Year: 1873




How true it is that one half of the peo-
pie in the world know not how the other
half live. Their joys and sorrows, their
anxieties, wants, privations and sufferings,
are buried deep down in the reccsses of
their own bosoms, and come not to the
light, or to the knowledge of their fellows.
And it is well, perhaps, that it is 80, for
the world il thus spared the inAiction of
many narrowing tale of sorrow aud dis
tress, which might otherwise wiring the
heart and suffuse the eyelids by the over
flowing sympathies Of human nature at the
recital of the hard and trying experiences
of the less fortunate Of the human race


The incident which it is the purpose of
this narrative to record, occurred in the
city of Baltimore, more than thirty years
ago, and was related to the writer by the
chief actor in the touching scene. But,
not to anticipate, the narrative must go
back few years anterior.


Pride and poverty were ever ineonve-
nient and inconruous associates, and
when in contact, in the same person, are
often productive of untoward results. To
youthful hearts subject to tender influences
in the heyday OF the rose-colored season
Of the graccs, pride and poverty are great
barriers to the consummation Of their hopes
and happiness, sometimes rudely sunder-
ing the "silken tie, or from prudential
considerations deferring a union, until long
after this interesting period is past, and the
twain are falling into the "sere and yel-
low leaf" Youthful ardOr viii not al
ways brook delay. and the whisperings of
the 'still small voice" of prudence are so
family heard as to be entirely unheeded.
A union is the result, without the requisite
means to live in comfort, when, all the
day-dreams of Glove in cottage aud un-
alloyed happiness, vanish into thin air.
Love is m indispensable ingredient of con
jugal bliss but it will not "make the pot
boil, or keep the wolf from the door.
In other words, mortals cannot live upon
love alone they require something more
substantial, and that something requires
its equivalent in value in currency. If
the Golfers be unprovidcd with currency,
"hunger comes in at the door, and love
flies out at the window, according to the
old adage.


This was not exactly the situation with
james Appleton and his young wife.
Though poor, very poor, they loved each
other with devotion that defed the filings
and frowns Of poverty, but they had hard
toiling to get along. Iii the lapse of time
children enlarged the family circle and
gathered around the family hearth-stone.
Where competence blesses the family,
children are the light and life Of the house;
but where poverty rcigns, they are but SO
many more mouths to feed, so many more
bodies TO clothe, and add to the embarrass-
ments and cares already sufficiently bur-
densome. The struggles Of the yirtuous
poor against the frowns Of fate and fortune,
require greater heroism than il takes to
storm a redoubt at the head Of an armed
soldicry While health remains, however,
the contest may be maintained, If only
with partial success but when sickness
supcrvenes, then the. issue is more than
doubtful. Sickness came to the family Of
james Appleton. A child was stricken,
and to the cost Of living was added that Of
medical attendance and the costly prescrip
tions Of the apothecary- Weary and wan
the mother was bowed with maternal cares
and long nights aud days Of watching and
nursing, while the family exchcquer grew
less and less with each returning day.
Without trade or profession, Mr. Appleton
picked up precarious living at whatever
his hands could find to do 10 populous
city. Sometimes he could find profitable
employment, but at other times days Of
unwelcomc idleness would follow, and he