Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-06-15
Money iR the Bank.
BY HARRIET IRVING.

Ours wss quiet household, for there were on
| ly my two brothers and myself William r.
most middle-aged, a settled man in businees,:
John, just growing into manhood an ATTORNEY.
and studying hard at his profession, and little
WHO kept house for them, and bad almost ever
since could remember, for our mother led
when was very Young.
| We owned the house we III yed In, all excepf
mt r,gage, which William Was to pay oa ss
his affairs permitted, and each ofus bad small
sum of money in tie bank, only five hundred
dollars, just nice nest egg, or a dependence
| for rainy day. - Y
| There was tacit agreement that we were to
eld our days together there in single bles ed
mes, not solemn compact to that effect; but ia
our talk we always spoke of the family trio as
an unalterable fact and of marriage for one Of
| our number as one Of the most Improbable OF
| improbabilities .t
Then came that day of days, when John
brought Edward home with HIM. All time
seems divided into before and after that, 1
was setting the table In the back parlor, while
the Jtlhe loses nodded in at the window, all
Lghted up oy the sunset. He-Elward mean
ys.ooa sun a at an sne al aeaSSe hat n hspS And
never knew before-a real happiness unlike q
chids careless gaity-a joy that seemed TO reach
| the heights and depths OF everything. He told
me afterwards what that single moment was to
him.
1t was all commonplace, enough to the 9th
ers, no doubt. We sat at the table, party of
four, William, quiet as usual but cheerful, and
putting in word or two now and then; John
loverhowing it'll fun which not even the pres
ence of a client reminding him of his grave
responsibilities, could restrain; Edward as al
ways knew him aflerward, ready for every
ones mood bringing every one out at their best,
yet never conspicuous himself
ielt proud ofmy pretty table with Its snowy
damask and white and gilt service and shining
silver, Wien ] saw his eyes fall on Il with such
a sweet, rested look, a look that told me he was
a bachelor and a ouely man.
II seemed almost as if l had seen him be-
5 fore, though am and was quite certain new
er had, his broad wnite forehead aud big, sef
hands and the tiny spirals of goidea hair, ant
even that dear little bid spot on The crown, al
looked so familiar.
That was the first time saw him, but no
n the last. Edwards business with my br0the
: only brought him to our house once more
Then, somehow, he met me at the ferry on
rainy day, and would see me home under hi
- umbrella, for had been caught without one. -
He asked permission to call again, and though
could do no less than graft it, though my
brothers viewed the matter in difereu
light.
They called family council, and begged o
N me to discourage this strange young man O
e whom we knew so little. Though IL was q
y over so long ago, my cheeks burn when
a think of Ii. John, TO whom everybody WI
occasion for Jest, began his jokes al ono
and was merciless as iunny people can be
Tines.
After that would have forbidden Edwar
J., the house for ry shame, had dared
~ broach the sui jec, but asked myself VIII
he would think Of me. 1t seemed so forwal
to take 1t for erasted that he meant 10 tai
advantage of his privilege to come too ofts
liar rrua han NAL naI
4 So events drifted on, and Edward and we
Wy engaged to he married when circurnstanc
would permit. He was twenty-five and | tive
, lty.ope, and circumstances were anything b
proptious. Yet was happier SO than cou
have been parted from him. 1 used 10 think
that when William asked me In his gruH wi
NJ. how long that fellow Intended to hang rouI
ich or John made his witty speeches at my q
md pense.
Poor Edward was miserably shabby a. to 8
ments, aud went through 1 know not what p
- vations and hardships, but it all seemed ve
pIaiseworthy to me.
g. lie was a machinist, working hard at
- trade, and studying out of work hours late a
early except wheh he stole the time to vi
me.
III was quite contented TO be the only WON
= Edward had loved, and to wait, for luck wo'
surely come, thought, but 1t made me ',
wretched to see my bi others growing 10
like and despse hlm more ana WOfe every u
iHa iRi They seemed 50 prosperous and spruce, and
poor fellow, so unfortti a.e and seedy, my he
Az, yearned for him.
Mt To add to my troubles, Edward, who '
ron such a cheerful, light hearted fellow, grew n
ancholy.
w No one who knows how wretched poor
ave tie woman eau be and 90 about her daily WI
as usual, and be quiet herself as far as QUIT
'low ers are concerned, except some little Won
ON who has bren through Just such trouble
Ow mine.
II was growing too much for me at last,
ei, oie, when Edward had taken me out for an even
walk. and we sat together on bench IN
park, he staring speechlessiy before him, ci
ing at the silence, implored him TO tell me "
,a had happened to change him SO.
He tried to smile aud put me OIL, but II
of no use. l would have an answer, and
true one, and word by word it came out
last.
He was struggling TO support his pare
. who lived far away and were incapable of
inc for themselves, living on miserable wa
and nearly wearing his strength out over u
hateful books and pictures Of wheels and pui
WI that always remlnd lpe Of the racks !" "f
Martyrs"
But all this he had been doing for years, q
,,,s., since boyhood, indeed. His great grieys
was that little money would have helped
out of the slough and set him above want
ever, and the money was nowhere TO be ha
- He had vainly tried TO raise II BY one mear
~. another, and his chance Ct claiming me
ling