The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-08-07


have doue, passed through period of
doubt, then of dismay, then subsidized
into friend of the whole family, and
finally, when it had become evident
that Harriet did not In the least care
about him, he was allowed to engage
himself to Josephine.
So much for the small reason which
kept Laura from ennui, now for the
great one. Alasi that was not so
easily set to rights as the trimming of
a blue muslin gown.
Laura came down rather early one
morning, about fortnight after Mox-
on had left them. This obliging wo-
man had led them to suppose that soon
after her step-mother's funeral she
would return, and certainly stay with
them till a successor was found, even
if she could not, as she wished to do,
arrange to come back for good.
Laura was anxious that all should
go on comfortably during Moxon's
absence. So as Harrie. could not
dress her own hair, Laura went TO her
morning by morning and performed
this Office very deity; then she water
ed the plants in the drawing room,
busted her mothers favorite china
with feather brush, put the scatter
ed music to rights, and arranged the
room as usual, setting glass of fresh
flowers on her mothers work table.
On that morning she went next into
the dining room with some fresh fruit
that she had set out herself, and saw
that Sarah had put the breakfast ready
on the table, and forgotten nothing
just as all was finished the postman
knocked. Laura went to the box
@ One letter for you, mamma, she
said, meeting her mother at the foot
of the stairs; and they went back into
the dining-room together, Mrs. Rich
mond sitting down to read.
Do look at this, Laura" she pres
emily said; II can't exactly see what
it means"
Laura saw that her mother was
startled, and took the sheet of paper
"Only business letter" she be-
gan; but a moment after, Why MAN.
maj she exclaimed, /" haven't you
got good many shares in this mine?"
they bring me in two hundred
year"
Two hundred a year!" repeated
Laura, aghast.
1t seems that the water has broken
inl'' said Mrs. Richmond.
But what do they mean by there
being no dividend? Surely not that
you are to lose the whole of that
money. / had better fetch Gilbert.
But don't be uneasy, mother; it can
not mean that, can it?"
II don't know" answered the
mother, tamely.
Gilbert was Laura's only brother.
She ran upstairs before eating any
breakfast, put on her hat, and went
to fetch him from his house at the
other end of the little town.
Gilbert colored when he read the
letter. and looked deeply dismayed;
aud though he was entreated to ex-
plain matters in favorable manner,
he could not do so. but he presently
went up to London, and from thence
he wrote some highly unsatisfactory
letters. Finally he came home, and
told his mother that even if these
mines could ever be got into working
order again, it would certainly be
some years before she could derive
any income from them at ALL
The two hundred year, he OBJ
served, sitting gloomily with his
mother In the garden after his return,
=" that two hundred year, mother,
will make all the difference between
an easy competence. with some luxu-
ries, and absolutely straitened circum-
stances"
=. Gilbert had brought his wife with
him that evening. She was clever,
economical woman, and she took an
anxious interest in this matter.
9 / should think, she observed to
her mother-in-law, that you can
still live easier on your income, with
out sending away any OF the girls as
governesses?
Certainly" Harriet broke in;
=" that would be quite out of the ques-
ton. a.,s.s--.
- " | hope it is, answered her moth
er; . but then comes the real ques-
ton, how can we save this sum of
money!" -
All" thought the daughter-in-'
law, 8 then it is evident that she has |
hitherto spent all her income. 10 "a /
THE girls have FIVE -and-thirty
pounds a year for their dress
and little expenses, have they |
not she answered; " perhaps |
FIVE and twenty would do; it is as
much as | spend" s7is-4z
No doubt it will do said Jo-
sephine, rather sharply; only, Grace,
we might have been allowed to sug-
gest that ourselves. Yes,> there is |
thirty pounds saved.
But the uhspariug sister-in- law
had large young family, and was
very DESTROYS that 1her dear Gilbert i
should not take upon himself any
rasnons;bil;tu "a raCarded his motb |