St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-26
WOMEN WHO WASH.

white last week that, in passing the
abode of my laundry woman, yentured
to be sOciable and praise her work. Nav.
in the goodness of heart that knows
no social lines, offered her a can of
beer then and there.
Thus it came about that she one one
side of dirty deal table and I on the
other, the beer between US and my pipe
well lit, talked of life.
Not the life of silks and satins, velvet
and polished hardwood floors, nor where
life dwells amidst delicate aromas, and
Is part of the beings of soft-headed men
and white-skinned women.
Neither my laundry woman nor call
that life 1t lacks something that the
good God gave us, and we are not en-
yious.
The dress of my laundry woman was
open at the throat, and as she was warm
and had been heating herself over tubs
of hot water, it had been pushed back a
tribe farther than good breeding would
permit.
could see the flesh. 1t was black,
and as cpriously gaZed and wondered
she caught my eye, and following it's
glance, nodded her head toward back
room and remarked:
lie did it."
-
am naturally thick-headed, and this
misfortune, which my parents swear
they never bestowed upon me, prevent
ed my connecting she" and the black
flesh.
SO [ sought light. ''He" turned out
to be her husband, and went in to look
at him after bit.
"She"-that is my laundry woman
turned her dress completely back and
laid her bosom bare, and l looked.
1t, was black, said-rotten black
the black of coagulated blood, bruised
and dead flesh. The skin was cracked
and broken, and there were clots of
blood here and there.
II there had ever been blue veins
there, and all the witching tracery with
which Nature hallows and beauties
that refuge of innocent babes and world
weary men, they were gone.
Ii was no mount, beauty encircled."
There was On it and in it nothing but
hldeouSneSs, sickening.
He" said she, without emphasis, sis
not so bad as he might be when he's
sober, but when he's drunk-oh, Lord p;
~
HE was drunk the other night, and
he came home late. l was tired, you
KNOW, because there is much work in
this. was in bed and he came in.
Il saw he wasn't just right, and so 1
pretended to be asleep. He came over
to the bed, and he says: MARY, give
me some money!
II didn't want to do that, for l knew
sure as God that he would go out and
get drunken. So kept quiet.
Linen he got mad. and he says, You
= if you don't give me some money
Pll lick you
'But l thought he was only fooling.
and trying to scare me, and wouldn't
answer.
First thing know he had got wash
board. and he hit me three times across
here.
Il cried out and then didn't know
anything, and when came around he
was asleep on the floor and [ was all
blood" -
Now, as this had happened in st. Paul,
and as l was sitting looking at this
woman and that breast, and several
thousand Christians were passing, and
not turning their heads nor inquiring,
i whiStled. =
On second thought 1 cut my tune
short and remarked,
"The bruteI"
That was putting it mild, but even
that gave offense. ,...t...
.'Not bit of it," said she; shes real
good when he's Sober' -
Now candidly ask you what was to
do before such statement?
"He's - real - good when = he's
SOBER"
Out of curiosity stepped back to a
small room in the rear and looked at
she"
A little, narrow room, windOwless,
low ceilings, no plaster and no carpet.
A bed having for legs cracker boxes
and for covers old coats and pieced out
with rags stood in corner.
Across it lay-a man. 1 had expected
to see a wild animal, low, cowardly
beast-one of those night providers and
| jungle slaughterers.
But l found a mana dirty. nasty, ill
smelling man-and he was drunk. His
pants were down, he wore no shirt, his
shoes turned over, he was unshaven,
and when l touched him with my foot
| he rolled over and cursed-at his wife,
suppose.
The air rocked with the foulness of
| dirty water, of the steam that rose from
it, of bad liquor and the accumulated
dirt of ages that lay everywhere.
''In heavens name, woman" ex-
claimed, ''how did you evolve my shirt
front from this?' and swept my hand
around so as to include squalor, man
and all.
She did not understand. She looked
at she" She went over and straight
ed out his clothes, pushed the hair out
of his eyes, and patted his cheek with
her hand.
/ understood. "He," after all. was
her husband. The law of man and the
law of love that hold you, my lady, to
the side of your devoted swain held
these two together.
But did not look again at the half
| exposed bosom nor The"
When we were back in the front room
she took up the can of beer and drank a
sailors draught, deep and long.
/ noted that.
That gives me bottom" said she,
! and took what was left.
sometimes l earn $40 in a week