1881 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



247 



§Mr %€nm. 



Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the 

 sin of the world.— John 1:29. 



fpifpR. ROOT:— I do not wish to complain, but 

 PJtII simply to make a fair, unvarnished state- 



' ment. My employer is perhaps paying- me 



all he thinks I am worth to him; but I am not satis- 

 fled with what I am getting, simply because I am 

 not making a living for my family. I have a wife 

 and four children to support, and if I make ••JT.OO per 

 week I have only 81.00 left after paying my board 

 away from home; and if I go homo Saturday nights 

 on the cars, as I have had to lately, because of sick- 

 ness in my family and bad roads, that takes out $1.30 

 more, leaving for my week's support of a family of 

 five, less than §3.00 per week. This barely buys them 

 food, leaving nothing for fuel, clothing, or, in case 

 of sickness, medical attendance. Of course, I could 

 stand this for a limited time, but for a limited time 

 only. My clothing is about worn out. and unless lean 

 earn more I shall soon be obliged to stay home from 

 church and all public gatherings, simply for the 

 want of decent clothing to wear; and more, I shall 

 be obliged to keep my children from Sunday-school 

 for the same reason. It is hard, but I do not know how 

 to help it. You with a riper, richer experience, may 

 be able to point me out some plan for my improve- 

 ment. I should like to stay and work where I am, 

 could I live and support my family by the closest 

 economy; but my employer can not afford to pay 

 me more than I am worth to him, and I should not 

 wish him to. Could you not help me into something 

 better? I write this, hoping that you may advise me 

 in some way, point out a way, or suggest some thing 

 by which I shall better my condition. I am willing 

 to work any where, either go on the road, or any 

 place where I could make the most for him and my- 

 self. As I am proud as well as poor, and extremely 

 sensitive, you will do me a favor to keep this com- 

 munication strictly confidential; and if you can point 

 out a way for me, or assist me in any way, I shall be 

 very grateful. If I were alone in this matter I should 

 not think of bothering you with a statement of my 

 circumstances; but with loved ones and helpless up- 

 on my hands, I am compelled to look out for them. 

 How to do it, or which way to turn, are riddles to 

 me as dumb as the Sphynx in Egypt's land. I some- 

 times feel that God made a mistake in my creation, 

 and at such times long for death, could I be sure of 

 either utter obliteration or peace on the other shore. 

 Are these feelings foolish? I know they are wicked, 

 but hearts o'er tried know not reason, but only de- 

 sires. It is easy to wish to be, but hard to bo always 

 gooil. Oh this ceaseless fight with the " wolf at the 

 door"! will it never end? I sometimes feel like 

 Cain, that " every man's hand is against me." 



X. Y. Z. 



Although I may not be able to help you, 

 friend X., there is One who can, and with 

 pleasure I point out to our opening text. It 

 is lie who says, — 



Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, 

 and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.— 



John- ltj:24. 



I know how many there are who have 

 grievous burdens like your own to bear, and 

 I know how many there are, too, who feel 

 that thsir prayers have not been answered. 



A few days ago, at our noon service, I asked 

 the boys and girls which is the most griev- 

 ous of the sins that mankind are addicted to. 

 The first answer was, a want of trust ; the 

 next, selfishness ; another said pride ; one 

 more, a lack of faith ; and in a few brief mo- 

 ments these young people told pretty cor- 

 rectly just what the trouble is with you and 

 myself, and all the rest of us. Our friends 

 and neighbors can tell us where we lack, 

 every time ; and one of the lessons we are to 

 learn is to be willing to be corrected by those 

 about us. I am glad you have come to me in 

 this friendly spirit, for it indicates a willing- 

 ness to be told of your faults, and a sincere 

 wish for improvement. One other point in 

 your letter I like. You say you do not want 

 your employer to pay you more than you 

 earn, and that you think very likely he is 

 paying you all he can afford to. This is 

 good too, for it drives you back on yourself, 

 and on your own resources. When you 

 kneel in prayer, you are not praying that 

 God may send you money without an equiv- 

 alent, but that he may open your under- 

 standing, and give you wisdom, that you 

 may make yourself worth more to your em- 

 ployer. 



If I am correct, you would have the matter 

 stand some thing like this : You Mish, by 

 your own efforts and industry, to make your- 

 self so valuable to the one for whom you are 

 working, that it will be felt and realized to 

 such an extent that, in due time, instead of 

 being obliged to hunt for situations, people 

 will be coming after you, and trying to make 

 engagements for you, before your time has 

 expired. Then when somebody has made 

 you a better offer than the present one, and 

 you, of course in a manly way, inform your 

 present emploj'erof the fact, he replies some- 

 thing like this :— 



" I declare, X.. it seems to me I am pay- 

 ing you about all I can afford ; but if you 

 have a chance of a better place, of coiu'se I 

 must either pay as much, or let you go;" 

 and he sits down meditatively, and sums up 

 your doUars-and-cents value. Yfe will, if 

 you please, make him think out loud : " Let 

 me see. X. is one of the best hands I have 

 got ; is always at his post promptly every 

 morning at 7 o'clock ; if he ever does'absent 

 himself, I always have notice of the fact that 

 he wishes to be away, so I am never kept 

 waiting and expecting him every moment 

 for a half-day or more. He does not di'ink, 

 nor use tobacco, nor am I ever uneasy as to 

 his whereabouts on Sunday, for he has a class 

 in the Sunday-school. I declare, these three 

 single items are worth more than I ever 

 thought of, until I am compelled to think of 

 losing him, as the matter stands just now. 

 He is a beautiful and rapid writer. Come to 

 think of it, whenever I want a nice letter 

 written to some large firm, "^ith whom I 

 am anxious to stand well, some way I al- 

 ways give it to X., without hardly thinking 

 why. I have other nice writers,' but some 

 way they are not accustomed to busuiess, or 

 do not think what they are doing, and make 

 some ridiculous mistake that upsets the 

 whole of it ; and, worst of all, is pretty sure 

 to upset me too. If any of the clerks are 

 sick, X. has the run of the business, enough 



