The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-02
will give us a competency for our old

IL hope it will, replied Mrs. smith,
"but somehow fear"
''Away with doubts, away with ears;
Our day of fortune now appears;
Well spread our sails to fav'ring breeze,
And catch our fortune ere it fees"
OF course Mr.. Smith had his own
way. His wife had not as yet asserted
herself. In fact, she had not yet out
grown the old idea that the wife
should "obey" the husband, or, at
least, yield to his opinion where there
is difference of opinion. Hence,
though not convinced, she &C.
guessed.
When the legacy came into posses
sion-as it did a few weeks after
Mr.. Smith stocked small grocery
store, and set up in business for him
self. He was widely known, was well
liked, had hosts of friends who gave
him their patronage, and his sales
started off briskly. His goods were
new and fresh, his treatment of Gus
toners was kind and obliging, his
trade increased rapidly; larger
stock was needed, and he launched
out as the demand seemed to require
Congratulations came in from all
quarters. and John Smith was looked
upon as the coming groceryman of
the plac
At the end of the year Mr.. Smith
took account of stock, struck bal
ance of loss and gain, and found, to
his utter amazement, that he was
helplessly and hopelessly in debt.
He had given large amount of I'M
collectable, in fact, worthless credits;
he had purchased lavishly on time;
there had been unaccountable leak
ages; the demands against him could
not be met; an assignment was in
evitable. He found himself bank
rupt at the end of the first year-not
through lack of hard work, but
| through lack of shrewd business
management. He failed just where
his wife feared he might-in not con-
sidering in the present how he would
be able to meet the demands of the
future. He bought lavishly on cred
it, paid little attention to collecting,
gooi-naturedly trusted everybody
who asked credit, and in the loose
ness of his business methods he came
to grief.
So John Smith was stranded on the
tidal wave of a two. thousand legacy.
Nor was there another tidal wave to
set him afoat again. He was out of
work and out of money. Everybody
knew this. Hence his credit was
gone. He had no means of supply
ing the daily wants of his family. He
was willing to work, to do anything
that would bring wages, but no work
was at hand or prospectively near.
Mrs. Smith again made the sugges-
ton that she try her hand at wage
earning, and, this time, she made it
with self-assertion. What could her
husband say against the proposition
now? Nothing; absolutely nothing;
for he was stranded, helplessly, hope
lessly, without money, without work,
without credit, without any glimmer-
ing prospect of relief from any other
quarter.
Mr.. Smith sat, for a time, in deep
meditation, and then said slowly, ut
will be necessary for you to hire
girl to do the work and care for
baby"
"Oh, no, it WON'T" she replied.
"Why, you can't do the housework,
care for baby and dress make, too"
81 am fully aware of that"
"Who, then, will do the house
work."
"You."
"Ir
"Yes, you"
"NeverW
"Why not?"
"Whatwould people say? I should
be the laughing stock of the whole
community"
Better be that than starve, or beg
or struggle on in poverty. You have
tried and failed, and now l purpose
to make one brave effort for home and
food and raiment-in spite of what
people may think or say. We are too
poor to start off by hiring help; we
must begin alone. ask you to help
me in the only way you can. If we
succeed, people will respect us; if we
fail-well, it will be time enough to
settle that when failure comes. If
we sit down, do nothing but drift on
the tide of misfortune, they will de-
spise us and let us drift"
Mr.. Smith could made no reply,
but did not take kindly to the pro-
posed plan. He would think about
it; and he did think about it for
week. while his wife was quietly en-