2" inquired. "Out OF work, with
SIX children to feed is he not All object oil chari-
typ
No the fellow came to me with the same
story, week ago. ptied him, OF course, and
offered him work at low wages until lie could dc
better. But lie scornfully rejected the propos'
III. Now such man L do not wish to help.
There are hundreds who would gratefully accept
of even moderate wages. l made linn the best
offer | could afford, and it would have kept hit
family from absolute suffering until the timer
are better"
III had known the fact you have stated,
would have kept my money for Il more deserv
ing object, replied.
S.My plan" continued Mr.. Chase, lis to give
employment to as many as possible these hare
TIMES. | believe it il the most benevolent i'll
vestment of money! it will secure US from be
coming the dupes of those who make the hare
times an excuse for deneas and riotouz gather
ings.
thoughtfully :; for new light was breaking II
upon my mind.
Half an hour after Mr.. Chase left the store
his brother-in-aw, Mr. Mills came i'll.
"'Are you in want of female domestcF Z IN
inquired.
''I am not" replied, but why do.you ask 2
80 met with a case of suffering yesterday
that touched my sympathies. poor sirl o.
neat and modest appearance, came INTO my stor
to inuuire if did not wish to hire her. On m
replying in the negative, she eagerly inquired i
did not know of some one who wanted to hlfe
On again receiving negative, the tears courses
down her pale, thin cheeks, Tor very pale ah'
thin they were, and she turned away with dea
pairing ejaculation that went to my heart
called her ba TX and made inquiries into her cir
cumstances. 1t was Il sorrowini taie' ne
father fell from the roof of house thre
months ago, and was 30 injured that he has no
left his bed since. She had two brothers and
sister, all too young to earn anything. lie
mother hal taken in sewing for the shops, an
she had gone out to service, ana tney liau Ilai
aged to keep want from their door. But no.
she had been out OF place for three weeks, he
mother could get no sewing, and they are starV
ing. This last statement was fully corroborrt
ted by her own cadaverous appearance. L SOL
her to the house to get something to cat.
"'When went home to dinner, my wlle,wt
swimming eyes, told me about her call. Whe
food was placed before her, she begged TO D
allowed to carry it home, instead of eating 1t he
self declaring that it almost broke her heart
think OF poor Sammy and Charles and little lin.
who had been crying for bread all the morhlni
When told to satisfy her appetite while a oask'
WAS filled for her to take home she fell at IL
one half starved yet as soon as tho basket WI
ready, she would remain no longer, but haste
ed with 1t to her starving family.
"This tale of suffering related by my trieh
touched my heart. learned from him whe
TIE poor family were to be found, and that We
hour repaired to their dwelling. Judge of II
surprise when found this girl none other th'
Mary herself Her dismissal from our service,
time when situations are 30 difficult to be o
tanned, had brought deserving family to q
brink of starvation. or course relieved the
present necessities, and told Mary to come ba
tomorrow morning. They overwhelmed L
with expressions of gratitude, but felt mo
like culprit than benefactor."
/" But you did not intend any wrong, sa
Mrs. Livingston.
True but adopted wrong course OF co
duct without due consideration. Strange {
not use Il little common sense, and ask mys'
what Mary would do if thrown out OF emplt