Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-28

"She is of French parentage," Tom ad-
mitted.
"When do you expect to be married ?"
"Next Wednesday"
"And this is Saturday. Your room ought
to be repapered."
No matter about my ROOM" said Tom,
with nervous haste for he saw chance TO
say, in anatural connection, what he dreaded
to say. al think we had better 90 to
Mrs. Hills for a month at least want
Marie's honeymoon TO be, at least, pleasant.
Baby's getting to be a bother. 1t would make
M much work, too" he hastened TO add, glad
Of so good an excuse.
"What would the house be without Tom?"
cried Ivah's poor little heart. Then, too,
the prudent little soul trembled at the ex-
travagance of Toms plans.
al don't see, Tom how you can afford to
take rooms at Mrs. Hills. If we divide we
double the expense. don't see how we can
manage on thousand dollars"
al don't suppose we shall stay there
year." he said, impatiently. "Of course, |
can't keep up two establishments that isn't
TO be expected Of a man. Other young men
marry and set up for themselves. You can't
expect | should stay tied up TO you always,
Ivsh. should think you might do some
thing to earn living. You can't expect to
go go through life without work. Why
can't you teach2"
lvah replied with low, pathetic voice
" You ought 10 know, Tom. / have been
doing housework ever since was fifteen. /
have had no preparation for teaching"
"Well," said Tom, in his easy way,
" You have good head for planning. You'll
have to think it over and determine what
you will do
He went out and left his sister sitting
with white face and wide eyes.
1t was not dsmay that she must go out
single handed to combat, that kept her sit
ting there like statue it was that Tom
was willing she should fight alone
With deserted feeling she went into
where baby was sleeping. She dropped
beside the bed; she kissed babys hand,
thrown out.
Then she put her eyes against the count
erpane, and made vow never 10 desert
baby. She would as soon thought Of prom
Using never to desert Tom. She had vague
feeling that evil was advancing upon Tom.
| She knelt there until she persuaded herself
| that she had no right to censure Tom. All
young men fell in love and all wanted to
marry. She could not expect Tom to be
sacrifice to her and baby.
When she had thus decided she sat up and
|
| Before going to bed she went to the Trib-
une office with an advertisement for the
morning paper.
| BY the time that Tom had vacated his
room and gone to Mrs. Hills, an elderly
man and wife were ready to move into it.
| Table boarders also came. That first day
lvah cooked for seven boarders. She had a
Young girl to look after the baby, wash the
dishes, run errands, etc.
Ivab's rule was to have few dishes well
prepared, and have a home.havor. As she
had reckoned, this pleased. The seven board.
ers brought 10 others. Before the month
was out there were more applicants than
her table would accommodate.
At the months end, with a throbbing
heart lvah carefully cast up her accounts
aud when she was done she shut the little
book, caught baby to her knee, kissing and
hugging her. The little laudlady had come
out ahead. There was balance of thirteen
dollars in her favor.
She knew her boarders were so well
pleased that she could venture on small
advance on her prices. Very small it was,
ouly seventy-five cents a head on week, but
it told on the returns.
Before FIVE months had passed. Ivah de-
termined to take larger and better house,
more conveniently situated for business
| people, aud to put up her price. The
house was near Toms quarters, and before
Ivah was settled, Tom came down with his
books. at is pleasant to have you near"
he said.
lvah discerned the sadness in his smile.
She had remarked before that Tom was
looking thinner and more worn.
Whenever you are belated in your work
you must come and let me help you, Tom,"
she said, beginning to cast up column OF
figures.
When they had finished the work she in
quired about Marie.
"She's at the theater," said Tom, with
dash OF bitterness i'll his voice and in his face
"Why didn't you go with her 2" Ivah
asked.
"Icouldn't afford to, said Tom " besides,
have to work. You know l keep Mrs.
Webber's books besides Harris Brothers
books"
| 81 suppose you're laying by something,
but you mustn't overwork. Couldn't Marie
help you some? 7"
, "Mariel" cried Tom, with a derisive
laugh.
Ivah was greatly panied that Tom could
use such tone toward his wife.
"There is nothing Marie can do except
to spend money. | am not laying up any
thing. She keeps me in debt every hour
of my life. | owe ninety-six dollars for
board now"
"Why, Tom," Ivah cried, " why don't you
go to cheaper boarding house 7"
"I can't get away from Mrs. Hills un-
less leave my trunks. Think of that
humiliation"
80, Tom, would do anything. would
live on parched corn before would live in
debt"
, But you could not help the debt if you
were bound TO such person as my wife"
, said Tom.
} That night she lay awake planning for
Tom, remembering her vow to stand by
him-to desert him never. He needed her
, now.
The next day she called at Mrs. Hills,
, and by becoming surety for the payment Of
Toms arrears, she had his belongings moved
TO her house. As this now was stylish es-
tablishment, Marie made no objection to the
move, especially as some OF the ladies at
Mrs. Hills had begun to cut her.
lvah believed with Tom that the secret Of
, Msrie's extravaganza and discomfort and
dissipation was the want of useful employ
ment. lvah set herself to meet this want.
The French women have such a knack
of making things look their best, and you
| huOW, tuht lOu uhNc u thotc,
that it will be a real favor for me if you
will see to setting the table" Ivah said with
her prettiest manner, which was very pretty
indeed.
So Marie, her skill and self-esteem fat
, tered, went to the diningroom and did her
best at spreading the table, and lvah praised
the result By some similar refnesse Marie
was induced to take charge of the ladies'
parlor.
Then Ivah beguiled Marie, who was re-
ally a good-natured girl, to learn cakebak-
ing. Marie became positively infatuated
with the work, and every morning right
after breakfast she would 60 to the kitchen
and make the cakes for the following day.
, Time which belonged to her own affairs
! and to baby, Ivah gave to attending Marie
TO lectures and concerts and other amuse-
, ments less dissipating than the theater
; To tell how lvah's work for Marie was
: done would be to tell a long and wonderful
story of patient, persistent watchful, adroit
devotion, under many trying circumstances.
} In the midst of the training, Ivah was
asked to become the wife OF tn man she
much esteemed, and toward whom her heart
had been tending.
He was a talented young lawyer, we'll
started upon a promising practice. 1t was
very enticing to the girl--for lvah, not
twenty-one--the thought OF quiet home
where she could gtt away from people and