The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-03

for my comfort. 1t is true I have enough
to eat, and do not suffer for clothing; but
although l work for my master from
morning till night, and if his children
happen to be sick, from night till morn
ing again, yet he does not pay me as
much as he does his cook, and am often
greatly distressed for want of tri6ing
sum which he would not mind giving to
a perfect stranger. The other day while he
was away from home I had to go the next
station to see a dear friend who was Ill,
and, not having 81 of my own l was
obliged to borrow the money from his
cook l was so mortified! And not long
since the berry woman came with such
nice berries to sell, and my little girl, who
was not well wanted some very badly,
but / had not even cents to pay for
handful for her Yesterday friend came
to ask me to assist in work Of charity
1t was worthy object, and longed SO
much to give little money for so good
a purpose, but though the wife OF so rich
a man | had no money. Of course l
might ask my husband for money, and if
l told him about what wanted of it,
and he approved of my purpose and
was in good humor, he would give it
to me- but, sir, it is terribly slavish
to have to do so, even if could run to
him every time l wanted anything. PEG
pie say l am fortunate woman because
L
girls their ability to earn and spend their
own money. And sometimes l get so
wild thinking of my helplessness that if it
were not for my children / think | would
drop into the river and end it all.
"Nettiel Nettie Jarvisl What are you
saying?" cried the startled husband at
last, for the far away look in her eyes as
if she did not see him, but was looking
to some higher power 20 help her,
touched his pride if it did not his heart, for
he had a great deal of pride in a selfish
sort of way He was proud to be able to
support his family as well as he did He
was proud that when his children needed
new shoes he could tell his wife to take
them to Crispins and getwhat they needed
He did it with a flourish. He was
not one of the stingy kind; he liked to
spend money; and when Nettie, who was
once the most spirited young lady of his
acquaintance, came meekly to him for
dress or cloak, he was sometimes tempted
to refuse her money just to show her
how helpless she was without him. Yes,
he was proud of his family, and wanted
them to feel how much they depended
upon him. He would have felt aggrava-
thus allowing her to be free in her purse
The idea of her earning money, as his
other work folks did, never entered his
mind. He supported her, " that was his
idea of their relations! He never had
happened to think that it was very good
of her to take his money and spend it for
the good of himself and children He
never had thought that any other woman
would have wanted big pay for doing it.
He had even thought himself very gener
Gus for allowing her money to get things
to make the family comfortable. Things
began to look differently to him just now.
Could it be that he was not generous, not
even just to his wife? Had he paid her
SO poorly for her fifteen years of faithful
labor for him that if she had been
obliged to begin the world for herself
that day it would have been as penni-
less woman?
How fast he thought, standing there at
the office window, looking down at the
little houses where the mill hands lived.
Could it be that he was not as good man
as he thought? He had felt deeply the
wrongs of the slave, whose labors had
been appropriated by their masters and
years for his master before the emancipa-
ton freed him came to Jarvis mills
friendless and penniless the heart of the
proprietor swelled with indignation at
such injustice. He was eloquent on the
subject at home and abroad, about how
and one could be so cruel and selfish to
commit such an outrage against Justice.
a
but now Donald Jarvis looked to himself |
very much like the old Shareholder Massa |
Brown had taken the proceeds of Cuff |
fees labor for his own without even a |
thank you for it. True. when Cuffee |
ate he had given him food, when he was
lick he had given him medicine, and he |
lad clothed him, too, just as he himself |
thought best. Mr. Jarvis had married |
ovely, conscientious woman, and for |
fifteen years had appropriated her labors.
Her recompense had been food and |
clothes, such as he thought best for her; |
/ little better than Cuffee's, perhaps, but
he similarity of the cases did not please
lin. He had expected his wife to be
7ery grateful for what he had done for
Ter, but now he wondered that she had
lot rebelled long ago. Had his life been
mistake? Had his wife no more money
n liberty than Cuffee had in bondage2
Vas Donald Jarvis no better than Massa
Brown"
His brain seemed to be in muddle, and
lie looked so strangely that his wife, anx.
ous to break the spell, took his arm, say
ng, Let US go nome, dear; tea must be
Waiting for us. He put on his hat in a
reamy way and then walked home in
Hence. The children ran joyously to
acct them. The yard was so fresh and
reen and the flowers so many and bright
1
Jettie for them all Hitherto he had
0oked upon them as his, but now he felt
hat his interests in them was only few
ollars, that would not have amounted to
nything without his wifes care His
hildren were tidy and sweet, and every
hing around and in the house had that
heery look that rested him so after the
ard. dull day at the mill They sat
gain at the table that had been a source
comfort and pleasure to him for SO
lany years. and he wondered how he !
ould have enjoyed it. so long without
ven thanking the woman who had pro-
ided it. True, she had his money in
ringing it all about but how else could
is moneyube of use to him? Who else
)uld have turned it into just what he
seded for years? And he began to have
/ underlined feeling that it took more
ian money to make home He glanced
his wife's face as he buttered his last
ice of bread.
1t was not that of the fair, rosy bride
HON he had brought to the mills years
efore, but at that moment he realized it
as far more dear to him, for he knew
at she had given the bloom and fresh
,S,eI L. L