Year: 1871




his tired expression and poor
clothes. we felt ashamed and told
him a great big lie. Said he, after
we had sat there few moments:


1 suppose you have come for
your money that I owe your


No oh. no! Walking out this
way, we just called to see how you
we're getting along!


Now that was lie. A deliber.
ate lie. When we started out it
was to collect debt. but when we
saw how hard it was with him and
his. we forgot in which pocket his
note was placed. and felt that we
had no such errand there.
So we told him, and it seemed
as if the debt was paid, somehow,
long ago.


1 am so glad-wife and have
worried so much about tive are
glad to see you


Certainly the debt was paid
somehow, somewhere, in some way
and we felt ashamed to thiLk we
ever started out to collect it.
A few moments in the house,
then we walked out aud leaned
against the rickety fence, while he
told his story. Il ran this way.


i feel ashamed that l have not
paid you before, but l could not.
| do not drink, nor waste time, nor
spend money foolishly. But we
have had bad luck. The first year
we were married fell from scat
folding. and hurt me so l could
not work for seventeen weeks. It
was pretty tough-to be idle so
long. and the expenses, instead Of
being less, were more. I had
doctor TO pay, and medicines to
pay for. When l was able to 90
to work I owed the doctor. the
druggist, and the grocer and the
butcher. Not much for rich man
but it was good deal to each
when had to pay it working by
the day, besides supporting my
wife.


When Eddie was born l was in
debt, and have been ever since.
His mother never has been real
we'll since. She had to work too
hard, and because we were not able
to hire girl. she got up and went
to work too soon. It's pretty hard
to get along SO, but she never mur
INJURED nor complained. l tell You
she is jewel. 1t is tough to see
her sick now. 1t is five months
since she has been able 10 walk
down town or 10 church. I take
care OF her in the morning, then
hurry home at night to see to her.
and then have the house. work to
do after my days work is done.-
She sews little in bed, and looks
out for the children, and reads TO
me Sundays while l do the wash-
ing, but it's not much pleasure we
have. only in hoping the times will
be better with US some day She
has not been well for three years.
Sometimes l cannot go to work,
then | lose time, but the expenses
keep up Just the same Then
can't get work all the time. And
three times l have been cheated
out OF my pay Seventy one dol
lars at one time, thirty-four at an
other, and nineteen at another.--
More than l owed you, in all ex-
cept the interest.


I've tried real hard and keep
trying. l have not spent a dime
in three years foolishly, only once,
when Matte was sick bought her
some oranges, but it. seems as if /
ought to buy them for her. The
children looked so pitifnl when l
gave them to her, that gave each
OF them one, and she went without.
She made me give them away.
Then l ran down town, alter the
children were in bed, and got her
three more.


you won't be ashamed of nv
tears, for-for-for it makes nv
heart ache to know how l could
make her better if / had only had
the money to buy little things ~
But a poor MANA poor man who
has to work night and day, and
Sunday. and who has to buy every
thing in driblets and pay by pr, tits,
can t expect to save money. Some
times | am discouraged. l have
owed you, and that has bothered
me. 1t has bothered her too We
wanted TO pay; to be out o. debt,
even il we had nothing left, but
we couldn't get out we've had 50
much hard luck we could not help
it.





More he told US, till it seemed
that we owed him. When we took
from his lips the history Of his life
and realized how hard il is Tor
poor man to get ahead, when sick
ness overtakes him, and when rich
men who can pay do not, we telt
condemned TO think we had ever
blamed him. We do not believe
that people think enough or do
enough for those who are unfortu.
nate, and hereafter shall never
blame person for doing this or
that, or for not doing something,
till we know something of ths rea
son or the cause at the bottom of
1t all. It is terrible to do injus-
tice.


Tonight good friend of ours
sent to the little brown house a
basket of oranges. and other things
for the sick. And in the basket.