Sharp County record., 1881-01-13

happy as two doves together. ..
"They'd been married seven year and
had little girl aad a little boy, when
the foundry where Master Frank was
acting as clerk went under. They d
had the gumption, sir-or she had; her
Young husband never'd "a done ito
lay by penny; sowAen he got an offer
to 60 with a company to the Brazils, he
left what they'd saved for her, and off
he went. Il hadn't the courage to say
no, says she, although it broke my
heart to let him 90, for he was so eager,
and sure he would come back with
plenty of money The party had gone
out exploring some big river, and max
ing out how to bring things that grew
there down to the coast. He'd been
gone about two years when she got a
letter as said he went out in boat one
day with two more, and they'd never
come back. The place was wild and an
easy one to get lost in, and they'd most
likely died of somewheres in the swamp.
Still she kept on waiting and hoping;
but her money was a'moSs gone, and in
the little place where he left her there
was nothing to be done; so she'd gath
cred courage and come back here again,
thinking she could get scholars among
the people she used to know. The
worry and the exertion had broke her
down, and there she was, sir, too weak
to lift finger And the idea, too, of a
lady like she was living in such lodg-
ings; but she got the cheapest she could
that was decent, and that's how twas.
You may think it odd her telling me so
much, sir, and | a stranger and a work.
ing-man; but soon as she found I'd
known her husband, it seemed to do her
good to talk.
81 was just going, when out came
the little girl from an inner room lead
ing little boy about four year old. If
there ever was anybody repeated over
again, there was that boy the image of
his father at his age; the same rosy
cheeks and curly hair clustering round
his forehead and the same handsome,
willful face.
"When got on my beat that night
l thought it all over. Miss Alice was
off and there was nobody but me to
look after Master Franks wife and
them two blessed children and what
could l do fit for them, anyway?
81 used to 60 up to see 'em every
day after that, and Miss Nell-that' S
the little girl-and little Master Frank
they come to call me Joe just as their
father had done afore 'em. Little by
little l told Mrs, Frank Chauncey the
whole truth about her husband, just
what q rich man the father was, and
just how Miss Alice had mourned for
her brother to that day. She didn't
seem to care about the money, said as
how the father had cast Frank off, that
was an end ont, and never a cent
would she touch if twas offered her.
CATER that things got awful. Mrs.
Frank she grew worse every day, till a
kind of q low fever came on her, and
everything fell Oh that blessed little
Nell. Oh, she was rare one for such
a mite! The way she'd dust round, and
take care of her mother and the little
chap, too, beat all | ever see, sir. The
money gave out, of course. Money
always has that way with it when it's
most wanted, I've noticed. Mrs. Frank
she give me every blessed thing she
could spare to sell for her, and had to
do it, much as it went agin me, but she
never dreamed how little | got for 'em.
That was the most could do, sir.
81 was thinking tonight about
Christmas-eve just one year ago. Twas
coming along the street early in the
evening, when what should | see but
that little Nell standing looking at
big Santa Claus in a toy-shop window
1t almost broke my heart to see her
Master Franks little daughter, there all
alone in that poor way. But that mite
she was never down-hearted. When
she see me coming, joe says she,
turning her wise little face toward where
[ was Joe, that's a fine-looking old
fellow in the window there. But he's
very proud tonight, and he won't look
at me. We're strangers, you see, and
I can't stop to be introduced, because [
must run home as fast as | can with the
medicine for mammal and before |
could say word that brave little thing
was off. | went inside, and | got what |
could to give them children in the
morning; but the thought of Master
Franks son having nothing but tin
horse worth ten cents for his Christ
mas, and that, too, coming from me,
made me hide the things away soon as
| got home. [ couldn't give 'em my
self, but my wife she carried 'em up
next day.
THAT was hard winter for Mrs.
Frank. She couldn't get her strength,
but she never lost courage, and always
believed things would hold out till she
was able to work, and then all would
90 smooth. And so it would "a done,
for she isn't one O them fine ladies as
sits down, when trouble comes, without
knowing which wayto turn.
But one night in the spring, when
1 was walking along my beat, | gave a
Jump, for there was the big house all
lighted up, and l saw Miss Alice herself
at one O the windows. You can be
sure didn't lose any time in hunting
up David, and he told me as how Mr.
Chauncey was all broke up and he be-
lieved he was just pining away about
Master Frank; for the first thing he did
after he got into the house was to 90