The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-12
THE HAPPY RETURN.

4 D
| to fud hhe bread for us. How L workedl
Just as many weary wretch before me
| has worked, and is now working, for the
dry bread and the roof to cover them or
their children, with only faint, very
IAN bhope of something better 10 come
IN the tar-off future.
Ny something had come and gone! l
! lost 1t when my brave, true Edward
babe me farewell, with tears in his dear
teyes, and passed down the walk that
led from our pretty home, and went on
| board his ship. IL all left ME when they
| came 10 tell Inc, after a lapse of many
terrible months, that the snip Orion had
gone down, and with her all her precious
living burGen.
l was young then, used only TO my
hu5b 5banu's tender care and loving words
and my babies' pratte; but the money
wasued away, and had moth NJ. for we
were only beginning life, anu Edward
| had not got beyond tue furnis hing OF the
pretty house we occupied. FlrsV, WAS
| obliged to sell the furniture; next, when
| Ia The decent yet cneefless lodgings l
paired with the least Of my treasures,
| and afterWard with all. Then i found
work that could take to my room, for
in those days 1t was like death to think
of leaving my children in strangers
care; but the work was not sutttcient,
and we went down to those two poor
rooms in poor part OF LiYerpool; and
there, real, iron, grinding poverty tell
upon us. Tuis was The poverty which
compelled me not only to 60 away f. ON
the miserable place we called home, but
to leave my Two darlings all day alone,
in the noisy, dirty house. How my heart
4 bled when came home. sometimes, in
4 the winter, a while after dark, to find
them curledN like frightened kittens in
The lurthest corner Of the room, anu
| when l unlocked the door to hear their
tire milling voices ask, "Mamma, is 1t
lyouw
But the evenings when / could give
them bread and milk for supper. and get
a cup of tea and toast, bit of bread lor
myself, were merry ones, at least 10
| them. There were nlghts-ah, me
many OF them, that could not lind the
money for more than one little roll;
and that they ate, looking wisLIully tor
m re, but, bless them, never asking, as
lhey knew my heart rtWould break TO near
\ them say the words.
/ Three yearsl Who wonders that |
lost the freshness .Eqward loved, ana
| grew thin and od2 Three years OF hard
labor, with hungry children and empty
| pockets; OF Coldpess, harsh words; OF
lireless rooms, and days without food!
lock back, and pity myself, poor,
homeless, hienuless creature that l
| was. ..., ... .lt ...... L.
When I had borne it all for so many,
1many months, sickness came. 1t Was
not severe, only cold and rheum matism; !;
Dut 1t kept me an Idle prisoner for tnree
long weeks. l kept back the rentr
money, daring rather to face AN angry
Landlord than two hungry children;
and before | could 70 back to work, a
whole months rent was due. He came,
with his hard face like iron, and told
me he must have the money; and l, SO
happy that on the morrow could go
back into the shop, that even smiled,
and told him 1t would be Forthcoming.
YOU'RE not over and above a profit.
able iodger," he growied; ''for you've a
weakly look, anu, in my mind, likely to
faiI through any day. HoWsOmeyer, Pll
give 9bu lair chance; but ii you amt
read pwith the money in fortnight from
this time, out you 60. give you warn
ing. THAT'S law" ....
} / could get the money in fortnight,
so | did not care. l could work steaully
during the day, and ask the forewoman
TO give me work to take home Of an eve-
ming: so looked bin bravely in the face
| and iold MIN should be ready with the
money. =,
| AM LuaI HYRuG L JUDh Oub tu6 W Gll-
worA case containing Edwards picture,
and the tears fell Ike rain upon The
glass; and then l went to the bed anu
prayed over my sleeping darlings. But
Tor them, how easily l could give up my
burden of lie and 80 up to meet him.
When l promised to have The money
: ready, l meant ever word, put their
lfultillment did not come. l was too
weak 10 even do my customary allow
auce OF work, and my anxiety brought
: on Il succession Of terrible headaches,
which kept me at home for days, and
when the last evening came had not a
Ishilllng.
: Ana what terrible evening it was
1t was midwinter, and all day an icy
rain had been falling, and the pave
ments were crusted with 1T. AS l sal
by my children heard the frozen drops
come in showers against the glass, and
was beginning to lUrget his coming, and
to feel little sense OF comfort, even III
my poverty, when his Well-knoWn raj
was heard at The door OF my miserable
room, and without waiting for permis'
sion, he entered.
! "Well, Of course you've got the
moneyp he brusquely said.
Mo-" 1 faltereu.'
"Nol Wen, then, you know the con
sequences. LACK up your tnlnSs."
"YOu surely don't mean to turn MI
!. out, with my children, on such a night as
tnisr' lalerlngly appealed.
don't /? Law Is law; and il yol
can't pay, why there's the work-houst
for the like ofyou. What should l say
e to the owner OF this house if l didn'
} take him the money? He'd say
i. 'Leave! "Thaps what say TO you"
"But have ne place on earth to TAX
= nv children top Fcried, bursting intt
2 tears. "On, l beg you to let me sta.
l. here just tonight! On, IL
t .s'Not minute" be roughly interrupt
+ ed; "and if you don't begin to pack up
= 1 shall have to do so for you."
!. ."Oh, my babiesp cried.
n "stand backp cried voice, and
G lifted my head at tue sound OF lie We'll
u remembered tones. .
e The room, the babies, the landlord an
d all swan before me; but two strong, 10y
y ing arms upheld me, and my husban
J. drew my pale, tear-stained face up t
!. his own. .
"Nut dead, after all, Annie! No, da>
e ling, only wrecked on a coast from whic
q 1 TOOK the first outward bound yesse
: Poor girl! I'Ye been wainng for tha
b vessel for three years. My good mai
r step out. This is too sacred for you
II 10 mi IA m n II 70