Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-06-23

the first, and seemed prepared either for
battle or flight, and was the last one to
mount the lower stair. Mr.. Chandler pro.
tected me all the way to Aunt Maria's door,
and babe me goodnight, with the hope
that ell was arranged satisfactorily.
you've as good as feathered your nest
already" said Ann Maria. "I'm glad you
wore your black dress.
81 had no other fit TO put on" I replied
Its just as we'll, she continued, "for I
told him you were widow there's no use
enterin' into particle about Charley"
Its nobody's business about Charley"
''That's what I thought; so 1 said you
were widow, and only mentioned the
twins. didn't speak of the boys, for you
don't look old enough anyway-no bodyd
dream they belonged to you, and Mr..
Chandeliers materially of timid turn, and it
might Spite everything at the start. They
never need come where he is. They'll eat
at the second table, and play ont in the
street, and in the 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 to morrow 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 EN- up with pink
and blue ribbons. AS for the boys, let
them play around till night-fall. and then
| slip in the basement way"
1t was all Aunt Maria's fault-every bit
of it. was too dazed and bewildered at
first to offer any objection, and so many
things happened in that dreadful three
months that never had chance to make
full confession of my domestic affairs to
Mr.. Chandler.
Once when he said something about its
being his duty as we'll as his pleasure to
help the widow and the fatherless, felt as
if l must tell him about Charley and the
boys; but the adverse circumstances under
which | lahored restrained me. l had
been compelled to ask him for an advance;
there was great deal of expense at first,
and l was such a novice at everything. l
felt compelled to avail myself of all the
sympathy possible; but 1 was confident
that after the first three months were over
| could get along without Mr.. Chambers
help, and then no matter what Aunt Maria
said | 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.
Everything went along like clock work for
while, If had only put my whole mind
to it, l might have mastered everything
And wouldn't have fallen behind so
lamentably in my accounts if had been
very careful and severely watched the
scraps and crumbs that fell from the board
ing-house table. was perhaps too good
to the tramps and begggars, and fed too
many of the wanderers that came to the
basement door.
In vain Aunt Maria scolded, and vowed
she never came down to press her crimps
but she stumbled over tramp. In vain
Mr.. Chandler mildly reconstructed upon
the loss of two overcoats and a set of razors.
They knew nothing of the way felt, Or
how my heart beat sometimes when at twi-
| light saw big broad shouldered, sandy
haired fellow standing there, uith broken
boots. 1t took me good while to grow
calm and collected, and in the meanwhile
he had eaten a good many slices of bread
and meat, and perhaps stolen something
from the hat rack in the lower hail.
In truth. it was impossible to persuade
me that Charley was dead. I felt that
some time he would come back to me.
''For love will dream and faith will trust
| Since he who knows our need is JUST
That somehow, somewhere, meet we must"
And it was most natural thing in the
world to look for him as a tramp. That
last sad morning was photographed on my
memory when he stood before me 50 pain
fully shabby, and with such broken boots
I couldn't give him up; wouldn't I
! got SO tired of Mr.. Chandler, with his bland
responsibility, his funeral broadcloth, and
his high hat. his ever-ready money, and
his never ending remonstrance and advice.
did so long for dear old impecunious
Charley, and
''After long grief and pain,
| 10 feel the arms of my true love
Round me once again.
What wonder, with a mind so unsettled,
and heart so open to vagabonds, that l
was cheated and robbed and driven to the
wall, and the second month came so appal-
lingly soon that hal to get another ad-
vance from Mr.. Chandler.
1t was the most astonishing thing in the
world that, although. I never 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 matter of glad surprise to me that I
had not before me the awful necessity of
another advance from Mr.. Chandler. l was
not, perhaps, any better off, so far as actu-
al money was concerned, but was longer
established, and able to get credit outside.
I always endeavored to treat the trades
people with every possible consideration,
and they were very kind to me-very.
Everybody knows what an awful winter
it was. 1 had never had any experience
with water pipes. On the first of the month
a cold wave started direct from the north
pole, and came With incredible velocity, as
the bird flies, straight to that doomed
boarding house. 1t froze the water pipes
all over the house, soddened the bread,
petrified the clothes on the line, paralyzed
the potatoes, also apples, turnips, cahlNges,
and everything else that I had put ii by
the quantity for economy's sake.
The sun went down on that days wrath.
Three days after, it rose on another, and if
the end of the world had come with it,
should have been only too glad. Gabriel's
trumpet would have been welcomer sound
to me than the step of Mr.. Chandler that
heard approaching the door. I knew he had
been hunting all over the house for me-
and I had fed from room to room, from
stair to stair, till at last had taken refuge
in the garrett floor, which the children, the
servants, and shared together.
The awful fact was that the mans house
was ruined. The weather was dreadfully
against ME. Even the oldest inhabitant OF
the boarding house declared that he had
never known such sudden and remarkable
changes. Without word of warning, like
a thief IN the night, the calamity came.
The pipes threw off their letters, and burst
The deluge was nothing to it.
Before anything could be done seven diff
ferent ceilings were frescoed and tattooed
in most unhappy manner, seven different
carpets were drenched, and the occupants
of seven different rooms were hunting me
to bay. I sent for the calciminers, the
plumbers, and the carpet men, and found
out how much it would cost to put MIR,
Chandlers house in order again. Then
fed to my room.
I threw myself on the bed and stared al
the ceiling like maniac. There was
nothing the matter with that ceiling, for the
demuniac pipes stopped in the floor below.
The stoniness of my gaze was occasione d
by the climax of my difficulties. How could
I see Mr.. Chandler? I had ruined his
house, cheated him out Of his money, and
unless I could 60 on plundering and cheat
ing him couldn't go on with the boarding
house. If didn't 60 on l couldn't pay
Mr.. Chandler; if did 60 on I might only
plumber and cheat him the more. 1 never
had been good at problems. At school /