The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-09-01
RICHMOND,

money by installments. Now. Just
halt an hour before, by our shop
clock, had made vow that Id give
up all that part of the trade, and |
was very rough with her-just as |
am when I'm cross-and said NO"
But you will if the lady gives Sc
curity," says my wife. hastily.
The poor woman gave such woe
begone look at US that it made me
more out of temper than ever, for !
could feel that if I stopped | should
have to let her have one ut her own
terms. And SO it was; for there. if l
didn't let her have frst-class ma
chine, as good as new, she only paying
seven and six down, and undertaking
to pay half crown a week, and no
more security than nothing.
| To make it worse, too, if I don't
send the thing home without charge.
Luke going with it for he was back at
home now keeping my books, being
grown into fine young fellow of Eve
and twenty; and | sat and growled the
| whole of the rest Of the day, calling
myself all the weak-minded idiots
under the sun, and telling the wife
| that business was going to the dogs,
and I should be ruined.
You ought to be ashamed Of your
self. Tom," she said.
so am," says /. II didn't think
I could be such fool.
''Snch fool as to do a good, kind
4 action TO one who was evidently
lady horn, and come down in the
world!"
Yes" I says, ito living in Ben
nett's place, where I've sunk no less
than ten machines in five years"
Yes" says the wife, and cleared
hundreds of pounds. Tom, In
ashamed Of you-you a man with
twenty workmen busy up stairs, a
couple of thousand pounds worth of
/ stock, and in the bank "a
| Hold your tongue, will you + |
| said roughly, and went out into the
shop to try and work it all Off.
Luke came back soon after, looking
very strange, aud [ was at him direct
where's the seven and six r.
says, angrily.
He didn't answer, but put three
| half-crowns down On the desk, took
| out the book. made his entries-date
of delivery. first payment, when the
others due, and all the rest of it.
| and was then going into the house.
Mind" | says, sharply, those
payments are to be kept up to the
| day; and Tomorrow you go to Rolly's,
who live nearly opposite to en-. and
| tell 'em to keep an eye on the widow,
| or we shall lose another machine"
You needn't be afraid, father" he
says, coldly; they're honest enough,
only poor
/ was just in that humor that |
wanted to quarrel with somebody. and
that did it.
when l ask you for your opinion.
young man, you give it me; and when
tell you to do a thing, you do it," I
says. in as savage a way as ever /
spoke to the lad you go over to-
morrow and tell Rolly's to keep
strict lookout on those people-do
you hear p
Father he says. looking me full
in the face, Il couldn't insult them
by doing such thing" when without
another word he walked quietly out
OF the shop leaving me worse than
| ever.
That boy had never spoken to me
like that before. and I should have
gone after him, feeling mad like. only
some people came in, and l didn't see
him again till evening. ard good
thing, too. for I'm sure should have
said all sorts OF things to the boy,
that should have been sorry for af-
ter And there / was fuming and
fretting about, savage with everybody,
giving short answers. swapping at the
wife, and feeling as man does feel
when he knows that he has been 10
the wrong and hasn't the heart to 60
and own it.
It was about 8 o'clock that I was
sitting by the parlor fire, with the
wife working and very quiet, when
Luke came in from the workshop
with book under his arm, for he
had been toting up the mems piece
work, and what was due to them; and
the sight OF him made me feel as if
must quarrel.
He saw it too, bat said nothing.
only put the accounts away and began
to read.
The wife saw the storm brewing,
and she knew how put out l was, for
had not lit my pipe, nor yet had my
evening nap, which l always have
after tea So she did what she knew
go we'll how to do-fll my pipe, forced
it into my hand, and just as | was GO
ing to dash it to pieces in the ashes.
she gave me one of her old looks,
kissed me on the forehead. as with
one hand she pressed me back into
chair, and then with the other she lit
splint and held it to my tobacco.
Twas done. She always gets over
me like that; and after smoking in
silence tor half an hour, l was lying
back, with my eyes closed, dropping
off to sleep, when the wife said (what
had gone before 1 hadn't heard)-
"Yes, he's asleep now"
That woke me up, Of course. and if
didn't lie there shaming and heard
all they said in whisper.
''IIow came you to make him more
vexed than be was, Luke q said the
wife; and he told her.
Il couldn't do it, mother" he said
excitedly. 1T was ri-breaking.
She's living in wretched room thero
with her daughter; and, mother, when
1 saw her felt as if-there, / can't
tell you"
go on, Luke" she said
They're half starved, he said. in
a husky way. "Oh, mother. it's hor-
rible. Such sweet, beautiful girl,
and the poor woman herself dying al
most with some terrible disease.
The wife sighed.
"They told me-" he went on, show
hard they had tried to live by ordi-
nary needle-work, and failed, aud as :
a last resource they had tried to get
the machine"
Poor things!" says the wife; but
are you sure the mother was lady ?"
"A clergyman's widow" says Luke,
hastily; there ism doubt about it,