The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-24


left by will to mamma and myself con-
Jointly If it is disposed of at forced
sale it must be at great sacrifice, and
then poor mamma will be left without
home. She has done everything for me-
here Hannah's large eyes filled with
tears" and it is small thing for me to
try to save the home for her."
I said 1 wondered she hadn't sought
different kind of employment and sug-
gested teaching.
"Oh, I've tried applying for schools.
Two OF three times I've received invita-
tions to examinations; and they've given
me perfectly dreadful lists of questions
asked reasons why we performed
operations that 1 never before knew we
did perform"
Emusic, then"
81 love music; but there are three
teachers to every pupil. This is pleas
ant work, and I am happy in feeling I
shall save the home for mammal
When reached home that evening l
sold an opera ticket J. had purchased in
the morning, and, whereas had always
smoked fifteen-cent cigars, now pl1r-
chased box at ten cents Il gave them
away before the close of the week and
went back to ffteen's) and asked mother
if there wasn't a place somewhere in
the city where they cleansed and dressed
over-soiled kid gloves to look Us we'll
as new.
For the next few weeks 1 had consid-
erable business in neighboring city,
and | used to transact it in season for
the three-o' clock train, and then con
clude to wait for the express. Hannah
was always in fine spirits, buoyed up by
the belief that she was making sure
progress in paying that debt l should
as soon thought of discharging the
national obligation by peddling matches.
One warm Saturday afternoon, when
L stood by her side, and she leaned back
fatigued, but distractingly pretty with
the loose hair culling around her
temples, she inadvertently laid her hand
on the corner of the table next me. It
was growing thin and the H formed by
the blue veins on the back, and which,
in the days of youthful simplicity she
had told me stood for Hartman, stood
out with great distinctness.
[ suggested being allowed to make an
arrangement removing her from the
necessity of liquidating those debts.
She refused to listen. | pressed the
matter unavailingly.
[ then went to the proprietor, told
him Miss Farley was an old schoolmate
and friend of mine, who was heroically
trying to save the family residence for
her stepmother, and asked him if he
could not furnish her better position; !;
but Frank is the most obtuse of creatures
He finally asked me if she could keep
books. Remembering the splurges in
that useful epistle of hers, felt by no
means confident, but said I:
&C Give her the books, any way, and
look to me for damages"
He found that she wrote a neat hand,
and had slight inkling of double
entry; but when it came to the subject
of remuneration, and she asked him
how much he had paid his last book
keeper, he had the stupidity to reply:
" He had $500, but I shall allow you
: 1900
"Ah p said she, "he was in old and
, experienced bookkeeper, while L know
little about it. Why under such cir
cumstances do YOU increase the salary 2"
Frank wouldn't have scrupled at an
entire series OF equivocations i'll his own
behalf, but since only my interests were
, at stake, his conscience became as ten
der as George Washington's. He finally
, acknowledged that the increase was pro
| vided for by a friend.
5 ct shall accept the position at $500"
l said she, with dignity.
! [ Went mp and held conversation
= with Hannah. + ''reasoned" with her;
[ ''set things in their true light" I
"made matters clear" 1t did seem as
| if she might see, but she wouldn't.
Upon the urgent and repeated invita-
| tons of my mother she consented to
5 spend her Sabbaths at our place. She
J was in the frequent receipt of letters
from her stepmother, in which the
t most affectionate sentiments were
1 couched in the most beautiful language.
= and on Sunday evenings she used to
6 read me extracts from these letters with
) tears in her eyes.
S The payday came at length whereor
Y / was morally certain she would receive
e enough to complete her payments. ]
e went to see her at her boarding-place
a that evening, and broached the deferred
I subject. She attempted evasion, but /
0 had decided that if ever | was to have
/ my own way in this connection it was
" | tlne l. DeSan. Inc result was L Wen'
e home with her the next day.
e We found Mrs Farley had just de
/ cided to marry the former chairman
of that board of road commissioners
o who wouldn't fill up my fathers mud
t puddle.
G "I think, Hannah" said she, reflect
- lively, "that perhaps we'd better dispos,
of the property, and take our re
S spective portions to purchase our trous
/ seaux with"
II They did accordingly, and one "re
T spective portion " was made up as quickl
It as could spur on an able and expert
enced corps of dressmakers.
1 During the years that have elapser
o since that eventful period, our domesti
a life has been sometimes critical, an,
o often peculiar, but always jolly. "
e never seen the hour when in the inmos
l. recesses of my heart I've regretted tina
: my fathers family once resided opposit
y that nlud-puddle and Hannah Ann
Springfield Republican.
l. BY a "Galway jury" is meant a