Year: 1874

ats no use, Maria, I've tried every
where. "


But you are not going to give it up
Peter"


"Give up! How can help it? Within
four days have been to every book
bindery in the city, and not a bit of work
can get -


"But have you tried anything else p


What else can try T.


"Why, anything you can do "


" Yes, I've tried other things. ! have
been to more than dozen of my friends
and offered to help them if they would
hire me. Z"


"And what did you mean to do foI
them i''


'' offered either to post their accounts,
make out bills, or attend to the counter.


Mrs Stanwood smiled as her husband
thus spoke.


"What makes .lon &naii,2n ha asked


TO think you should have imagined
that you would find work in such place
But how is Mark Leeds I"


I" lie is worse Off than | am.


GLOW 50 p


Z" He has nothing in his house to eat"


A shudder crept over his wife's frame
now


"Why do you lrcmble wife ?"


I" Because when We shall have eaten
our breakfast TO morrow morning. we
shall have nothing.


What 2 cried Peter Stanwood, half
starting from his chair, Do you mean
that 2"


81 do "


" But oul flour?'


"All gone / baked the last this af-
ternoOn.


" But we have pork y


=" You ate the last this noon"


"Then we must starve!' groaned the
stricken man starting across the room.


Peter Stanwood was book binder by
trade, and had now been out of employ
ment about month He was one OF
those who generally calculated to keep
about square with the world, and who
considered themselves particular fortu.
nate if they kept out Of debt. He was
now thirty years Of age, and had three
children to provide for, besides himself
and wife, and this together with house
rent, was heavy draught upon his purse,
even when work was plenty, but now
there Nas nothing


Maria, said he, stepping and gazing
his wife in the face, " We must starve
have not single penny in the world "


4" But do not despair, Peter Try again
to morrow for work You may find
somethind to do. Anything that is hon
est is honorable Should yor make but
a shilling day, We should not starve


But our house rentY'


Trust to me for that The landlord
shall not turn us out. If you will engage
to find something to do, will see that
we have house room"


"I'll make one wore trial, " uttered
Peter, despairingly.


"Bnt you must go prepared to do any
thing "


Anything reasonable, Maria y


Il" What do you call reasonable p


"Why-anything decent. F"


She felt inclined to smile, but the mat.
ter was too serious for that, and a cloud
passed over her face. She knew her hus.
bands disposition, and she felt sure he
would end no work She knew that he
would look fof some kiad Of work, which
would not lower him in the social scale,
as he had once or twice expressed it,
However, she knew it would be Of no use
to say anything TO him now, and she let
the matter pass.


On the following morning, the last bit
Of food in the house was put on the table.
Stanwood could hardly realize that he
was penniless, and without food. For
years he had been gay, thoughtlcss, for
tunately making the most of the present,
forgetting the past. and leaving the fu
ture to take care Of itself Yet the truth
was naked and clear and when he left
the house, he said, something must be
done.


No sooner had her husband gone, than
Mrs. Stanton put on her bonnet and
shawl. Her eldest child was n girl elev-
en- years Old, and her youngest four. She
asked her next door neighbor if she
would.take care Of her children until
noon. These children were known to be
good and quiet, and they were taken
cheeriully Then Mrs Stanwood locked
up her house and went away. She re.