Year: 1872

Mrs. Ellis Dub Deilo rs your ohiy ShiAo,
and will inherit your large fortune
What need has she to work ?"


because she will be happier if she
is usefully employed. Besides, the wheel
of fortune is revolving one, and though
to-day we may be rolling IN luxury, to-
morrow may find us crushed beneath the
Juggernaut of misfortune. Listen while
| brify relate the story of my early wo-
manhood. l would might write it as
with pen of fire upon the brain OF eve-
ry mother in the land Oh, cannot tell
you what an intense interest feel in the
young girls growing up around me. My
heart yearns to urge them to make spe-
ciality of whatever their inclinations
prompt them most to do, and then con-
centrate every effort upon that one pur-
suit until they can excel in it. But to
my story: / was the daughter of wealthy
p arents, the youngest child by several
years, and of course, a great pet OF all
extremely delicate reorganization, my kind
and indulgent mother shielded me from
every hardship, aud / grew into woman
hood a novice in the art of housekeeping
From child was passionately fond OF
reading, and at school excelled in all my
studies. Pleased with the progress |
made, and proud of my attainments, pa
rents and teachers urged me forward,
stimulating my ambition with words of
encoura cement, until, at the immature
age of Is, graduated, the most brill
liant girl in Madam BIS school, and
carrying off, amid the plaudits of friends
and acquaintance, the honors of my


class. But alas / was superficial in
many things, for while it had been easy


for me to commit my lessons, found it
equally easy to forget them. Keenly did
/ feel this defect, and, in order to perfect
myself, / wished after leaving school to
teach, but so bitterly did my parents op-
pose this that yielded to their wishes,
and returned home. Iplunged into a
round of gayety and amusement, and
from this whirl of excitement emerged
the bride of one whom my friends did
not look upon with favor. The young
man was an employee in wholesale
house in the city of N. He was poor,
but possessed well-cultivated mind
I Unfortunately, however, he had no cho-
sen trade or avocation. Idleness had
made me a dreamy, visionary being, and
there was sort of charm about begin
ming life in poverty. 1t would be so de-
lightful to toll with and for him loved
so fondly. This is all very beautiful in
theory, and in practice also, where there
are four strong hands to perform the la
Dor; but close application to the desk,
and breathing the unwholesome city air
had, seriously impaired my husbands
health. We married at time when


neither was strong enough to battle with


the stern realities of life. Dependence


upon the salary of clerk or book-keep-
er in large city is very precarious Tor a


family. 1t was year of unprecedented


hard times, necessltating great economy


in business. Hundreds lost their situa-


tions, and my husband among the rest.


All then began that vain search for EN-


ployment. For every vacancy there


we're scores of applicants, and you inva-


riably received the answer, persons of


forget that weary tramp, tramp, up and


down the streets. jostled by crowd as


cold and heartless as the very stones un-
der ones feet. l envied even the SER


want girls but alasl the mysteries of
the cuisine were as Greek to me, and ]


dared not apply for so menial situa-


tion as theirs. My poor husband was in


wretehed health, and almost frenzied at
thought of the misery and degradation
he had brought upon me. For his sake
l hid my aching heart behind smiling


face. One night after he had retired, in
hanging up his coat, vial dropped
from the pocket. Picking it up found
it labeled Laudanum, and then / knew


that he was beset with the terrible temp.
tation to take his own life. Flinging
|, the vile drug into the street, sank on


my knees, and go my God lead him
not into temptation, but deliver him
from evil, was the prayer that went up
. from my agonized heart. How desolate
| felt In the midst of great city
friendless, well-niah penniless, and worst
, of all, haunted with the dreadful fear


that my husband would commit suicide


From the time we would separate in the
morning until we met again at night


lived in a state of absolute torture. Al
length, despairing of finding anything


in the city to do, We turned our faces
countryward, feeling that our slender


stock of money would last longer than
!, in town. After many weeks of painful


anxiety, my husband found situation


lin a small village, with lust salary