The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-10-29
A FRIEND "UP TOWN."

NURSE MAYcOCK was sitting in dis
consOlatc attitude, her cap ribbons hang
ing Imply about, her under lip almost
in contact with her nose. My youngest
born, sprawling idly on her lap, found
hardly holding room there, and was slid
ing down the inclined plane of her knees
all unheeded. Nurse, like her master,
has occasional fits of gloom and depres-
sion, and her sadness, as his, generally
proceeds from the same cause, that is,
lack Of money.
"Well, Maycock," l said glancing
round the nursery, chow are you getting
on here? Children all right?"
"Yes, sir; there amt nothing the mat
ter with Mem," with a sigh. Il don't
feel just right myself"
"Spasms again?"
"a vi'lent pain in the small of the
back-just there, you know, sir,' said
Mrs. Maycock, giving herself a sharp
blow with the fist on the part affected.
oliver, no doubt" said. "Take a
pill
"rvc took 'em till I'm tired of 'em,
sir Not but what l should feel better,
dare say, if was more comfortable in
my mind"
"What's your secret grief, Mrs. May
cock?"
Money, sir-money. l don't know
where it goes to- really; and children,
sir, they're always dunning of you.
Here's my daughter Mary going out to
service, and money wanted to get her
thinrs "~d where a. na,,,;nm from 7
don't know"
II wish [ knew where money would
come from when it's wanted"
"Ah" said Mrs. Maycock, resignedly,
"you can't get blood out Of stone. Well,
thank goodness! I've got friend up
there" she said, with backward jerk of
the head.
"a happy frame of mind, nurse"
said IL wish had such confidence in
the powers above"
"Blcss you, sir, he's the same to one
as another, as long as you've got my
thing for him"
"Your meaning, Maycock? l don't cx-
actly understand your doctrine"
my friend up town, sir-Mr. Gedge,
the pawnbroker."
Mrs. Maycock knew that l could not
be shocked at this allusion; nor was l.
Still felt bound to offer up moral
maxim or two. Its wasteful way of
getting money" l said. "You pay about
80 per cent"
"Ah, but it's better than borrowing,
after all, sir. There's no remarks made,
and he don't ask you for your money
back again. Not but what there's some
people sets their faces against it, and my
sisterin-law was one as ad never go nigh
such places, till at last she was drove to
it, and made her fortune by it the very
first time she went"
"Made her fortune" l cried, my
curiosity excited, "out of visit to a
pawnbrokcr?"
"Yes, sir, her fortune. He's a master
builder, sir, now, her husband, and they
hvc in height roomcd house as he built
hissclf, and was having parish relief nc
longer ago than that"
"Tell me the story, nurse. should
like to know how it's DONE"
Mrs. Maycock vigorously stirred the
nursery fire, hitched her young charge
into more easy position, adjusted hel
cap, and began:
"My sister-in-law Emma, as was for
merly Maycock, was in sdrvice for ;
many years with Admiral Brown, living
at Witherfield Lodge, Kingston, till sht
met with Rogers, being carpenter, {
journeyman, but very good hand, a!
kept company with her for good while
and then married. The Admiral's family
was very kind to them They give he
her wedding clothes and breakfast tn,
day they was married, and the youn!
ladies presented her with a beautiful
silver teapot. And as they was going OF
"a fly and pair of 'orses and everythin!
grand-the Admiral comes down th,
steps and says he, Good luck to you
Mrs. Rogers he says. My daughter
have found you teapot and I've foun'
the tea, and hope it'll do you good
"Well, sir, Emma was crying goo,
deal, through having been in her plac
ever since she was little bit Of girl
fifteen years in one place, and, 'Thanl
you kindly, sir she says, for all you
goodness to me-you and the young la
dies;' and nothing did she think abou
the tea except that the Admiral mean
as it was the breakfast, where they'd ha
tea, for to be sure, with sherry winc an
everything first-ratc.
Emma had saved bit of money, an
with that her husband went into business
He were hard working man, but unfol
tunate through specializing in buyin
timber. And then he was taken Ill wit
rheumatic fever, and little better than
cripple for years; and Emma had lc
of children, seven in as many years, an
had her hands full with them, as yo
may Judge. And by degrees they wa
brought very low. Nothing in the cul
board and seven children tugging at yor
apron strings amt no child's play, is i
! sir?"
~ can sympathize with Mrs. Roger
How did she manager"
"Well, sir, she went to the parisl
} She'd got some friends among them |
! was on the boord, and she bld 'em