Sharp County record., 1881-08-04

Before ANYTHING could be done, seven
different ceilings were frescoed and tat
tooed in a most unhappy manner, seven
different carpets were drenched, and
the occupants of seven different rooms
were hunting me to bay. Isent for the
calciminers, the plumbers and the
carpet men, and found out how much
it would cost to put Mr. ChanGler's
house in order again. Then l fled to
my room.
/ threw myself on the bed and stared
at the ceiling like a maniac There
was nothing the matter with that cell
ing, for the demoniac pipes stopped on
the floor below.
The stonness of my gaze was occa-
stoned by the climax of my difficulties,
How could | see Mr.. Chandler? | had
ruined his house, cheated him out Of
his money, and unless [ could 60 on
plundering and cheating him, | couldn't
90 on with the clearinghouse. If
| didn't 90 on, I couldn't pay Mr..
Chandler; if l did 60 on | might only
plunder and cheat him the more. |
never had been good at problems At
school l had always been stupid with
given quantities, yet given quantities
were my only hope just then.
Mr.. Chandler was rapping at the
door. | burst into tears as | undid the
bolt, and begged him to forgive all the
trouble and expense l had caused him.
His ceilings were speckled; his carpets
were drenched; the plumber held the
very foundation of his house at an en-
peror's ransom; l was already hope
lessly in his debt and yet must have
more money, or give up and die.
"How much money!" said Mr.. Chan
dler, very gently. "Don't cry, my
child. How much money!" Expiring
hope began to revive within my agon-
lied breast. He took my cold hand
within his own. "How much money
will it take to repair all the damages
here and put the house in order for a
new tenant?n
Down sank my heart like a plummet
of lead. l looked up in his face and
was startled to find new expression
there; something indefnable, l could
almost say heroic; Aunt Maria could
never call that face "wish-washy." 1t
was strong and noble. He was evident
ly not to be trifed with, When my
miserable confession was made, he
would spurn me as | deserved. If l had
only been brave and true from the first!
1t was too late now. How | hated
Aunt Maria! | thought of the terrible
winter, of the icy streets, the prejudice
people had against tramps-particular-
ly so many, six of us-six, the twins,
the three boys, and myself. l clasped
my hands in agony.
"What will become of me and my
children?" l cried.
Come" he replied, with unspeaka-
BILE tenderness-"come out of this room
into the open garret. So! Now all the
whole world may see and hear US. Is
it not so, my child? We are not afraid
of idle tongues?'
"N-no," | stammered, my heart in
my throat, for fear one of the boys
should pop his head up the garret stairs
and call mamma.
"You are so innocent" he continued.
$50 free from hypocrisy and deceit, it
IS hard to make you understand that ]
cannot any longer lend you money, or
help-you in the way that | have done.
The wicked inuendoes of slandering
tongues that stab in the dark have left
me but the one way to protect you. |
wonder if it will be as holy, as sweet to
you as it is to me? | wonder if you
would be glad to give up this vile nest
of scandal altogether and keep boarders
no longer, but home for a husband,
who would adore you, and would love
and cherish your dear little girls as his
ownpn
He didn't mention my dear little boys,
who were out risking their lives at
coasting that very moment. What a
noble, generous, altogether perfect old
gentleman he was! If Charley had
really been dead, and l had not been
the miserable impostor that circum-
stances had made me, my poor, des-
olate, widowed heart would have melted
to him, l know. That heart was DESC
late enough, God knows, but it wasn't t
widowed; l was sure of that. The
time for my dreadful confession had
come. It was so hard to lose the one
thing that seemed left me just then
his confidence, his esteem. 1 felt cold
and faint and sick.
"Dear Mr.. Chandler" began, a
home and husband would be very
sweet to me-" And Heaven was my
witness it would, only not just the hus-
band he meant; and Twas just going
to tell him so, when Bridget put her
frowzy head above the stairs and said a
man was below that wanted to see me
and wouldn't take no for an answer.
"It's the plumber said, tremblingly,
cor the calciminer, or the carpet man.
o, Mr.. Chandler, dear Mr.. Chandler, l
can not face these people!'
"You forget that you have given me
the right to share your troubles" he
said: "Come, my dear, we will face this
person together"
We found him in the parlor-a big,
broad -shouldered, splendid-looking fell
low, with new Ulster on, and a very
becoming hat, and a perfectly splendid
pair of boots, without break in them.
The twins were clinging to each of his
hands, and around him were dancing