The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-07-24
Sometimes sharp pang shot through

and | wished when we first set up that
that had had sufficient sense to per-
suade Henry to do so more in accord
ance with our income than We had done:
but it was too late now now; we must
trust to some good fortune turning up.
One day when our depressed feelings
were at their height, who should sud-
denly walk in but Unite Jocelyn. He
had never been in our house since we
were married.
"You have beautiful little house,
Kate" was almost the first thing he
said. Il had 10 notion Henry was such
a rich man..
Hadn't you, unclel' said, trying to
laugh.
81 am truly pleased to see you so COM
Portable" continued Uncle Joeelyn,
kindly. This room must have cost
you pretty penny, Kate; and, I dare
say, YOU have Il nest egg somewhere, as
WE'LL
"Oh, it isn't very much," answered,
really referring to the room, but as he
thought to The nest egg, and imagining
l meant that the latter, though Of small
proportions, did exist, he responded most
cordially:
doesn't matter how small, Kate,
there is plenty of time to make it
larger"
1t was no use undeceiving him, though
at that very moment an ominous envel-
ope was delivered to me and the an
nouncement was made that the person
who brought it was waiting for an an
swer, to which | returned the usual for
mula, that Mr.. Arden was out, but
would call in day or two.
| tried to look as indifferent as posi-
bic; but felt Uncle Jocelyn eyes were
upon me, and my face colored painfully,
nor did my confusion escape the kind
scrutiny. | felt thoroughly convinced
,.e 10 had drawn his own conclusions.
need not give all the details of
Uncle Jocelyn's visit; suffice it to say,
that it was one long martyrdom that
afternoon to me; and it was a positive
relief when his kind old face vanished
anu lOCllo SCll OlCC iuOiC.
However, our struggle was just begin
ming then, for we sank deeper and deep
en- 1t was like quicksand-the more
we struggled the deeper we got. We
dared not openly retreneh-we lacked
the moral courage; and our private at
tempts were the merest drops in the
ocean of that mighty sea into which we
had drifted simply and solely because we
had at the outset ignored the golden
rule, so impressed upon me by Uncle
Jocelyn. to live within our means, and
pay ready money.
Once or twice thought of confding
onr woes to my mother; but l dared not;
intuitively knew that although in his
prosperity Henry was a great favorite
with her, she would regard him differ
emily if misfortunes came; and l felt |
could bear anything rather than hear
him blamed, especially as in my Utmost
heart knew l was equally, if not &C
tually, more to blame than he was.
The crash could not to be STAYED off
for Tonga crisis must shortly come"
So said Henry one lovely June evening,
when we were sitting disconsolately dis
cussing all manner of wild impossible
schemes. "A crisis can't be far off,
Kate. VIVA. we are to do know not p
We fancied the amazement of our
friends-tne nine-days' wonder our mis-
fortunes would cause, little dreaming
that our ending had long been confident
ly predicted by them, and that our hos
pitality had been roundly censured and
condemned by the very partakers of it.
What would mother say What
would everybody say Worst of all,
what would Uncle Jocelyn sayl
But soon the worst came to the worst
our house was our own no longer a
man-strange and to me most terrible
was comfortably making himself at home
in our kitchen-in other words, had
taken possession.
How could Henry show his face at
the office. How could l ever venture
out again
shall never forget the two days that
followed after | wrote and told my
mother; on the third, when l was almost
stupefed with the magnitude of our mis-
fortunes, and during Henry's absence
had shut myself up in my room, seine