Sharp County record., 1881-08-04

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gathered up her skirts from the first,
and seemed prepared either for battle
or flight, and was the last one to mount
the lower stair. Mr.. Chandler protected
me all the way to Aunt Maria's door,
and babe me goodnight, with the hope
that all was arranged satisfactorily.
you've as good as feathered your
nest already" said Aunt Maria. I'm
clad you wore your black dress"
81 had no other fit to put on" l re-
piled.
ats Just as WELL" she continued,
'for | told him you were a widow
there's no use enterin' into partio lars
about Charley"
'It's nobody's business about Char
ley"
That's what l thought; so said
you were widow, and only mentioned
the twins. Ididn't speak of the boys,
for you don't look old enough anyway
-nobody'd dream they belonged to
you, and Mr.. Chandlers materially of
timid turn, and it might spile every
thing at the start. They never need
come where he is. They'll eat at the
second table and play out in the street,
and in boardin' house there's lots of
things that only CROWN boys can eat,
so they won't count. It's all fixed.
You're to come tomorrow after the
funeral and take hold at onst. Bring
the twins right up to my room-they're
nice gentle little girls-and I'll fix 'em
up with pink and blue ribbon. As for
the boys, let them play around till
night-fall, and then slip in the base
ment way"
1t was all Aunt Maria's fault-eVery
bit of it. l was too dazed and bewil-
dered at first to offer any objections, and
so many things happened in that dread
full three months that never had a
chance to make full confession of my
domestic affairs to Mr.. Chandler.
Once when he said something about
its being his duty as well as his pleas
ure to help the widow and the father
less, felt as if | must tell him all about
Charley and the boys; but the adverse
circumstances under which | labored
restrained me. l had been compelled
to ask him for an advance; there was a
great deal of expense at first, and | was
such a novice at everything. | felt
compelled to avail myself of all the
sympathy possible; but l was confident
that after the first three months were
over | could get along without Mr..
Chandler's help, and then, no matter
what Aunt Maria said, l determined to
tell him everything. He was entitled
to my confidence, and only awaited
favorable opportunity to give existence
to Charley and the three boys. Every
thing went along like clock-work for a
while. If l had only put my whole
mind to it, might have mastered every
thing before the cold weather set in.
And I wouldn't have fallen behind so
Iamentably in my accounts if had been
very careful, and severely watched the
scraps and crumbs that fell from the
boarding house table. | was perhaps
too good to the tramps and beggars,
and fed too many of the wanderers that
came to the bas ement door.
In vain Aunt Maria scolded and
vowed she never came down to press
her crimps but she stumbled over a
tramp. In vain Mr. Chandler mildly
demonstrated upon the loss of two over
coats and q set of razors. They knew
nothing of the way l felt, or how my
heart beat sometimes when at twilight
l saw big, broad shouldered, sandy
haired fellow standing there wih broken
boots. 1t took me good while to grow
calm and collected, and in the mean
while he had eaten good many slices
of bread and meat and perhaps stolen
something from the hat rack in the
lower hall.
In truth, it was impossible to per-
suade me that Charley was dead. felt
that some time he would come back to
me; and it was the most natural thing
in the world to look for him as tramp.
Thatlast sad morning was photographed
on my memory when he stood before
me so painfully shabby, and with such
broken boots. l couldn't give him up;
| wouldn't. l got so tired of Mr..
Chandler, with his bland responsibility,
his funereal broadcloth and his high
hat, his ever-ready money, and his
never-ending remonstrance and advice.
l did so long for dear old impecunious
Charley,
What wonder, with mind so unsettled,
and a heart 80 open to vagabonds, that
| was cheated and robbed and driven
to the wall, and the second month came
so appallingly soon that l had to get
another advance from Mr.. Chandler.
1t was the most astonishing thing in
the world that, although Inever had an
easy moment in that dreadful house,
never did time fly so quickly. The
third month was upon me before / could
realize it, and it was a matter of glad
surprise to me that had not before me
the awful necessity of another advance
from Mr.. Chandler. i was not, perhaps,
any better off, so far as actual money
was concerned, but l was longer estab-
lished and able to get credit outside. l
always endeavored to treat the trades
people with every possible considera-
ton, and they were very kind to me-
very.
Everybody knows what an awful win
ter it was. had never had any expe-
rience with water-pipes. On the first of
| the month q cold wave started direct