Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-02-04

ways with the strictest propriety when
ever they were present which soon won
from them general respect and friend
ship. Her practical little head was toe
strong to be turned from the praiseworthy
current of her purpose by any mans
fattery. But there was one young man
who had insensbly won his way into her
good graces--a clerk of'twenty
Laura, with her practical eye, could
read his pure and unselfish nature at q
glance, and she liked him but she I'M.
derstood life better than no. and when
he urged an early marriage she reasoned
"You are just in the beginning of the
struggle. she would say, and with talent
and the good principles you possess II
recommend you, you are sure to rise, il
you do not rush blindly into response.
bilities that are sure to cramp you in the
future"
To these arguments Fred Allston
would always reply;
Now, Laura, darling, this may up.
pear very rational to you, and might to
me, if ] did not feel that in your great
anxiety for my future success, you are
too apt to underate my capability of cop
ing with the world. Now, if we mar.
ried, | should feel content, and struggle
like u lion to place you in that more
exalted social position for which you
are so well fitted You can 90 right ON
with your washing and ironing just the
same, if you choose to, till my salary is
increased, or | get into business on
my own account; aud | eau pound out
the clothes and do all the heavy work
for you when am alone at the office.
You see, my darling, | can calculate in
my own fashion, if | am not quite as
wise and practical as yourself"
TO all of this Laura would shake her
young head gravcly, and maintain her
right to differ.
"lf everything was sure of being just
as you paint it, she would answer, mega
lively, 1.-THE venture might be safe enough
perhaps. But | am endowed with a
greater degree Of caution than you, and
can form IA cooler estimate Of the after
probabilities, in the event of my per-
hitting you to take this uncertain step.
Look, as AN illustration, at Nancy
Fulsomc. Sho is only year older than
l., been marrird trihc over two years,
and has three babies-the first two be-
ing twins, and hardly able to toddle
alone. Instead Of being able to assist
Charley, as she did, for the first few
months after their marriage, she has to
have IA hired girl, and is slatternly at
that, although she was trim and neat
IA girl as you could see anywhere before
she was married.
The first year of their marriage they
lived in neat, well-furnished cattage,
and they held their heads as high as any
body aud well they might, for Charley 5
salary was hundred and sixty pounds a
year, and is more now but Nancy add
ed nearly fifty to their income the first
year, but not a shilling since. What
has been the result?
why they were obliged to give up
their neat cottage a year ago, and sell of
their best furniture at half the original
cost to pay off the heavy expenses attend
ing her FIRST sickness, and now they oc-
cupy three rooms in the fourth story of a
third-rato tenement house. And what
makes matters worse, Charley has be-
come discouraged at his lot, and has
lately taken to drink.
This Mrs. Fulsome told me in con-
fidence, with the tears standing in her
eyes and she furthermore assured me
that she very much feared be would lose
his situation in consequence of it. Char
ley Fusome, when he was married, was
strictly temperate, and looked forward to
the future with as much hope and con-
fidence as you do; and yet, in little
more than two years, all his prospects In
life have been bIighted through the united
and ill-adviscd Judgment of the thought
less couple"
And with these clever arguments Lau-
ra would effectually silence her importu-
nate lover for the time being.
Now it was II great puzzle TO everybody
how old Jasper Flint, with his penurious
habits, could have died and left his
children so destitute. Some suggested
that he must have hidden or buried his
money, and every part Of the house,
cellar and backyard we're carefully exam
ined, but without its resulting in any
such discovery,
One day Fred Allston was surprised
by the appearance of Tommy at the
Office, bearing Il brief and startling mes.
sage from his darling Laura. Il contained
~ssN ~W~w1I
PLASTER, POTASH, 60, 8 I