The Republican journal., 1882-09-14
Only Five Dollars.
BT ROSE TERRY COOK.


"Say, Della, will you 60 into Water
bury with me tomorrow 2"
I'D like to, Mary wish could but
| think it will not be possible. Luman
finds it difficult to collect money from
his patients this year, and | don't know
how TO spare cent"
''Well, was going to say if you'd 60
with me, Id pay your fare for your com
lany. | never traded much there. and
don't know the stores, or where to 90 for
my purchases and wantto call at Aunt
Whites, too but hate to 90 alone"
1T don't seem right, Mary, for yen 10
pay lily fare. but if can really help you,
why, shah be glad to 90. | ought to
get my Mary a Sunday hat and Luman
some stockings, and myself calico, and
| have greater variety there to choose
from"
Mrs. Peek was Il country doctors Wife
Does my reader know all that means !?
She had to economic, because the doe
tors bill is the last bill any body ever
thinks of paying in the country; and d
good doctor which means a GOOD man
sympathetic as we'll as skilfuI, and kind
hearted as keen. torbears, even to his
detriment, to press the settlement of his
accounts, seeing as he only can see, how
hard ii was to be both poor and sick.
Blessings OIL country doctors Ont Of
their ranks a whole calendar Of saints
might be Canonized; but the good Lord
only knows how good are these minister
ing disciples Of His. who 90 about as He
did, doing good
And their wives have harder time
than if they We're missionaries. Many q
dark hour did Mrs. Peck watch and wait
for her doctor, knowing well that in storm
OF calm through the wild bursts Of thun-
der, or treachcrous and binding SHOWS,
his solitary little sulky was abroad on the
high hill tops on in the lonely valleys,
holding almost her life in its trail shelter
| tugged 10y the sturdy horse that was only
less worked than his master.
All alone with her little girl, She spent
the greater part Of every day and night ;
hard work preventing anxiety from doing
its worst upon her, though you could see
its traces in the gray lines among the
soft waves Of her hair, and Ill the sad
dark eNes that when She was not smiling
looked tired With past tears.
Mary Peck was the doctors sister
Having large school in Il village some
miles beyond Dennis, where her brother
lived, She frequently spent her vacations
at his house
Ii was now the spring recess of two
weeks and she wanted much TO 90 to
Waterbury, twenty-five miles east, by
rail, to do her shopping for the summer.
She had a good salary, and could well
afford to give Della this new outing, so
that the tired little woman gladly con-
sented to 90.
The doctor literally had not a cent in
his purse to give her; but she had a
knack at raising poultry, and while
their own table was well furnished from
the great ''cOOp,n as she called it, i'll the
yard, the supertluOus eggs had been read
lily bought at the village store, and she
had laid up ten dollars, devoted to shoes
stockings and calico, absolutely needed
for she did hate to ask the doctor formo-
ney. Not that he grudged t-never-but
he never had it. Most Of his bills that
were paid, were paid in produce neither
potatoes, huckwheat, pork, straw, nor
oats would serve her purpose She
must have money for her purchases. So
she set @Out for Waterbury with Mary,
leaving little Mary with the minister S
wife, and was soon plunged into the at
tractive precincts of the Waterbury dry
goods shops
She bought her little girl a pretty
straw hat, and some ribbon to trim it,
looking sharply about her to see how it
should be trimmed.
This cost two dollars ana a half Then
came some socks for the doctor, and four
pairs of these, strong and serviceahle,
cost another dollar.
In the meantime, Mary was looking at
such pretty things that Mrs. peck's eyes
olistcned. These soft suitngs were not
for her, Lor that graceful wrap of gray
cloth with its heavy fringe; but she was
gentle and generous both, and it gave
her almost rs much pleasure to help
Mary to replace her things as if they
We're to replace her own black alpaca
and worn shawl.
When it came to her own turn to buy
calico, she was as pleased us if it had
| been a summer silk, to find a neat skirt
and jacket of pretty pattern, all made
| up, for Il dollar and a half. The rest of
her money must be saved for shoes,
These She could get at any store in Den
mis-; a pair for her and a pair for Mary.
Shopping is attractive, but it absOrbs
money very fast. When Mary Peck had
bought her suit, her wrap, gloves, stock
| ings and handkerchief, ordered white
! chip hat to be trimmed with pale blue
ribbon and blush roses Just the thing to
decorate her lovely complexion, dark
curlS and violet eyes she found that her
purse had given out
"Delia,n said she, "haye you done
shopping 2"
"Ges dear"
And have you any money left "
"Nes; five dollars and ten cents"
ooh, how lucky. Will You lend Inc
the five dollars | am really penni-
less. My hat came to more than
thought it would cost, and as soon as
get back to Charlemont, III send the
money to you"
"Certainly, my dear" and Mrs. Peck
drew out the precious bill and handed it
to Mary, not doubling what she said, and
glad she was able to help her.
The ten cents she spent in oranges for
little Mary, half blaming herself for the
extravaganza, but then Mary was her
only child, and delicate creature at
that, holding her mothers heart in hel
hand, as such children do.
They 90 back at night to Dennis very
tired. The day but one after, Mary re
turned to Charlemont. Two days later
little--whom for distinction her mother
called her May came home from school
with her shoes broken across the sole
They must be mended. The cobblel
was patient of the doctors, SO the
shoes were sent to him. and May scuffed