The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-11-02


wife. True, the work was not much to his
taste, but he had promised not to let any
false pride interfere in case a job offered.
After brief hesitation, he said, " don't
know but could do it as well as anybody,
Squire Emerson"
You, Mr.. Carterp' said the Squire, in
surprise. " I had not thought of you. Won't
it interfere with your business"
"Just at present have no other business to
interfere with it,"
=" What you havn't given up the shoe
business?"
1T has given me up" answered Edward
with a tinge of dependency in his tone. at
is very dull, and there is no knowing when
it will be any better"
"Oh, it will be better by and by, never
fear. Meanwhile, Mr.. Carter allow me to
say that l admire your manly spirit in re-
solving not to be idle, but to do whatever
your hands find to do. l shall feel much
obliged to you if you will undertake the job
spoke of, as it will relieve me of trouble in
looking after somebody else"
Edward felt inspired by this commenda-
ton, although he felt that it was his wife
rather than himself that deserved it.
"When will you begin ?"
"there is nothing tosprevent my begin
ming at once" he replied.
"Very well, l will turn back with you,
and show you where to find the saw and so
forth"
Edward Carter was soon at work. 1t
seemed to him little strange at first, but
he soon got, accustomed to it, and the
thought that he was earning something for
his family kept up his spirits.
His wife looked for him somewhatanxious-
ly at dinner. she Knew his temperament,
and she feared that he might have been un-
successful, in which event he would be more
disheartened than ever.
But, to her qualification, he seemed quite
| cheerful.
"Well, Edward, did you get anything to
J do ?" she asked.
eyes, Mary, have turned wood-saw-
YER" he replied, half jocularly. "You see
we are rising in the warld."
al think we are said his wife her face
beamng with appreciation. "a man who
can throw aside all false pride, and show
that he is determined to make the best OF
his circumstances, ought to stand high in
the worlds estimation"
"It is all owing to you, Mary" said her
husband. al was ready to give up the
ship last night"
" But you won't feel so again, hope"
" can't promise that. This job will last
only two or three days. shall have to lay
by then"
perhaps not. Something else may pre-
sent itself But you have not told me for
whom you are '@orling'"
" For Squire Emerson"
" How much has he agreed to pay you?"
lie told me he would pay me for the
time employed at the same rate that l have
been accustomed to receivein the shop"
"That is quite liberal"
" Yes, considering that am out of prac-
tice, and probably could not accomplish SO
much as some one more experienced"
That evening when Edward Carter came
home from work, his wife said
81 have got a confession to make, Ed
ward"
"a confession. Then, you have been
doing something awful, presume?"
"You shall judge. have agreed to take
two boarders."
"Two boardsrs" said her husband, in
astonishment.
"Yes, James and Moses Studley called
here this morning and asked me if l knew
of good boarding place for them. Itseems
that Mrs. Evans, with whom they have
been boarding hitherto, has concluded to
break up housekeeping and join her two
sons, who, you know, are doing business in
Boston, and therefore they are obliged to
seek some other place, When they asked
Inc about it, at once thought that it would
be a good thing for us if we could secure
them. You know they pay promptly and a
fair price. So l said, halfin joke, " suppose
you come and board with mel"
" And what did they say?"
"James at once spoke up and said, q We
should like nothing better, Mrs. Carter, il
yoa will take us" They wanted an i'm
mediate answer, and so took the liberty to
say "Yes," without waiting to consult
you"
"But, have you considered how much
your work will be increased, Mary ?"
u know it will be increased, but then il
will be a help to us. Consider they will
pay us four dollars week each, and that
will do something to ward off starvation,
she said, playfully.
"You are an excellent wife, Mary" said
Edward Carter feelingly. 81 need just such
one to keep up my spirits. But l am
afraid you are taking too much upon your,
self"