Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-05-29

1t was a terrible breakup. The low
ing father, the kind husband had gone
to his rest, and now Edith and her mo-
Their had to face the world alone.
Nor was that all. Mr. Miller had been
generally considered one of the wealth.
est farmers in the neighborhood, but he
was now found to have died insolvent
For years he had been living beyond his
means
Il told you so, >" said one of the wise
acres, "when he sent his darter to school
in Richmond, as ifthe schools here were
not good enough ! | knew how it would
be-"
The farm was mortgaged for its entire
value, and was Immediately foreclosed;
and when the other debts were paid,
there was not shilling left.
Edith and her mother would have
had no roof even to shelter them if
Edith had not inherited from a maiden
aunt little, tumble-down cottage,
with an acre or two of pasture land on
the outskirts of the village. Thither
the two mourners repaired with the few
bits Of furniture the law had allowed
them, and began the hardest of strug-
giles, the battle with poverty on the
part of a woman-a battle rendered the
more difficult in this case because both
had been tenderly, even luxurlously
nurtured. and had never before known
what it was to deny themselves.
4 am such burden to you, Edith p
mOaned the widow, who was completely
broken down, not onl y in spirit, but in
health also. Ifit was not for me you
could go off somewhere and earn your
own living like lady. You could teach
music, or be governess, or obtain sit
uation in a school. But while [ am an
invalid, and suppose shall always be
one, you are tied here"
Edith was Off different character from
her mother. She was moR energetic,
more selfreliant, more heroic. She had
also the courage Of youth on her side.
owe shall get along famously," she
said. what with my needle, our COW,
and the vegetable garden I shall make,
we shall get along famously."
So this refined, cultivated girl, who
had been reared, as it we're, amid rose
leaves, went to work uncomplainingly
to support her mother and herself. For
awhile, too, it seemed as if her conf
dence was prophetic. Mrs. Miller re-
covered her health so as to be able to be
about. Everything seemed to go on
we'll
At the end Of the first summer, Edith,
proudly counting up her gains, said:
Mother, dear. we have not only sup
ported ourselves, but we have saved
mOnev-we are growing rich" faE es's as
But alas different times came. In
the autumn Mrs. Miller fell i'll with
rheumatic fever, for the situation of the
cottage was low and damp. She had to
take her bed again. She was no longer
able to help Edith with her needle. poor
Edith could now earn but little herself,
her time being occupied in nursing her
mother. The doctors bill and the medi-
cines soon absorbed her small savings.
She began to fall behind. The cow had
finally to be sold, and at last, in order to
avert absolute starvation, Edith was
compelled to mortgage the cottage.
In the two years that followed matters
went from bad to worse Mrs. Miller
remained oedridden. Do all she could
Edith was unable to make both ends
meet. The interest on the mortgage
fell into arrears. A solicitor named
Jupp, who represented the holder, be-
gan to clamor for the arrears. At last,
IN the third year of Edith's orphanage,
came legal notice that unless the in
terest was paid up in full, the cottage
would be. sold. -. sa ia, an 81
The dav before this notice was served,
Edith had gone in person to the attor-
ney's, hoping to touch his heart But
he was deaf to her tears and represen-
tations. He had the reputation ofbeing
merciless, and Edith saw now that the
character was deserved. .TgsssdW
It's no use, your coming here he
said rudely. am acting for others,
and not for myself You'd better spend
your time in getting together the inter
est you owe. [ can't interfere. Bring
the money, or the law must take its
course" s. 49, .-..es $
When Mrs. Miller heard the result OF
this interview, and when, afterWard, the
formal notice was served, she moaned
feebly, and turned her face to the wall.
eve shall have to beg, Or go to the
poor-house, or die on the road" she
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