Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-06-02

InaV crippled MN sadiy anu at las
he had to part with the greater
portion of his property and begir
life over again. They still retain
ed the homestead, but expenses
were heavy and Fanny insisted
upon helping to bear the burden
so she obtained work from collar
factory, stitching collars by the
dozen Gt was before the days o.
paper collars) and she was obliged
to carry the work to and from the
factory, which was a mile away
and she had only Arthur to leave
with Clara. l would have taken
charge of both the children had
my health permitted. Mrs. Myers,
who lived in the house between
ours and Leonard's, used to offer
the services of her daughter Jane
or "Wild Jen," as every one called
her; but Fanny would never listen
to it, as Jen was the most reckless
young mischiefmalzer you could
find, and Fanny always expressly
forbade her entering the house du-
ring her absence.
"Things did not grow bright very
fast and the long days of toll and
weary walks told sadly upon Fanny
while Leonard grew old and bent,
and it nearly drove him wild to
see her fading so swiftly, although
she kept up her spirits wonderfully.
"At last the way grew clear be-
fore them, and Leonard joyfully
forbade Fanny's working any more,
and that very day Fanny received a
letter from her aunt's lawyer, stat
ing that the old lady was dead, and
she had willed her few thousands
to Fanny; so you see, there was
hope of the old happy days coming
back to them. Fanny hurried to
finish the last dozen, and one hot,
dry August forenoon, she started
on her last journey to the factory.
She had grown so weak and i'll,
that it took her much longer
time than at first; but upon this
morning she seemed to have a
strong foreboding of evil, and walk
ed with feverish haste. When she
reached the factory, she was pant
ing for breath and had to sit in the
dirty waiting-room long time be-
fore she could gather sufficient
strength to attempt to return home,
q walk which would be much more
irksome, as it would have to be
accomplished in the broiling heat
of high noon. The instant the fac
tory gate swung to behind her, the
old foreboding seized upon her,
and she walked on nearly blinded |
by the glare of the sun and long
rays of quivering hot air that rose
before her; yet she was unable to
pause a moment for rest, with that |
strange feeling of fear upon her
At last she grew to fancy a dark
figure walking swiftly beside her,
urging her on with strange thrill
ing whisper of "Hurry ~ Hurry
until at last, more dead than alive,
she reached her home, and totter-
ed across the threshold to find
Arthur and Clara playing happily
upon the kitchen floor, and all her
presentiments idle fears, born Of
an overtaxed brain and body. She
nearly tainted from the sudden re-
lief, but the little clock on the
mantel pointed mercilessly to half
after twelve, and she rose YEARLY
and kindled her fire, for Leonard |
would be home in half an hour,
and he must not find his cheerful
little wife in such a plight of ner-
vousness, nor should he ever know
what this days toll had been to
her. She bathed her face hastily, |
changed her dusty dress, put little
Clara Belle in the cradle, telling
Arthur to rock her to sleep while
she ran over to the market after q
steak for dinner. Just then Jen
Myers walked unceremoniously in
at the back door.
81 am going out now, Jane, and
Arthur is going to rock the baby
to sleep; so you must go home ~
said Fanny.
"Oh, let me rock r cried Jane,
selling hold of the cradle.
Fanny took hold of her arm.
"No, Jane, you. go home now,
for cannot be hindered, and you
know never allow you to take
the baby" And she gently put
her out and closed the door. When