The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-07-01

light comes their death groan. 1t is not
such a cry as comes from those who are
suddenly hurled out Of life, but q slow,
grinding, horrible wasting away. Gather
them before you and look into their faces,
pinched, CHASTITY, hunger struck! Look at
their fingers, nsedle-pricked and blood
tipped! See that premature stoop in the
shouldersi Hear that dry, hacking, mer-
CHESS coughl Alta large meeting of these
women, held in hall in Philadelphia,
grand speeches were delivered, but
needle-woman took the stand, threw aside.
her faded shawl, and with her shriveled
arm hurled q very thunderbolt of elo-e
quence, speaking out the horrors of her
own experience.
speak more fitly of woman's wrongs
because she has not been heard ia the
present agitation. You know more of
what men have stuff red. Isaid to col
ored man who, in Missouri last March,
came into my room in the morning to build
my fire: "Sam, how much wages do you
people get around here?" - He replied:
"Ten dollars a month, sir ~ asked:
'Have you familyf' ssYes,v said he,
.'wife and children.'' Think of,it; $i20 a
year to support. q family On: Ny friends,
there is something in this world awfully
atwist. When ! think OF these thingsI
am not bothered as some of my brethren
with the abstract questions as to why
God let sin come into the world. The only
wonder with me is that God don't smash
this world up and start another in place
Of it..
One great trial that the working classes
feel is physical exhaustion. There are
athletes who go out to their work at six or
seven O'Clock in the morning and come
back at night as fresh as when they start
ed. They turn their back upon the shut
tie or the forge or the rising wall, and
they come away elastic and whistling.
That is the exception. have noticed that
when the factory bell taps for six o'clock,
the hard working man YEARLY puts his
arm into his coat-sleeve and starts for
home. He sits down in the family circle
resolved to make hiriseH agreeable. to be
the means of culture and education to his
children; but in five minutes he is sound
asleep. He Is tagged out-strength of
body, mind and soul utterly exhausted.
He rises in the morning only half rested
from the toll. Indeed hewill never have
any perfect rest in this world, until he
gets into one narrow spot which is the
only perfect rest for the human body in this
world. I think they call 1t grave! Has
toll frosted the color of your cheeks? Has
it taken all spontaneity from your laugh.
ter? Has it subtracted the spring from
your step and the luster from your eye,
until it has left you only half the man you
were when you first put your bend on the
hammer and your foot on the wheel? To-
morrow, in your place of toll, listen, and
| you will hear voice ABOVE the hiss OF the
! furnace and the groan of the foundry and
| the clatter of the shuttle-a voice not of
machinery nor of the task-master, but the
voice of an all-sympathetic God, as he
says: =@3'
Come unto me all you who labor and are
heavy laden. and Will give you rest.
L Let all men and women of toll re-
member that this work will soon be over.
Have they not heard that there is great
holiday coming? o! that home. and no
long walk to get to it. o! that bread and
no sweating toll necessary to earn 1t. o!
heavy buckets to draw up. Iwish they
would put their head on this pillow stuffed
with the down from the wing of all Gods
promises. There remains a rest for the
people of God. zs
T wonder how many tired people there
are in the house to-day. A thousand!
More than that. Two thousand people
/ who are tired, tired out with their life,
tired in hand aud foot and back and heart.
All! there are more than two thousand
people bere to-day, supposing all the rest
to be in luxury and in ease. Yonder is a
woman who has her head down on hei
hand. What does that meant Ask her
It has been tiresome week to her.
20" she says, when will / ever ge,
any rest?"
May God comfort all who toll with tn,
needle and the sewing machine, and hav.
compassion on those borne down under til,
fatigues of life. " alft} 81 II
| Another great trial is privation OF tast,
and sentiment. There are mechanics WHIT
have their beautiful homes, who have theil
fine wardrobes, who have all the bes
!, fruits and meats Of the earth brought {,
}, their tables. They have their eleean
) libraries. But they are the exception
"A great many of the working peopl,
) Of our country are living in crampet
abodes, struggling amid great hardships
, living IN neighborhoods where they a,
/. not want toslive, but where they have t.
live. LIDO not know of any thing NOR
,I painful than to have fine taste for paint
r ing and sculpture, and music and gloriou.
sunsets, and the expanse of the blue sky
and yet not be able to get the dollar TO
the oratorio, or to get a picture, or to bu,
zones way ntosthe country to look at tn,
, Esetting sun and at the bright heavens
While there are men In great affiuence
J, who have around them all kinds of lux
uries in art. themselves entirely unable t,
t appreciate these Notwithstanding thei
) books by the square foot, their picture
: sent to them by some, artist who is gla,
to get the miserable daubs out of the studi.
: there are multitudes Of refiued delicat
! women who are born artists and shall
8 reign in the Kingdom of Heaven as art
. lists, who are denied every picture an,
7 every sweet song and every musical in
: strument. Oh! let me cheer such person
! by telling them to look up and behold tn
/. + inheritance that God hes rosorvad 70