South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1868-03-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
JOHN sTEvENsoN's COOP FORTUNE.

venson plodded ihoughtfully home in the
rain, under cover of a faded umbrella He
was book-kecper in the large establish
ment of Green d Sons, No -, Washington
street. His thoughts were, on the whole,
OF responding nature. He was blessed
with good wife and four promising chill
dren, but during the past year such had
been the advance in the cost Of food and all
articles of clothing that he had found it al
most impossible to feed and clothe his FAM
ily and yet keep from filling into debt
Three months before, percciving how mad.
cquate his salary was 10 his needs, lie had
ventured to requcst small increase, only
hundred dollars, but MIR. Green CHANGED
to be in bad humor, and answered him so
abruptly and coldly that he never venturcd
to repeat the petition. His own oycrcoat
was very shabby, so much so that he had
once or twice obsented himself from church
from shame at its appearance. johnny,
his oldest boy, was in immediate want Of
one also, but how he could manage to get
either was u problem which the poor book
keeper found it hard to solve
Arrived ut home, he was met by his wife,
who received him with Il cheerful smile and
helped him off with bis coat
john said she, don't you think YOU
can manage to get new coat? You Ger
tainiy iced one
John Stevenson shook his head
Il know that, Martha, but new coat
would cost me, at the very least, thirty dol
lars, and even then could not get such
one as wished. | must give it up
IF Mr.. Green would only increase your
salary
There Is no chance of it,
'iiavc you asked him ?
'Ycs, three months since
and what did he say 2
That if | considered my salary too small
with him, he would not stand in the way
of lettering myself
chat was cruel
III seemed so to mo, knowing as I did
that lie lived in splendid house, and spent
for his family expenses twenty times what
be allowed me for mine
@hon you will not venture to ask him
again 2
NO. He might discharge me; and as
have been unable to save anything, that
would be too much to risk
Well sighed his wife, q only hope
things will get little cheaper O,hcrwisc,
we shall actually suffer. johnny needs an
oycrcoat badly
Yes, lie must have one, even if 7 20 in
debt for it. Is there any way in Which W.
can rctrcuch 2
Il am afraid not We cconomize so close
ly now that cannot think of any way
Stevenson sat down to his supper. Is
he looked at his wife opposite, and his chill
dren surrounding the table, he could not
help feeling that, despite his narrow cir
cumStances, he had much to be thank ful for.
After supper he sat down before the
FIRE, taking his youngest daughter into his
lap For the time he dismissed all anxious
thoughts, and felt happy in bis present COM
fort.
1t was about nine o'clock, whom n ring
was heard at tic front door As they had
no servant Mr.. Stevenson answered the
summons himself He was not little sur
priscd on recognizing his employer.
Walk in, Mr.. Green, bo said, Il am
glad to see you here
Thank you, Stevenson. have got a
little extra work for you--some letters
which il is important 20 post, so that thcy
may go Oft in thc first mail. Can you spare
tho time =
Certainly, sir But how did you find
out where lived 2
Through the directory. | was not Ger
tain, however, whether had got the right
number
by this time they were in Che little sit
ting-room.
This is my wife, Mr. Green, said John
Stevenson.
Your employer, John !? asked his wife.
Eyes, Martha
q avn glad to welcome you, sir, to our
humble home, she said, putting out her
hand
IL seem, cozy, however, sail tic NOR
chant, looking about him
such as it is, VIC are thankful forif, SIR
q believe you have children, Mrs. Ste-
vcnsou =
Yes, sir; four thc oldest q boy offour-
teen years
Just before Nr. Green came out he run
his eyes over his book Of personal expcn-
Sos. lie bad noticed tic amount paid out f.r
bis oldest daughter school bills and dress.
and they came within little of Tie amount
Of his book-keepcr's stlary. This occurr-
ed to him, and be couldn't hclp wonierip,
how it was possible on such sum to sun
port a wife and family
John Stevenson brought out his writing
materials, and bis employer gave him direc-
tons as % the letters 70 be- written.
just as he had completed these. Johppy.
the oldest boy, entered. lie had been oat
coesting on the common lie looked cx-
tromoly cold
you came homo earlier than you expeet-
Cd, john said his mother.