Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-09-19
GUT OF WORK.
APRACTICAL TALE HARD TINES.

w naG else can 4 Ny
"Anythiug you can do"
"Yes, I've tried other things
I've bean 20 more than a dozen OF
my old friends and offered to hell
them.,'
"And what did you mean to dc
for them ?"
Il offered either to post theiI ac-
counts, make out bills, or attend to
the counter"
"Mrs, Stanwoad smiled as her
husband spoke thus"
What makes you smile ?" he
asked.
''To think that you would find
work in such place. But how is
Mark Leeds ?'
"IIe is worse of tLan l am"
GLOW so ?"
''He has nothing in the house to
eat.''
A shudder crept over his wife's
frame now.
"Why do you tremble, wife 2"
"Because when we shall have
eaten our breakfast tomorrow morn
ing. we shall have nothing"
"What ?" cried Peter Stanwood,
half starting from his chair. do
you mean that"
81 &C."
s'But our -four ?"
"Au gone. L baked the last this
afternoon"
''But we have pork -
''You ate the last this noon."
"Then we must starve !" groan-
ed the stricken man, starting across
The room.
Peter St2nwood was a bookbinder
by trade, and he had been out CT
employment about a month. He
was one cf those who generally cal
culated to keep square with the
world, and consider themselves par
ticulArly fortunate if they keep out
of debt. lie was now thlrty-five
years Of age, and had three children
to provide for, beside himself aud
wife, and this, together with his
house rent, was q heavy draught
upon his purse, even when work was
plenty; but now there was nothing.
Maria" said he, stopping and
gazing at his wife in the face, ''we
must starve. Thave not single
penny in the world.''
''But do not despair, Peter. Try
again tomorrow for work. Any
thing that is honest and honorable.
Should you make but shilling a
day we should not starye.
''But our house rent
s'Trust me for that. The land
lord shall not turn Us out. If you
will End something to do, will see
that we have housero0m."
81 Will make one more trial, :"
muttered Peter despairingly.
''But you must be prepared 10 do
anything"
Anything reasonable, Maria"
''What 90 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 her husbands disposition, and
she felt sure he would ind work.
She knew that he Would look for
some kind OF work that would not
lower him in tie scale, as he had
once or twice expressed il. How
ever, she knew it would be Of no use
to say anything to him now, and she
let the matter pass.
On the following morning the
last bit Of food in the house was put
on the table. StanWOOd cOul1 hard
ly realize that he was penniless and
without food. For years he had
been gay, thougLtless and fortunate,
making the most of the present, for
getting the past, and letting the flu
ture take care OF itself. Yet the
truth was naked and clear, and
when he left the house he said
"Something must be done"
No sooner had her husband gone
than Mrs. Stanwood put on hel
bonnet and shawl. Her eldest child
was girl Of eleven years, and the
youngest four. She asked her nexI
door neighbor if she would take care
of her children until noon. These
children were known to be good anu
quiet, and they were taken cheer
fully. Then Mrs. StanWood locked
up her house and went away. She
returned at noon, bringing some
dinner fer her children, and then
went away again. She came home
ii the evening" before Eag husband