Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12

1t would De d quIet0A anu inoNh 1ooS tA
pensive bride"
Adelaide lodged just in time to escape
tbe box which Laura purposed administer
ing and then the mother arraigned then
ali before her with Hush, girls, We mus
he serious now. There is so much tc
arrange"
we are all attention, ma'am," saiG
Laura, standing with demure face anC
folded arms.
How much money IS there in the
house?" asked the mother.
Instantly four hands went into foul
nOckets. and four heads were busy count
Inc the contents of four purses.
| Presently all answered but Laura, who
connted and recounted, and at last looked
up with puzzled air.
III had fifteen dollars yesterday, but ]
can't find it. [ wonder if I've lost ter
dollars. Oh, [ know" she exclaimed
Frightening UP. Give went for EN-.
broidery, two for gloves, and, let me see
the rest went--yes, know. It's all right
"But that isn't telling how much you
have left"
"WeIl, I'll count again." and the curly
head was bent over the purse, but was
quickly raised, to say with a very red
face:
"OnIy dollar, mamma, in small
change"
Nothing was said in response to this,
but Adelaide and 10 looked amused, while
the mother and Annie seemed puzzled.
Upon adding the different sums together
the five people were found to be possessed
| of an even sixty dollars.
q suppose you have some back wages,
| Addie and Jo?'
The girls nodded assent, and then the
mother proceeded:
We shall have to live very close this
winter, but with economy we may be
comfortable. | shall have to ask Addie
and 10 to pay into the expense purse six
dollars week instead of five, and if l
can get any sewing to do | may be able
to do the same. We shall have to dis
charge Halleluiah and work little harder
ourselves. | dare say we shall get through
! the winter much better than we antici-
pate"
At this juncture Hallelujah put her
black head into the dining-roOm door.
"Please, Missus Stillman, [ most forgot
to tell you, but de -four is out, and de cot
fee and de shugah and, oh, yes, dere amt
anoder drop o. dat dere golden 'lasses; [
squeezed de jug fur de notifies dis mornin'
Specs you'll have to get some more, cause
Laury, dere, is so mighty fond o. 'lasses, y
and with a broad grin at Laury, dere,''
Hallelujah's face disappeared.
"Not half as fond as she is of the
lads,' said Adelaide, in a stage whisper to
10.
But Laura did not propose to hear, and,
with her face wrinkled into what seemed
to her the proper expression of despair,
she exclaimed:
90 dearl Everything is out, and so
are we;" but suddenly realizing that the
unpleasant state of affairs was something
that could not be chased away with a
laugh, she quickly burst into tears as she
said:
AZ really don't see how we are going to
manage It."
Laura's tears were a signal for the weary
mother, who soon gave way to her feel
| ings, leaving Adelaide and Annie to fol
| low in fearful shower.
But 10, the silent partner, as the girls
had long since dubbed her, didn't pro-
pose to give way to such weakness, al
though her eyes were little misty as she
exclaimed:
Nonsense, girls! / would not be ba-
bies any longer; you ought to be ashamed
of yourselves, too, infringing upon moth
er's right, who, because she has been
| sick and isn't strong yet, ought to be
| allowed to cry in peace. If [ were
mother I'd have you arrested for trespass
or infringement Of patent"
Laura looked up indignant.
Mother Nature holds the patent on
tears, | reckon, and we are all heirs of
tears forever. What you know about
patents would not make book"
But what l know about grown-up
babies would. There have been harder
times at sea than this, and for my part
I've no fears of going hungry, at least for
some weeks. Good gracious, Laura!
your eyes are red, your nose more so, and
the tears have washed the paint off in
streaks. What if Ralph should happen
to drop in?"
A ring at the bell, as if in corrobora-
ton of JOS words, made Laura jump to
the mirror to find 10 guilty Of "extreme
exaggeratiOn, " as she quickly informed
her.
| But it was only the postman with a
note for 10, which she quickly transferred
to her pocket, while the other girls asked
in a breath:
"Why don't you read it?"
With very red cheeks 10 made
answer:
Because l do not want to-"
| Which cOnsise reply made the sisters
! exchange knowing looks, and sufficed for
the time to draw their thoughts away
| from their trouble.
Adelaide" said the mother at last,
won't you and 10 be late? It is quar-
! ter past eight now?'
Yes" said Adelaide, putting on her
hat, with sigh. 81 It's time we were off.
! Come, Jo."
'You may tell Mr.. Hickman TO put me
down for an hours lost time; l am not
coming at present. Here, take Laura
with you, and tell COMFY to show her
| those Lisle thread hose we were speaking
of yesterday. COMFY promised to make
reduction"
A moment later and the mother and 10
were alone. The door had hardly closed
when JOS arms were around her mothers
neck, and the two were weeping out their
sorrow together; for 10 had given away
at last.
Even with all her bravery JOS heart
had been aching terribly the whole morn
ing; but more for her mother than her
self, and it had cost her not few pangs
to come to the resolve which she was now
about to confess.
Mother" she began, faltering, "you
know you have often asked me what |
have done with my money, and would
| never tell you anything except that 1t was
safe. You never have pressed me, and
now I'm going to tell you. I've only got a
hundred and fifty dollars, but it's in .. S.
bonds and gold. I want you to take it to
! halp 7 IN,,+ Il