Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-31
lCcutinued from FIRST page


TO do his utmost 10 procure employment
Of some kind, and by every effort to
achieve, If not the wealth he had so mad
" perilled and lost, at least an independ-
ence, which, for her sake, he felt he would
think no labor too great or too hard if he
could In the end attain to it. But to want
employment, and to get it, are two very
different things. more especially for man
who has been unfortunate in business; and
this he soon discovered. He called on
many Of his old friends, but the interviews
were cold and unsatisfactory. Even those
who had received substantial assistance
from him in his palmy days now either
ignored that fact or forgot 1t; and after
expressing some words of convential con-
dolence, and regret that they had no in
Huence, etc., he would take his departure,
depressed and responding, but resolved.
nevertheless, not to be quite dismayed.
The Atwoods assumed an attitude OF
righteous indignation, and stood aloof
Such scandal-snch monstrous behavior
had never been equalled-but Alice had
chosen her lot, so she must stick to 1t.
Neither she nor Fred would have anything
more TO do with such scamp, proclaimed
Mrs. Atwood, and as Alice had indignant
" refused to listen to the most unmeas-
ured abuse of her husband, her natural
outburst was Immediately seized on by
Mrs. Atwood as an excuse for withdraw
ing from all acquaintance with her I'M
fortunate sister.
Mr.. and Mrs. Atwood left town shortly
afterwards for Scarborough, en- route tor
their shooting lodge in Scotland, without
a word of farewell to the sister for whom,
in whose brighter days, they had pro-
fessed so much affection. One friend on
" remained to the Vivians, one honest,
manly hand was held out to them in their
adversely, and that hand was John Up
tons. John Upton, the hard, uncompro-
missing man Of business, possessed. never
theless, warm heart, and though few
guessed it from his rough exterior, still 1t
existed, and for no one did it beat more
faithfully than for the child Of his boy
hoods friend. He had never liked her
marriage; the non-settlements had reused
his suspicions; and during the few months
Of her fancied prosperity he had never
doubted that crash would come sooner
or later.
He resolved to watch we'll Charles
Vivian's conduct now and, from hardly
confessed dislike, Mr.. Upton became
slowly, but surely..convinced that his mis-
fortunes had proceeded more from the
force of circumstances, and a most I'M
principled partner, than from any other
cause. Meanwhile, the little money Al
ice had got for her ornaments melted rap
idly away, and, on calculating their daily
expenses, they were Mortified to find how
their little store would be ended. How
thew were to exist until even the time
when the payment of Alice's half years
interest was due. neither knew; but that
something would turn up neither
doubted.
Nothing did turn up, however; and
when November came, matters looked de-
cidedly dreary for them. Mr.. Upton had
done bis best to hear of some suitable enl-
ployment for Charles Vivian. but had not
yet succeeded; and so despairing was the
latter, that at length the former offered
him post as clerk in very small Office
belonging to Mr.. Andrews, a quiet
plodding man Of business, who was ill.,
duced, after some persuasion from Mr..
Upton, to give the ct-aeram wealthy
banker trial.
tunes, and thankfully did he accept the
only employment which it seemed posi-
BILE for him to procure. The pay was
small; still. it was beginning, and any
thing was better than nothing. He made
the best of it to Alice. describing the ease
of his duties, never abiding to the drudg-
cry he went through; but she guessed it
from his pale and worn face, but what
could she do? Alas her hands were filed
row, for, early in December, the birth Of
child added to their expenses, and in
volved Alice In an occupation for which,
in her weak and unrecovered strength,
she was little able. Bnt the baby throve
in spite Of its unprosperous surroundings,
and though its future caused them anxiety
still the little ''Alice Annesley" became
the sunbeam; and as months wore on,
grew into a blue eyed. fair haired little
cherub, the image, as John Upton could
have told them. Of what her mother had
been before her.