River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-08-20
s.WHEN POVERTY COMES IN

"WHEN POVERTY COMES IN
CHAPTER OF \ WOMAN'S LIFE.
''Whcn Poverty comes in nj the door,
Love flies out of the window" So
people are wont to say. But | cannot
believe it; | never can; never shall
1t is not so much the cruelty of the
proyerb as its utter untruth which Of
tends me. For, surely, when Poverty
comes in at the door, Love, armed with
sudden strength, puts forth the
mightier and diviner side of his nature
70 resist the foe; nay, perhaps, l should
rather saga that God knits our sorely
tried hearts more closely than before
with a strange and beautiful link.
1t happened thus to Phil and me
Poverty had lifted the latch. had
opened the door, gently at first, then
more rudely and noisily; Poverty
looked in and stared Us in the face.
was sitting alone by the hearth of
orr cherries room. 1t was late after
noon, and cold and gusty autumn
The windows ratified now and then; the
sad wind howlcd in the chimney; the
dead leaves, swirling outside, darkened
the sky
was trying to warm my thin hands
over the fire, slowly turning round and
round with listIess touch the wedding
ring that had grown so loose of late
l was certainly very thin, and, besides,
there was a nasty blue mark upon one
of my wrists.
Little Charley lay asleep in his crib,
Florence had gone out marketing; the
child showed an aptitude for such
household avocations. and her pretty,
piteous face often induced the grocer
to allow us longer credit than my most
earnest entreaties were able to obtain.
Our room was bare, terribly bare;
the floor was dirty and carpetless;
everywhere around were evidences
Of our Strengthened circumstances;
even the future looked forlorn and i'm
poverished Near the window on an
easel. was an unfinished picture, whilst
upon the dusty table hard by lay pal
lette whereon the colors had grown dry
tattercd old copy of the ''Morte d
Arthur, ahd few paint brushes
scattered carclessly about. The work
was there. but not the worker My
husband was out. he had ceased to try
to work. and indeed, owing to his con-
tinued i'll success in pecuniary matters,
there seemed some reason for his per-
petual refrain whenever he CHANGED to
be at home.
Work, work. what is the use of
working? Oh. for Gods sake don
bother me, Susie. Some men are born to
i'll luck. What on earth is the use Of
working?"
As sat there all alone, gazcd at my
wedding-ring and sighed. | sighed,
for remembered the first few years of
our married life. when ''work to Phil
meant not only use but pleasure also,
when he held me in his arms durin-
the sweet summer evenings. and I'M
folded to me his dreams for the future
our future. | sighed as most women
sigh fancy. whose hopes are dashed
To the ground, whose illusions are
broken and defaced. And then re-
counized the sound of a well-known
heavy step ON the stair, and Phil came
in
lie banged the door as he entered;
he looked pale and weary as well as
irritable | needed but TO east one
quick glance at his wan fsce to read
there the result of the afternoon 5 quest;
de>pondency and disappointment were
pIainl legible.
We'll. he muttcred, as he impa-
ticntly kicked off his boots and flung
them to the other end of the room
well. there's nothing more to be done;
.the same old story over again.
lis it, PHILIP
lis It2 Is it, indeed? why, tell YOU
IT Is Curse the whole thing! | don t
mean to 60 near any of those disgust
inc dealers again. I'll sail for America
next week and try my luck in the mines
or whatever comes to hand. Anything
for new life
was silent. Phil was in hard
mood. but that. alas, was nothing new.
At the thought of his going to America
nv heart sank within me. What was
to become of me and the children?
We had nothing to live upon. Yet
such was not nv bittercSt thought.
but rather this: | could not bear to part
from Phil.
Then he spoke qucrulously:-
.What a ircary hole it is! Have YOU
cot no supper for me, nothing TO eat
after my long days tramp
There i some bread and cheese in
the cupboard. dear. nothing else. and |
am afraid we have but little even of
that.
cot up and fetched The food, and
placed il before Phil. He ate mcchani-
callv. his ewes fixed in sullcn medita-
ton on the floor.
You understand" he asked after
awhile.
Understand what. PHILIP"
That ann OF to America next week
for certain.
.,Oh no, no.''
but tell YOU YES What is to pre-
vent me? | am sick Of this life, Sick
of everything.
Il will prevent you, dear, l said.
TREMENDOUSLY. .Oh no, | will not let
you go. l will not let you leave me.
You will not?' asked Phil with a
cOntemptuOuS IauEh anu S"lSN' N"'
/ held closely to him.
Il will not. Oh. Phil, listen to me-
listen -
All. he rose abruptly in anger, and
pushed me away. and, as | tried to
follow him, he roughly seized my arm,
and threw me from him, so violently
that | reeled and nearly fell
was weak and ill., | suppose, from
want of food, for the whole room
seemed to swerve and spin. l raised
my hand to my forehead, and. rs did
o. Phil caught sight of the blue mark
upon my wrist. the mark his cruel
grasp had imprinted but yesterday.
And then. all suddenly, he turned away