The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1878-09-26
WOMAN AT THE BOTTOM OF IT,

ITO tell the truth, said John Havil
and. as he threw aside the evening pa
per, and faced the little group in the
parlor, II am fast growing out of pa
tience with the text: "A woman at
the bottom of it, 1t would be strange
in this world. made up as far as we
are aware of the two sexes, if woman
would not occasionally be found at the
bottom of any good thing! 1t is the
Injustice of the thing THAT makes me
angry. Now there are hundred of us
poor fellows who owe all We have, and
all we can hope to become in this
world or in the next, to the unselfish
love of woman
The gentlemau's face was flushed,
and he spoke very warmly and feeling
ly, so much so that his wife rocking
her baby to sleep in the further corner
of the room, inquired:
bat why should you eafe John? 1t
always has been SO. We don't think
much abont it now, because we have
been taught to expect it!'
Bat you should care AMI you
should fight for each other more than
Won L iltlS 10 OtiC SiAf foSh IL IL y
life's history that 1 have always kept
locked in my heart, but Tonight l feel
it my duty to open it for your inspec-
ton; and | do it for love of woman-
for the love of one woman what made
mo what 1 am worthy to be, the hns-
band of good woman.
Lets have the story said the rest
of the group, certain that something
good might be anticipated, and John
commenced at the first little tlmid.
but gaining confidence as he proceeded
"When I came to New York at the
age of twelve years, to seek my for
tune. called myself precarious chap,
without danger of being accused of an
unusual degree of self appreciation. |
was quick to learn anything, the bad
as we'll as the good. My emplyer used
profaue language. l picked up oaths
that he dropped with a nentralism
that surprised even myself. The boys
in the Office all chewed tobacco. This
was little the hardest job ever at
tempted, but after two weeks of nausea
aud indiscribable stomach wrenchings,
came off victorious, and got away
with my paper day with the best
of EN-"
"True, lever word of it," continued
the speaker.
zone afternoon I was sent with a
note fiom my employer to a house in
the upper end of the city. hadn
anything to read, but l had plenty OF
tobacco, and with that I proposed to
entertain myself during the two OF
three hours I must spend in the pass
age. For some distance I did not no
tice who were beside me. but by and
by a lady said: Would you please lit
tie bov, be more careful? [ am going
to a party this afternoon, and | should
hate to have my dress spoiled. T"
81 looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face I ever saw. Pale, earn
est and loving, to my boyish heart ii
was the counterance of an angle.
..What in the world did you say? IN
terrupted Miss Haviland, as she saw
how the memory Of this beautiful wo-
man affected her husband.
"Say! There was very little that
could say, think all did for some
time was to look. managed to dis,
pose of the tobacco, however. and wiped
my mouth very carefully, all OF which
I thought she saw and mentally COM
mented upon. o,,
!" Have you mother, little boy?" she
next asked IN the same tone.
:s'No ma ma" / answered. and fe',
nv throat filling mp. and 1 knew must
swallow mighty fast to keep from Sob
bing. a,
"You have father then, l SUPPOSE?
she kept on.
".No ma am, no father
"'Brother and sister?
+" Neither ma am,
.sThen the little boy is all alone IN
the worId?'
I" "'AH alone, ma'am
:" How long has your mother beer
dead?' aud the dear woman iookee
a way from my face, and waited till
could speak.
1.-TWO years, ! answered.
.''And yon loved her? came next.
"Dearly, was all could say.
"She was silent moment, and theI
said SO sweetly-oh! / shall never for
get it:
"And what do you think your deal
mother would say-how do You thinl
she would feel--to know that her little
boy was guilty of such disgusting
habit as this?" pointing to my cheek
where the tell tale quid had vainly tried
to stand its ground.
:" I must leave now she continued,
!" but here is my card and il you come
10 me moet every evening l shal. be