The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-02-07
mo money!" The shoemaker read
disappointment in the boys face,
"No, sir"
UNNk,. Dii

i"' sphu Nalileu u DaSkct on her
arm, from which she took bundle of up.
pers that she had taken to close and bind.
Here is the work, Mr.. Barker she
said, in detected voice. II hope YOU
find it all right. They would have been
ready two days ago, but my husband is
very sick, and I'yo had to be up all night
for three nights.
TAc shoemaker did not see the quality
OF the work as he took the "uppers' from
the woman's basket aud made a show of
examining them. He was only thinking
OF the woman's needs aud her expectations
She had performed her part, but not
single dollar had he in the house, and how
was he to perform his part9
"Iow is your husband to-day ?n he ask
ed, kindly, showing more than usual inter.
est, Tor he felt that he had little more than
sympathy to give.
"Not SO well, replied the woman. II
have run down for few minutes, and lett
him alone, quite as much to get the money
as to bring it home. The doctor has or.
dercd little wine, and | must get il for
him il it takes all have earned this
week
"lIow much does your work come to ?"
1.-Two dollars answered the woman.
The shoemaker went to his desk, and
opening it, took out little cash.box, and
made pretensc of disappointment, as he
turned it toward the woman 1t did not
contain single copper. Then he drew
forth an old pocketbook and examined
every compartment, but with no better
success
"fou are little bit too early, Mrs.
Blythe, he said, smiling, yet rcgretfuly,
"a little too early. haven't received my
collections for the day. Shall send you
up the money p
The woman sighed, aud looked very
much disappointed
"lm very sorrow, Mrs. Blythe
shoemaker did not manifest the slightest
impatience, for he understood the case per.
fectly-"but We find il very hard some.
times to get 10 our bills. I've had An.
drew running round all the morning and
he hasn't collected single dollar so far.
1t is strange how little rich men think of
their obligations TO poor mechanics who
live nearly all the while from hand to
mouth. If | could always get in my small
bills, would be very comfortable. As it
is, | am always in trouble about money. ~
Mrs. Blythe stood very still, and an.
swered not word. Ii was hardly possible
for her TO leave her husband again, more d.
over she promised to bring him wine.
IL am very sorry, Mrs. Blythe" re-
piled the shoemaker, "but what is cant be
helped"
True, true. | learned that long ago"
said the woman, with sslfdespairing sigh.
"Fhe lessons Of poverty sink deeply enough
into my memory"
81 will send you up the money in the
course Of an hour or two. will not trou
bio you to call down again, as your hus-
band is so i'll.
Still Mrs Blythe fingered. How could
she return to her sick, exhausted husband
without the wine that was to send thro
all the courses Of his blood quickening
spirit She had felt as if this wine was to
be to him the very elixir oflife; and, since
1t had been mentioned by the doctor, she
had seen that her husbands thought was
resting upon it, to the exclusion Of every.
thing else, To 20 home without il, there
fore, was a serious thing, and might in
yolvc evil consequences; for his condition
was one Of extreme prostration, and the
slightest cause might destroy the even
balance OF life just attained, aud throw
preponderance on the wrong side.
Slowly at length she moved toward the
door
"You will send up the money, right
soon, she said, turning partly around and
looking back at the troubled shoemaker.
The moment | receive it. Andrew is
going out with some bills Immediately"
The door opened noiselessly; with noise.
less steps dropping figure went out, and
noiselcssly the door was shut again. The
only sense that took record of the circum-
stance was that Of sight.
MIR. Redwood, the merchant, who thought
this shoemaker's bill of so little conse.
quence that he could not take the trouble
TO write a check in order to cancel it, left
the store about two hours after the visit of
Andrew, aud started home to his late din
ner. On his way he passed wine store
and dropped in TO order case Of choice
Amontilado, the favor of which he had
tried and approved.
"Send il home within an hour. wish
bottle for dinner" said Mr.. Redwood, as
he took out his pocket-book to pay for the
wine.
1T shall be DONE was the ready an.
swer.
As the merchant replaced his pocket.
book, aud was buttoning his coat over his
breast, a poorly dressed, worn and feeble
looking woman came into the store, and
walked back with an air Of timid irresolu-
tion, to where the two meu-the wine
dealer and lis eustomer-were standing.
"Well, what's wanted ?" said the wine
dealer, in a short, imperative voice.
"My husband is very low, and the doe
tor has ordered him some wine.n
The woman's sad, pleading tone made
it very apparent to the dealer that she had
come TO beg and not to buy.
is he, indeed Z" The voice of the
dealer was half insulting.
II failed to get money for my work, aud
| cannot 90 home without the wine. Oh,
sir, il you will trust me for bottle, will
certainly come and pay you. The money
is earned, aud is promised this afternoon !"
The wine dealer laughed sneeringly as
he made answer: !
at won't do, my good woman. The
trick is too stale"
aBut, Sir"
The urgency Of the case made Mrs.
Blythe importunate.
"There there That will do Go,
now y aud the wine merchant waved his
hand toward the door, impaticntly, Mrs.
Blythe turned aud went away, not speak
ing another word The eyes Of Mr. Red.
wood were on her pale, thin face, and he
saw there an expression that haunted him
as we are sometimes haunted by face in
a picture, for many days nfterward.
"A common dodge !" said the wine mer.
chant, in a vulgar way, as the woman pass
ed into the street. "lf | had given her
the bottle Of wine, she would have been