Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-11-06

to save the long walk home, was
really to save the price of that meat
toward the dinner, the dainty little
parcel he carried never costing the
price of regular meal for them all.
She did not tell him that she was
cutting up her old dresses to clothe
the twin girls, and sewing busily
every leisure moment to keep all the
little ones tidy.
And yet there came day in June,
when six months of the second year
were almost gone, when she spent
the last dollar of the weeks money
while the week was half gone.
Charlie had given her long before,
some signed cheeks to meet such
an emergency, but it was her pride
to think that not one of them
had been presented at the bank.
She took one from the desk where
they had lain so long and spread it
out before her, calculating with puck
ers on her pretty face, how small a
sum she could stretch over the nee
essary expenses.
81 hate to begin," she said half
aloud eff once we break in upon
that money, it will melt away like
snow before the SUM-"
There was no alternative but debt,
and Mabel knew that Charlie would
never be willing to owe any man a
cent while he had cent with which
to pay him. So, with great sigh,
she dipped the pen in the ink to fill
out the blank check. Before it
touched the paper, however, she
paused, listening. There was a step
in the hall that was not that of the
nurse or her charges, voice ringing
out full and clear, calling =
"Mabel! Where are you, May?"
"Here in my room," she answered,
cob Charlie, what is it"
For the face at the door was so ra-
diant that all care seemed to have
slipped from it forever.
"Good news, May! And yet
perhaps I should feel sorry, too, only
| did not know him."
''What are you talking about! -
"Did you read this mornings pa
per!"
eyes"
"Did you notice the death of Amos
Gardner?"
''No. Is that the Mr.. Gardner
who used to be Mr.. Miflin's partner
before you went into the store?''
Eyes; he was bachelor, and he
has left his whole estate to Mr.. Milf
fin except few legacies. The store
will be closed till after the funeral
so we have three days holiday
, May"
II am glad you will be able t.
rest !"
''But that is not all. Do yol
guess the rest?"
: "You are to have your old salar.
again !'
: s'More than that Mr.. Miffiin tool
, me to his house this morning ant
| told me all his plans. He will en-
f large his business and take back al
t his old statesmen who are willing I
come. He has given me permissio
e to offer position to Will Castleton
S who has been nearly a year out @
S employment because he would nc
accept your theory of half loa
d being 'better than no bread,
II know. Poor Will! l al
+ afraid that Maria has had a wors
year than ours has been, Charlie"
5 "Nor is this all, May"
n ''NIore good news still?''
L s'More still /! Mr.. Gardner, NJ
S Mifiin says, did me some injustiC
IS sometime by supposing that [ woul
n proportion my work to the decreaS
q in my salary. To atone for this
lie has left me five thousand dollars
| ''Oh, Charlie p
+ ''Hold on, little woman; he al:
m advised Mr.. Miffiin in their very la
al interview, to award me for my fait
1t full, disinterested devotion to him
IN his late difficulties, by taking ME
a partner in the business" ."
H. "Charlie Oh, my Charlie
sd must either cry or laugh" said NJ
+ bel, almost Historically.
IN Laugh, then by all means L
new firm of Miff1in & Castleton mt
w not be christened by tears, even ha
lg DIV ones Hurrah who says aft
ny this that half loaf Is NO better th
he no bread?'