, 1880-08-06
L" Face the Music"

firI,ittle Louise Griffin looked round in
horror as these words fell upon her ears,
as we'll as she might for there sat her
Aunt Clara, her feet resting upon a. has
sock, a basket Of stockings fresh from
the ironing table by her side, and ter
rible frowp upon her usually placid fea
lures. .L,ig.
Aunt CLARA was o young widow of
thirty, and since her husbands death
had supported herself and two young
children by that most forlorn and pre-
carious of all occupations, keeping board
ers.i OF course she had been unfortun-
ate. One boarder after another had
stolen away without settling his bill. and
the consequence was temporary embar-
rassment, and almost despair. orthe part
Of The little hossess'. 10 LJlU oil ! .
"Who was it, KateT' inquired Aunt
Clara, as the servant returned - d. 4 .
iHiThe paper man, mum; says he'll
call again on Saturday" y 49,, .,.l., ~. ~ ,
"You could have told him that he
could have spared himself the trouble,
for It's not likely that / shall have any
more money then than now. l must go
away from here or 90 crazy T. And
poor Aunt Clara burst into food of
tears, which seemed little service in
the comforting line, for they brought no
relief whatever. r." ,ta,'
~ What in the world is. the matter,
auntie, dearP' said her niece, drawing
near and trying to soothe her.
"Matter 1 owe the butcher for
months meat, the grocer for two months
groceries, the gas man, the paper man,
and my house rent has been due over q
week"
"But why don't you SEQ these people,
and tell them how you are situated,
instead Of sending Kate to tell false
moods I" - ..----.----....-..-
"Louise Griffin, you don't know what
you aretalking about. You don't know
what it is to be alone in the world, strug
Cling for subsistence /; you don't know
whaJ it is to be cheated ovs of your
hard-won earnings. never thought l
should come to this T. o.a. ? 9Jil, !
cling a lirga.ingY went the door
bell again ~, ,...s.... ..,.,-...,...,
"Xre You in now, Mrs. Beresford T.
inquired the kind hearted servant girl,
poking her head in at the door, as this
fresh appeal was heard.
Et"Inq No. For mercy's sake hide
me somewhere ! have great mind
to crawl under the bed, just to get out
of sight Dear, dear. What shall do
now 7"
Louise said no more, but turned away
and neryously tapped on the window
pane, wondering if her good-natured,
even-tempered Aunt Clara had taken
leave of her senses.
"Come away from the-windo ", Lou;se
Are you crazy to stand there knocking
in that style :" exclaimed the poor, tired
woman, frantically.
81 don't owe anybody, auntie," re-
piled Louise.
"But they may think it is /. don't
want them to know that there's soul
at home. o dear--O dear! This load
is greater than / can bear r
at was Mr.. Barlow, ma'am says
he'll call again this evening, and"
why didn't you tell him that |
shouldn't be home, or that was sick in
bed, or something, to--to have kept
him out of sight until ! should get
things in orderf' 55 Il
"He asked, ma'am, if you we've quite
well. and how Nell and Josey were he
said he would come in few minutes if
the children were at home he appeared
kinder sorrowful like when he went
away, ma'am." s9a ,'.. .@ ~. a,,r .a,t' ,..ti'
"No doubt Of it." replied Mrs. Beres-
ford. "Folks Gre apt to be sorrowful
when they can't collect the money due
them. He'll look kind of angry by
night--mark myqwords + v
Again the bell resounded through the
house. l. ''''' 's"h ''',''' .' .'
"Is this kind Of thing to be. kept up
all day Are we to have nothing else
from morning till nightP exclaimed the
thoroughly exasperated woman. ".'L
This time Kate didn't ask what mes :,
sage she should convey, but returned
with this intelligence fi 'rff.
The gas man. I told him you was
out, and he said please to tell you that
he hated to leave such message, but it
is the company's orders that if you don't
send up the amount of your bill to,mor-