Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-07-24
Out of Work.
A STORY WITH A GOOD MORAL.

yet, Peter ?''
Give it up? How can l help it ?
In four days have been to every book
bindery in the city, and not bit of work
can l find"
"Have you tried anything else ?''
"What else can l try ?''
Anything yon can do"
Eyes, I've tried other things. I've |
been to more than dozen of my old |
friends and offered to help them
'And what did you mean to do for
them ?"
Il offered either to post their accounts,
make out their bills, or attend to their
counters"
Mrs. Stanwood smiled as her husband
spoke thus.
what makes you smile ?'he asked.
ITO think that you would have i'm
agined that you would find work in such
place. But how is Mark Leeds ?''
"He's worse off than am"
"How so p
HE hasn't mouthful in his house
to eat"
A shudder crept over the wife's frame
now.
why do you tremble, wife ?"
Because when we shall have eaten
our breakfast tomorrow morning, We
shall have nothing"
"What :" cried Peter StanwoOd, half
starting from his chair. Do you mean
that ?"
IL do"
But our -four 2"
"All gone. baked the last this af-
ternoon."
"But we have pork p
"You ate the last this noon"
"Then we must starve ~ groaned the
stricken man, starting rapidly across
the room.
Peter Stanwood was bookbinder by
trade, and had been out of employment
about month He was one of those
who generally calculate to keep about
square with the world, and who consider
themselves particularly fortunate if they
keep out of debt. He was nearly 80
years of age, and had three children to
provided for, besides himself and wife,
and this, together with his house rent,
was a heavy draught upon his purse,
even when work was plenty but now
there was nothing.
maria" said he, stopping and gaz-
ing his wife in the face, "we must starve.
l have not penny in the world
"But do not dispair, Peter. Try "a
gain tomorrow for work. You may find
something to do. Anything that is hon.
est and honorable. Should you make
but a shilling day, We could manage
to live.
"But our house rent ?''
Trust me for that. The landlord
shall not turn us ont If you will en-
gage something to do, will see that we
have house room"
III will make one more trial, NUT
tered Peter, despairlngly.
"But you must 60 prepared to do
anything"
Anything reasonable, Maria
What do yOu call reasonable %
"Why. anything decent"
She felt inclined to smile. but the
) matter was too serious for that, and a
cloud passed over her face She knew
5 her husbands disposition, and she felt
e sure he would find no work. She knew
that he would look for some kind of work
!, that would not lower him in the social
/" scale, as he had once or twice expressed
a it. However, she knew it would be o.
no use to say anything to him now, anc
a so she let the matter pass.
v On the following morning the last bi
4 of food in the house was put on the table
Stanwood could hardly realize that ht
was penniless and without food. Fol
IS years he had been gay, thoughtless anC
It fortunate, making the most of the pres
/ ent, forgetting the past. and letting tn
u future take care of itself. Yet the trutl
was naked and clear. and when he lef
the house, he said:
n Something must be done :"
le No sooner had her husband gone, thai
It Mrs. Stanweod put on her bonnet AM
shawl. Her oldest child was a girl l
le years old. and her youngest four. Sh
Is asked her next door neighbor if sh
would take care Of her children unit
n noon. These children we're well know
to be good aud quiet, and they wer
a taken cheerfully. Then Mrs. StanwOo
n locked up her house and went away
r She returned at noon. bringing some dlr
'u ner to her children, and then went ;
way again. She came home in the ev'
!. ming before her husband. carrying
Il. heavy basket on her arm.
2. "Well, Peter" she asked, after h
d. husband entered and sat down. "wh'
.u i luck"
- Nothing, nothing" he groaned- :
- made out to get dinner Of an old ehur
Il but could find no work.