The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-04-28
Trying Visitors.

Hard as it is to bear with grace the
trials caused by agents, there is another
class of visitors whose calls are fully as
unwelcome. Indeed believe it is easier
to get through the troubled haf-hour in
which the broken-down minister-that
pathetic figure which SO frequently
darkens our door-introduces to our
notice his wonderful Faith Cure;" or
that in which the audacious young man
polishes one leg of a table, thereby dis
gracing the other three forever; or the
young man who, holding the book close
ly in his own hand, forces us to listen to
sentences from it relating to matters of
etiquette Git seems almost like the irony
of fate for an agent to solicit names for
his book)-I repeat, it is easier to bear
these Affections than it is to have neigh
Dor or acquaintance drop in in friendly
way and ask one to subscribe a sum of
money to some charitable object. Let
us picture to ourselves a woman who is
trying to do a good three hours work
in two, and she might give little time
to the particular employment which is a
delight to her, and who wishes not only
to make both ends meet, but lap over q
little at the end of the year; who has a
way for every dollar and even for every
quarter of o dollar-think what it is to
her to be interrupted aud hindered, to
have her, nerves unsettled by the effort
it costs her to give or refuse. have
known a woman who had just enough to
pay for her children's stockings, and
who did not see her way clear to another
dollar that month, to give two-thirds of
it towards a camp-chair for the sexton of
her church, and the other third helped
to pay for a silver card-ease for the min
ister's wife. 1t was hard to patch and
darn the children's stockings as she was
obliged to, but it was harder still to re.
fuse her dear sister in the church when
course you wish to give little when the
rest are doing So" A young married
lady told me not long ago that she be-
lieved she had given enough cake during
the year for festivals and church parties
to have stocked a first-class bakery for
three months; "and didn't know how
to do it; / could not afford it, but
couldn't refuse" One may agree per
fectly with Mr.. Emerson when he says
that "a mans money should not follow
the direction of his neighbor's money,
but should represent the things be
should willingliest do with it. I" But lie.
friend pay her the delicate compli.
ments of allowing her to head sub.
scription, and see what she viii do! 81
have q, paper here which I know you
want to sign, said man to q reighbor
eve wish to raise funds 10 prosecute any
one who sells cider without license. u
sI can not sign it; have other ways
just now for my money" was the reply.
"Oh, then you, q mother, wish to coun.
tenance the drunkenness in this town.
was the unjust and uncharitable infer
ence. Subscription papers are often
| heightened in order to avoid the miscon
struction mentioned here, and money
which ought to go toward paying the
necessary expenses of a household is
taken from the reluctant hand of a wo
man who can not say no. 1 sometimes
think it would be good thing for oul
legislators to look into, and that some
kind of bill might be passed protecting
women from the agent and the bearer O.
subscription paper.-E. W. B. in Nea,
York Evening Post.