The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-07-09


smallness of my expenditures. If he
had only told me how his matters stood,
/ would have curtailed my expenses to
the narrowest extent. But, rs he gave
me no hint of his embarrassments, L
foolishly went on in the way did. And
now he, my generous, indulgent hus-
band, is in prison. Oh, how / wish L
had never lived to see this day."
"Well, the way of the transgressor is
hard, and he must now suffer for his
misdoings, but his punishment here is
nothing compared with the fortunes he
must undergo in his life to come, unless
he repents and seeks forgiveness from an
offended God. Then let it be your bust
ness to exhort him daily to lament and
bewail in penitence and prayer over the
sinfulness of his former course. No
matter what the world may think of him
so God looks down in pity and forgive
ness upon him. And may God grant
that you, too, find comfort from the
same course. Now, good morning, Mrs.
Ramsay; have striven to do my duty
to you, by giving you this advice"
The sorrowing woman made no reply,
and, the moment she was alone, threw
herself, face downward, upon the cush-
ions of the sofa, near the chair III which
she had been sitting. moaning and strlv-
ing to give utterance TO n prayer. a
thing she had seldom, if ever, done ;
but, in few moments, fell INTO a
troubled slumber from which she was not
awakened i'll the course of an hour,
when the nurse brought her year-old
child to her, saying, Here, ma an, L
suppose / shall have to look up another
place, now that L can expect no further
pay, and the master already owing me
500. But must have that, ii l take
the carpet from under your feet, ma lam. y
Don't, don't distress me any more
just now, Ellen, L will try to have you
paid, and, if you leave me now, what
will become of the child ?" asked the
helpless woman.
"It is hard for the likes of We to come
to it, marin but they do say you Will,
making no doubt, have it to look arter
yerseP, God bless its little sowl. All,
many's the night / have had to sit by
and watch with the little craythur to
keep breath of life in its little body
y y
beds, thank God !"
"Well, Ellen, if you leave it now, it
will surely die, for L know nothing
about taking care of children. Oh, stay,
and will sell some of my jewels to pay
you, if there is no other way
q will stay the wake out, marin, y
replied Ellen and no sooner had she
gone to the nursery than the cook put
in her appearance, bonneted and shawled
for her departure.
Good-by, marin We have been a
good mistress but by the holy Saint
Peter 1 cannot work any longer with
out pay; ye're owing me for the last six
months worruk," said Bridget; land
how 1 can get it is thing I'm after go
ing to see the praste about.
eff You will stay with me few days
longer will see that you are paid, for
do not see but we must starve If you go,
rs / know nothing about cooking so
don't leave me, Bridget"
True for We, then, L may come back
for few days, but doubt if I'll be let, y
said the girl, emerging from the door.
A few minutes later the chambermaid
took her departure and, as the house
keeper was away on visit, Mrs. RAM
say, with her three children and nurse
only, were left in the great hushed
house, which only the day previous was
SO full of life and merriment. Now the
very house dog went around with an
abashed look and quiet tread, as if even
he had been committing some offense
for which it were we'll to hang his head.
The usual dinner hour arrived, but no
preparations had been made for the
meal the mistress still lay on the sofa,
seemingly more dead than alive, while
the nurse fidgeted over the children in
the nursery, and Mt last, declaring she
would not be both nurse and cook, took
the children to their mother, and imme-
diately left the house. After while
their noise and need of care finally
aroused the despairing mother, and she
went with them to the empty kitchen
where she. found cold lunch for them
all.
The following day an inventory was
taken of the criminals property, but, as
it was all mortgaged, his creditors, who
had no security, were losers to the full
amount of his indebtedness, and they
were by no means few. Mrs. Ramsay
was obliged to leave her splendid home
and find quarters in small tenement
house, which she once would not have
deigned to enter. Some pitied her, 9TH
ers were glad to see her thus humbled-
among the latter were Miss Sterling and
her aunt-not that they owed her any
malice or felt the least envy after all that
she had suffered, but for her own good,
and as an example for others, SO they
said, they were rejoiced to see her step
down from the heights of such vanity as
once possessed her soul.
"She will, trust, now seek for some
thing higher than the groveling pleas
ures of this world" said Miss Sterling,
after hearing that Mrs. Ramsay had
moved into the small house, "and will
go over and help her a little, auntie,
about getting settled"
"Ten to one you'll have it all TO do
yourself, if you go, for faint likely she
is good for nothin' to work more'n she
ever was.
q am not obliged to stay longer than
L choose to, SO / guess L will go, auntie,
if you will do up the dishes and brush
the floor"
Once there, she began to think her
aunt was more than halt right. There