The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-06-01
CFrom The Sunday Magazine.1
AT HIS WITS END.
A Story of Invention.
BY MRS. CHARLES GARNETT.
CHAPTER II.

Mr.. Hanworth usually-as re
spectacle custom attended church OF
Sunday morning There was a feel
ing of satisfaction in accompanying
his elegant wife and well-dressed chill
dren there. He did not think mucl
why he did go, nor when he arrived a
church did he think at all about wor
ship or praise. He stood up and sa
down in the right places did MOI
kneel, of course; so far as the neigh
bors saw he was sufficiently devout
but if some unknown power hat
obliged Mr.. Hanworth to reveal him.
self to public gaze, his human fellow.
worshippers as well as the cloud o1
witnesses" would have known that
church time was time of busy bust.
ness-a quiet time for speculation, in.
vestment, invention, calculation, and
plans, anything but devotion to this
seemingly correctly religious man.
Mr. Hanworth was ''put OUT more
than he liked to own by Stephen
resolute bearing, and the little incl
dent in his counting-house and the
steadfast look in his workman's eyes
kept recurring with disagreeable dis
tinctness to his mental vision. Com
ing out of church he met, as he fire.
quently did, another iron-master; liv-
ing in the same direction, they usual
ly walked home together, talking va
rious little business matters over. To-
day Mr.. Hanworth mentioned Ste
phen's obstinacy.
"Just shows how disobliging those
fellows can be; man and boy he's
worked about the place for twenty
years. Detestable impudence! he's
only one of class. Combination is
Our only remedy. Are you coming to
the masters meeting tomorrow? yes,
of course. You'll mention this little
circum stance?"
mo, | think not; l don't want to
injure the fellow
Then | shall. Fine day, isn't it?
goodbye"
The next day the little circum-
stance was mentioned, and called
forth many indignant and contemptu-
Gus comments. Nearly all the gen.
tlemen present were self-nade men,
And yet amongst no set of aristocratic
landowners could more determined
cousels of class their class, that is)
supremacy be heard. One benevolent
old man did dare certainly to remark
that this did not seem to him case Of
insubordination, but of conscience,
and that every man had right to his
Sabbath, but this gentleman was
treated with scant attention.
And there the matter was dropped; !;
but not ended, as Stephen found to
his cost next day.
All Monday Stephen went from
foundry to foundry, but trade had
been dull and was just beginning to
revive, no new workmen were requir-
ed, and he met with refusals at all
save one place; there he was told a
foreman who understood his own par
ticular branch was wanted, but the
master was engaged out at a meeting,
and he might call next day. When
he did call he found he was not want
ed.
So bitter time Of trial began; for
three long weeks Stephen wandered
about constantly asking for work.
When he had penetrated into every
workshop and foundry-yard in the
vast town where he had been born and
always had lived, and met invariably
with disappointment, he began by his
wife's advice to travel to the neigh
boring smaller towns.
Frequently he walked very long
distances on vague rumors OF employ
ment, which always turned out to be
false, for the iron trade, which was
beginning to revive in the great town,
was still stagnant in the outlying dis
tricts. Constant refusals crushed even
his brave and trustful spirit, and he
went now, at the end of fortnight,
on his daily search with so respondent
an air that misfortune seemed to ac-
company him and cling naturally to
his side.
Stephen tried each evening as he
neared his house to put on the cheer
full air he did not feel, and enter his
home briskly, but one look at Mary's
anxious face and large, questioning
eyes, and all his sham brightness van
ished.
The couple had only been able, on
account of the long bad time, to make
but very small provision against a
rainy day. A sick sister-a widow
had needed and received help to the
utmost of their power, and many unu-
sual expenses had come to be paid
during the last month, so the little
savings had dwindled rapidly away,
and it was with feeling akin to des-
pair that Stephen, OH the Monday in
this the third week, was obliged to go
to the savings bank and withdraw
their last pound.
Through all the years which have
passed since then Stephen looks back
upon that week as the most miserable
Of his life. and sometimes even now he
wonders how he got through it, and
owns with humble gratitude that
nothing short of the sustaining hand
Of his God and the patient, uncom-
planning, cheerful love of his wife pre-
vented him from utterly despairing.
He had been everywhere! He knew
the uselessness of applying where he
had been already refused, and yet ii
was intolerable to remain in the house
doing nothing but watch, as he could
not help watching, his pale, feeble
wife and the helpless little baby. Out
in the streets there seemed more room
to move. He avoided the hours when
he should meet his fellow-workmer
returning from that employment tc
gain share in which would have
been the greatest earthly happiness tc
himself. He wandered about fighting
a sore battle. Few persons passing