Finally she was fortunate enough to obtain Washing for several families, which she could do at home; and as her husband always found time to bring water for her, and her clothes were hung upon the top of the house, she found this very easy employment.
In the midst of the hardship of an uncommonly cold winter, Mary Jane was born; and honest Cowles worked with renewed zeal. It was with such pride he looked upon the tiny form, or ventured to take it in his strong, rough hands, that his wife always laughed, and said he handled it as he would a delicate piece of china. But however awkward he might be in his embraces, they were the outflowings of as warm and true a heart as ever beat.
After two years they moved into a small house by themselves. "Rather smart for us," said honest Cowles; "but I guess I can meet the rent when it comes due." Here they welcomed and reared their two boys, until Mr. Cowles found himself nearly able to pay for a house of his own. Some worthy gentlemen had invested their capital in putting up a block of neat, comfortable tenements, suitable for mechanics. They were encouraged to take the houses when they could pay a part, and let the remainder lie upon mortgage, only paying the interest of the money invested, which would be far less than the ordinary rent. They would thus be enabled gradually to pay for the whole house. Mr. Cowles went over the buildings, examined them carefully, selected the corner tenement as the one he should want—even made bold to ask his employer to step into it, and give him the benefit of his advice.
"How much can you pay down?" inquired the gentleman.
"A trifle more than half," was the reply.
"You mean, then, for once," said his employer, "to depart from your usual rule, and buy a house before you can pay for it."
Mr. Cowles looked troubled. This had been his only drawback. "I feared," said he, "that the corner house, being considerably the best one of the lot, would be taken up. Besides, there's a little plat of green to be seen from the windows, and my wife would think a deal of that."
"Then take it, by all means," urged the gentleman, turning away to speak with a customer.
But honest Cowles did not take it, though the next morning his employer offered to lend him the money to purchase the remainder. "No," said he, "I don't like to begin to break over a good rule. I'll run the risk of getting as good a one when I can pay for it."