The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-12-29

Hc)kqNeNGNoM010r

A the man as he stood In the
door OF fourth floor room
and looked into the face
of a woman whose cheeks had grown
white as she heard his step on the
landing.
"Im sorry, sir, but"
Same old story is it?"
-'Ive had 10 tell you for the last two
months-that l was out OF work and
couldn't pay my rent That was bad
enough, hut now my Tom Is out OF
work, too. He's there on the bed. sir.
and the doctor says it's touch of
pneumonia"
"You owe two months back rent"
he said, as he inspected the poor, old
furniture and wondered IL IL would
pay TO attach it.
eyes, sir, but II you'll only have n
little patience we'll pay you"
Patience won't pay taxes nor make
repairs. I'll give you the day to pack
your traps"
'But where Will go?"
BEAT some other landlord out OF
two months rent"
II haven't a shilling in tho house
and there lies my sick boyl Give me n
week, anyhow. IL will be the death OF
Tom 10 be carried out It's too cold in
the room here, but I've only a little
coal and have 10 use il more carefully
than you do gold"
"You can talk 10 tho constables
when they come; I'm sick and tired OF
hearing these yarns"
''Refore the week Is out may find
~><rk. II Tom was well wouldn't say
q word, but don't set us out with him
60 Sadly of that the docter-"
'Talk TO the consta blesi" shouted
sAs man nc he turned 10 go.
~But, sir, IL you would only let US
.etay another week I'm sure you
wouldn't lose by H. There's such
thing as the Lord raising up friend
Tor the widow and the fatherless just
as they are ready to give up"
'Can't stop-talx TO the constable
two months back rent or out you GO"
That was the way the year opened
for Widow Fliut and her boy Tom.
IL was hard times all around. Plenty
of energetic, skillful mechanics were
out Of work and behind In their rent,
and dealers and manufacturers who
generally had plenty OF work TO give
out were holding back TO watch the
business outlook. Tom might have
kept his place at three dollars per
week in tho box factory, but the want
of proper food and clothing had made
him susceptible 10 exposure and
Erought him low There wasn't money
ssough in tho house 10 get The doc
Communication. NIl.I - I-,,r. 49,.
and IL was well that the boys fever
blunted his appetite, as a loaf of bread
was the only palatable thing In the
house. Neighborsl Yes, plenty OF
them. There were forty families
under that roof. but most OF them had
little else but bread When poverty
begins 10 hunger their poverty is self
ish.
IL makes people selfish to herd them
together. The sight OF each others
dcstitution blunts all sentiment
"But-Hc's like the mayor. amt he
Fever noticing anybody but well-off
Soilfs."
TON. the Lord looks down upon us
s1i-the poor as well as the rich. We
nrc all In His keeping Don't doubt
His goodness. It's hard work 10 be
sicix and freezing and hungering. but
~ it's car burden 20 bear we must do
a. You must have medicine. Tom. I'm
going out to see II can pawn my
shawl"
And then you can't go out 70 look
for work"
"But IL may save you"
She went out and walked about FOR
an hour. but pawnbrolSers and second
hand clothing dealers were taking n
holiday with the rest OF the world.
She finally entered a drug store, and
lnalIcd Of the nrhnna nrnr,rlnilr ,rho