The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-06-05

{. III a "
i comprehensive wave of the hand--ai
! my home. You see all my furniture--
except what's at the pawnshop. hav,
no fire, and no fuel to make it with; n,
food, and no money to buy it with.
have little medicine left by the doctor
but none of the comforts needed by my
sick wife and child. This, madam, il
why asked you for help this morning.
Mrs. Phelps covered her face.
Il never dreamed of anything like
this" she said.
"There are many things which you
rich people never dream Of" said
Thompson, bitterly.
"How long have you been in this de.
plorable condition ?" asked Mrs. Phelps
To-day is the first I've had to beg"
was the reply; something I'd have
thrown myself into the river rather
than do if it hadn't been for them. But
couldn't see them starve. ! came to
the city five years and more ago." he
added after moments pause. II had
bad luck, for work was dull. From hav-
ing little house by ourselves, we were
obliged to move here, and then my wife,
who was a good seamstress, succeeded
in getting mems trousers to make at 1s
cents pair"
Eighteen cents pair!" exclaimed
Mrs. Phelps.
'Yes; but the price soon fell to Is
cents, and as l was out of employment,
1 helped with the sewing. By working
from early morning till late at night
we managed to earn enough to pay our
rent and buy sufficient food to keep us
from starving. But the rates went
down, down, down, to 10, to IL, even TO
ten cents pair"
WHAT Ten cents for making a
pair of trousers? Who is mean enough
to pay such wages as that?"
"The great clothing firm of Phelps &
Co., madam!"
phelps & Co.! Jmpossible!"
"The firm, madam, of which your
husband was the head. l wonder if,
when he gave largely to some library,
church or hospital, he ever thought OF
the poor wretches who toiled day and
night, summer and winter, with aching
eyes, weary fingers and hungry
stomachs, that the mill which ground ,
out his money might turn him out a
good-sized grist! I can take you to
half dozen families in this very house
who make trousers for Phelps q Co., at
the same prices, and who, like us, have
finished coats at from five to ten cents
Zach, and make knee pants at 16 to IS
,ents dozen pairs"
Eighteen cents dozen pairs! You
1on't mean that?"
"Yes, madam, do. When Phelps &
20. pay ten cents for making a pair of
rousers which sells for five dollars, is
t any wonder that the firm prospers
Exceedingly, and that your husband was
bile to give away his thousands 2"
This is revelation to me-" said Mrs.
helps. Il cannot see how you man
ged to exist at ALL +,
It's been hard, hard struggle" re-
lied Thompson. with the aid Of our I
tile girl-for she has been sewing ever |
lnce she was four years old-we were {
able to earl dollar in a
ay; but that was seldom. We had to s
ay dollar and quarter per week for $
lis room, and hardly ever had more '
ian four dollars week to feed, clothe b
nj warm the three of US. But for the II
st six months the child has been ill. 1
en- days ago my wife took sick, and be-
luse OF having to wait on her and the v
Md l was able to do so little sewing +
at the foreman got angry the other O
y and refused to give me any more II
ork. Besides, we have been falling II
hind with the rent, and only yester-
y received notice that if don't nav
by the end of the week and my sick h,
mily must leave"
Outrageous! Who is your land =,
-d?" y
thompson took paper from his n,
cket, and, remarking that it was his n
It receipt, handed it to Mrs. Phelps. ..
10, after single glance, started, and Oh
IN stood staring at it in open-mouthed II,
constituent. For her own name was o.
lxed to the receipt! ~
WHAT" she calculated, as soon as -.
could find her voice. "This house 81
ne?" Si
SO it seems" &c
This is my agents work. said Mrs. ~,
clips, half to herself. "And he would ~.
e turned you into the street! Hor- oh,
Ie!" sn'
he opened her pocket and took out he,
lie bills. oe'
Nr. thompson" she said, 81 thank
Tor insisting that l should come
e. You have opened my eyes to some
igs was blind to before. Take this a $
is only very small part of the J