Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-09-02
BILLY.

BILLY.
The Foreign Missionary Society of
one of Chicago's moot prominent
churches had just concluded its regu-
lar monthly meetings. The exception
ally fine winter afternoon brought out
more of the women of the congrega-
tion than usually attended, and altho'
many of them left the building imme.
diately after the meeting, the large
church parlor was still well filed with
animated groups.
Over in mi corner of the room, apart
from the crowd, sat a little circle OF
women. They had been discussing the
wretched condition of women in India
and gradually the talk turned to the
state of women in the United States.
Eyes" said Mrs. We%stcott, who was
an old church member, ''the women of
this country are well blessed. They
really have nothing to complain Of"
Except the unequal division of this
worlds goods, exclaimed Mrs. Harri-
son, a bride, whose husbands income
was somewhat limited.
II think they have a great deal to
complain of and much that they must
continue to struggle for until the right
to vote is granted Them" quietly re-
marked Mrs. Allen, who was a w. G.
T. U. woman.
"Oh," exclaimed Mrs. Westcott,
looking rather amused; 81 did not know
you were a follower of Susan B. An
thony. l beg your pardon"
well" said Mrs. Harrison, ~ do
not want to vote: l am willing my hus-
band should attend to that for me.n
May tell you a short storyp" asked
Mrs. Colfelt, the minister's wife. She
was a slender little woman with gray
hair; her eyes were dark and sparkling
and her face was beautifully tender
and sweet. 1T was about a man l
used to know-Billy, we called him;h he
was q gripman on m of the city cable
lines and | rode On his car frequently.
One day there was a block on the
line which caused along detention and
gave me an opportunity to ask Billy
about himself. found him a very in.
telligent man. He told me about his
wife and his five year old boy. How
he had been a gripman for several
years and all that time he had been
hoping to get into a better line of work
His hours were very long and his pay
so small that it barely sufficed to cover
his rent and buy food and clothing fol
the little family which made it impos
sible for him to lose even one day from
his car. OF course there was no chance
for him to find a better position under
such circumstances.
VI was quite interested in the man
and very soon after our conversation ]
went to see his wife. She was a Chris,
tian woman, and a hard worker. Ev,
%erything about her two little rooms was
spotlessly neat. She did dressmakinp
in a small way to piece out the scanty
pay of her husband, and notwithstand.
ing her hard life, she was extremely
cheerful and hopeful. Billy, she told
me, was the kindest husband in the
world, and the boy was the bright spoI
in their lives. When / saw the bow ]
did not wonder that they we're proud
of him. He was q beautiful little fel
low, with curly brown hair and dark
blue eyes; his sweet, happy face was
like his mothers. He was so gentle ant
well behaved that my heart went GU
to him at once.
During that summer and fall l rod,
quite often on Biliy's car, and called
on his wife frequently. They were get
ting along as usual, when, on the day
DSAViO Ohiioeiuuo, u ttITlDl6 IuluR u
pened. There had been a week of bit.
terly cold weather, and Billy's suffer
ing was intense as he stood guiding
that open car, hour after hour, day af
ter day, and part of the night, exposed
to the biting cold. 1t was almost be
yond human endurance, but the faces
of his wife and child were always be
fore him, and the thought of theil
needs gave him the courage to go on
On this particular Christmas eve Bill
ly's heart was lighter than usual as he
opened the door of his little home. He
carried under his arm a few simple
toys, and he was thinking how happy
the boy would be to get them in the
morning. But the next instance his
heart sank like lead, for he saw the
deathlike face and motionless form Of
his child on his own little bed, and al