The Lake County star., 1877-11-01

VII, 4 nave bccu MI. Oiuup0ou tOiu
him just how We were situated, and
offered him my watch as pledge for
the payment of our rent within two
months, with interest on arrearages up
to date. ] told him did the business
because you were hunting for work."
80 he's got your watch?"
"No, he wouldn't take 1t. He said
IL / would become responsible for the
rent, he would let It rest"
"There, we've got roof to cover us,
and good food for tomorrow, hut what
next? oh, what curse these hard
times are 7"
"Don't despair, Peter, for We shall
not starve. nve got enough engaged
to keep us alive.u
"Ah, what Is that?n
"Mr. Snow has engaged me to carry
small packages, baskets, bundles and
so forth to his rich customers. He has
had to give up one of his horses"
maria, what do you mean ?"
"Just what 1 say. Mr.. Snow came
to dinner was there, and asked him
If he ever had light articles which he
wished to send around to his custO-
mers. Never mind what he said. He
did happen to want just such work
done, though he had meant to call up
on the idlers that lounge about the
market. He promised to give me all
the work he could, and I'm to be there
in good season in the morning.
"This is pretty go; my wife turned
butchers boy! You will not do any
such thing"
"And why not?'
"Recause.v
"Say, because 1t will lower me In
the social SCALE"
"Well, so it will"
"Then 1t Is more honorable to lie
still and starve too, than to earn hon.
est bread by honest work. tell you
Peter, If you cannot find work L
must. We should have been without
bread tonight, had not found work
to-day. You know that all kinds OF
light, agreeable business are seized up
on by those who have particular
friends, and who engage them. Atsuch
time as this it is not for us to consider
what kind of work we will do, so long
as it is honest. Oh, give me the liber-
ty of living upon my own deserts and
the independence to be governed by
my own convictions of right"
"But my wife, only think, you car
rying about butchers stuff. Why, l
could sooner do 1t myself"
eff you will CO." said the wife with
a smile, II will stay at home with the
children"
It was hard for Peter Stanwood, but
the more he thought upon the matter,
the more he saw the justice and right
of the path into which his wife had
thus led him. Before he went to bed
he promised that he would go to the
butchers in the morning.
And Peter StanwoOd went to his
new business. Mr.. Snow greeted him
warmly, praised his faithful wife, and
then sent him off with two baskets,
one to Mr.. Smiths and another to
Mr.. Dixall's. The new carrier work
ed all day and when 1t came night he
had earned ninety-seven cents. 1t
had been a day of trials, but no one
sneered at him, and all of his acquaint-
ances whom he met greeted him the
same as usual. He was far happier
now than he was when he went home
the night before, for now he was inde-
pendent.
On the next day he earned over a
dollar, and thus he continued to work
for q week, at the end of which he had
five dollars and seventy-five cents In
his pocket, besides having paid for all
the food of the family, save some few
pieces Of meat that Snow had given
them. Saturday evening he met Mark
Leeds, another binder, who had been
discharged with himself. Leeds look.
ed care-worn and rusty.
"How goes it?" asked Peter.
"Don't ask me-" groaned Mark, my
family are half starved
But can't you find anything to
do?u
"Nothing."
"But have you tried ?"
Everywhere but its no use. have
pawned all my clothes save those ]
have on. I've been to the bindery to.
day, and what do you suppose he offer.
ed me ?"
"What was it?"
"Why, he offered to let me do his
hand-carting! He has just turned of
his man for drunkenness, and offered
me the place. The old curmudgeon. ]
had great mind to pitch him into the
hand cart and run him into the"
"If had been in your place should
have taken up with the Offer"
Mark mentioned the name of the
same individual again.
"Why," resumed Peter, Il have
been doing the work of q butchers boy
for a whole week."
Mark was incredulous, but his COM
panion convinced him, and they sep.
arated, one going home happy and
contented, and the other going away
from home to find some sort of excite
ment in which to drown his misery.
One day Peter had basket of pro-
visions to carry to his former employer.
He took the load upon his arm, and
just as he was entering the yard Of the
customer, he met him coming out.
"Ah, Stanwood, is this you ?" asked
his old employer, kindly.
"Yes, SIR"
"And what are you up to now"
~ am a butchers boy, SIR"
"a what?"
"You see I've brought provisions for
you, sir. Pm q regular butchers boy,
sir"
"And how long have you been at
work thus ?"
"This Is the tenth day"
"But don't it come hard"
Nothing comes hard so long AZ 1t
Is honest. and will furnish my family
with bread"
"And how much can you make a
day at this 2"
Sometimes over dollar and some
times not over fifty cents"
swell, look here, Stanwood, there
have been no less than dozen Of my
old hands hanging around my count
ing room for o fortnight, whining for
work. They are stout. able men, and
yet they lie still because have no
work for them. Last Saturday ! took
pity on Leeds, and offered him the job
Of doing my hand cartiDg. I told him
that 1 would give him q dollar and q
quarter day, but he turned up his
nose and asked me not to insult him !;
and yet he owned that his family were
suffering. But do you come TO my
place tomorrow morning, and you
shall have something to do, II II Is only
to hold your bench. honor you for