Connecticut western news., 1881-11-23
MRS. IRWIN'S THANKFULNESS.
BY MARY GRACE HA1PME.

Richard Irwin toiled slowly and weari- ly up the two flights of stairs which led to the poor abode, whose scanty furni- ture had grown still more scanty as want and poverty pressed more and more hardly upon him.
 But poes as it was, everything was as neat as his pretty wife Mary's busy hands could make it, who turned upon him the same brave cheerful smile with which she always welcomed him, though her heart sank as she saw the gloom which shrouded his face.
 It's of no use, Mary" he said, sink ing down into 8 chair. "I've walked the streets all the morning, and there is no work to be had men are discharg- ing their old hands instead of taking new. I've had no work for three months now, with the exception of an odd job or so. Winter is coming on all my hardly earned savings are gone, and what is to become of us is more than I know !"
 ''It is always darkest before the dawn, Richard"
 ''That's what you have been saying for long time," was the gloomy re- sponse; "but the night keeps growing darker and darker. I wouldn't care so much if it wasn't for you and the baby /; but to see you growing so pale and hol- 1orouad on1 %o Hnoxu *haf Ero15;a ;. neither comfortably fed or clothed drives me almost wild.
 The young wife laid her hand softly upon the bowed head of the speaker.
 "God is good, my husband. He will not forsake those who put their trust in Him, and do the best they can."
 {" sometimes doubt whether He cares much for what is done here. It don't look as if He did. There is Tom Stev. ems, who has got rich through fraud and extortion. As was going through the market on my way home I saw him bringing turkey for to-morrow-fol tomorrow is Thanksgiving day-that is, for some people. Idon't know what we have to be thankful for'
 Mrs. Irwin's chief comfort in thes, dark days bad been her firm belief ii the wisdom and goodness of God, ant it cost her not little effort to repres the eager protest that arose to her lips But she was wise little woman, wh knew when to speak and when to b silent.
 | "I I know what have most reason t be thankful for," she said, touchin her lips lightly to his forehead " tha I am the happy wife of man wh never gave me occasion to blush fo him, or regret the day that made m his."
 Lifting his head MT. Irwin locke
 eagerly into those sweetly serious eyel
 " Is this really so Mary ? I hay
 feared, of late, that it was selfis
 thing in me to take you from a hom
 of ease and comfort to share my ha1
 and toilsome life. You had many sutton
 If, knowing all that you do now, yo
 had your choice to make again, woul it be the same ?''
 "It would be the same. You lit
 know the heart of your wife, Richar, if you think that I have the shadow a regret. I only wish that could hel you in some way" ... 'You do help me If it were not f, your love, and all that it gives m heart-and strength would utterly fail s'See what nice dinner I have f.
 you," said Mrs. Irwin, pointing to son covered dishes upon the hearth. i. . don't believe you can guess where : got it?"
 Begged it, perhaps" was the bitt 5 response.
 ''No, indeed we haven't got to tn yet, and, please God, we never wi . We had only crust of bread left fro s breakfast, and this I moistened wi 0 some milk for Freddie. As was thin @ ing of it, and feeling troubled at t
 prospect of having no dinner for y ' on your return, Mrs. Aliens little g ,, tapped at the door, saying, sthat h }, mother hoped I'd excuse her for sen z ' ing some meat and vegetables, as s
 had more than she wanted for dime
 Mrs. Allen is the woman who has t E rooms under us, and with whose si " baby I watched one night last week. ' q The sayory dishes that Mrs. Irv . placed upon the neatly-spread tai
 gave forth very grateful odor to