The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-11-26
Eyes Own Corner.
Conducted By the ladies of Bay ST. Louis,
ONE THANKSGIVING AT THE BAY.
A True Story With No Embeilish-
ments, and II Needs None.

Il
dire trouble-such as none can
understand or appreciate unless
called to the same experience.
And vet it was not so unusual.
MANY woman has faced the
same, is facing the same today;
! some to conquer, Gas lthank G'.d
she did), and some to fail in the
dav of trial.
Her trouble, if traced back TO
its primal source, might, from a
woman's standpoint, be considered d
a reflection on the very integrity
of our civil government. So wide
/ apart sometimes are cause and eff
feet. Be that as it may, it was not
the origin of the trouble, but the
trouble itself that confronted her,
! and drove her almost to despair.
She was one of that large and ever
increasing number of brea Twin
ners-a sewing woman. Her
stock in trade was a sewing ma
chine, bought on the installment
plan-with the payments falling
due always at the worst tlme-a
pair of willing hands and q heart
ready for any sacrifice in the inter-
est of her loved ones.
81 don't know what to do, " she
said; 81 don't wish to do anything
that is wrong, and yet for things
to remain as they are would be
starvation for us all. The chill
! dren are too young to hire out;
my husband is too feeble to work;
while the sewing | get to do now
is not enough to buy even bread
for us, and as winter comes on 1t
will be worse, / see no hope for
US. | might get others to care for
my husband and | could take the
children and find work in city
somewhere and struggle along
somehow, but [ know he would
grieve and fret for us, ,and it might
shorten his days. No, | have not
forgotten my marriage vows ''for
better or worse, till death US do
part, " and | don't wish to do any
thing that looks like injustice to
him, but what can | do? 1t is
death to us all as it is" Apd her
face expressed the despair that
she felt.
"Your trouble is hard, extreme
ly hard" said the friend to whom
she had gone for comfort and adj
vice, "but remember that your ex-
tremity is Gods opportunity, for
He says Himself "Call upon me
lin the day of trouble and | will
answer thee;" and surely this a
| day of trouble for You. Remem-
Der, that when there is no other
way to look for help we can al
ways LOOK UP. Try this plan and
wait" She went away resolved
to battle awhile longer, with the
cruel wolf always at her door, and
| to trust God for help in keeping
her little family together.
A few questions during the con
versation had secured informa-
ton of relatives in other States.
Without her knowledge a letter
with a plain statement of facts
was dispatched to one Of these
and a prayer with it that like
the Boaz of old, he might act the
part of kinsman to this family.
The November days succeeded
each other with dull monotony;
the marsh grass near the cottage
turned brown; there was chill In
the air as it came over the bay;
while the weather bureau told us
| of blizzard in the West and cold
waves coming.
"They say tomorrow is Thanks
giving Day, Mamma, and folks
| will have big dinner, turkey and
ham and cakes and things. But
we can't. | wish we could. May
| be Mrs. Smith will send US some
pies; she did once. Rich folks
| have a great time, don't they@'
Poverty is well namedThe Wolf,
and his most cruel work is tearing
| the heart strings when loved ones
look to us for the bread we can
not give!
yes" she thought, "tomor-
row is Thanksgiving day, with
only one nickle in the world and
nowhere to look for more. The
Presidents proclamation was
meant for somebody else this year
But no, won't say that, for | am
thankful that we are alive and
"Papa" is better and we are still
all together. | will do as she said
| | will look up once more. y
Lord, come to my help!' Soon
afterwards an accommodating
neighbor passing by the post office,
handed letter over the fence. 1t
was quickly opened, but not read
Just then, for out of it had fallen
Something that to her astonished
gaze seemed like a feather from
the wing of the Angel OF Mercy.
| A check for twenty-five dollarsl
I"Help has come to us children,
| and it has come straight down from
1.-The Father of Mercies, praise His
i Name! You shall have a royal
| Thanksgiving tomorrow, but mine
has come one day ahead of the
| Presidents this time.
j Besides this timely gift the let
ter brought the assurance OF fu-
! ture rennittances; and some
months later came the still more
generous offer of a little farm
| well stocked and plenty of work
that the boys could do.
| Is she thinking today in that
comfortable home in the West OF
! the pivotal battle she so bravely