Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-12-29

lou are IISlIJ duu tuSI5 Wds more
than that, Mabel. have been able to
help Mr.. Mifflin more than / could
have done in our old relations to each
other. His complexities made him
long for some one to whom he could
speak confdentislly, and when the ice
was once broken he took me fully into
his business confidence. [ could often
suggest way out of difficulty that had
not occurred to him, and even when |
was not of actual use to him it was a
relief to pour out his trouble to some
one in full sympathy with him."
"But you have worked very hard,
Charlie | never saw you look so tired
rs you have often been this year, and
your face is more careWorn than il
has ever been"
"Well, it is some comfort to know
that business prospects are growing
brighter. BY closest economy, Mr..
Mifin has managed to meet the obli-
cations he was afraid would ruin him,
and there is q good lookout for the
coming year"
"Will he give you a whole loaf yet,
Charlie?"
"Not yet, think. Never mind. We
will not despond yet"
"Despond guess not. [ am going
to have some of these crumbs you
were speaking of next year. | have
learned some valuable lessons in say
ing"
The second year was certainly not an
easy one to Mabel. A wee baby, in
addition to the three-year-old twins,
kept the mothers hands busy, while
there was no decrease in the household
work. Many articles of clothing and
housekeeping, too, that lasted well one
year, were past service in the second,
and IL WAS not 80 easy to replace them.
Often Mabel feared the saving for a
'rainy day" must be broken in upon,
but she kept all such fears shut up in
her own heart and always had bright
word Of cheer for tired Charlie when
he came home.
She never told him that the late
breakfast that she had planned to let
the babies sleep while he ate his early
one, comprised none of the little
tempting dishes of his own meal, but
was literally bread and milk six morn
ings out of the seven. She never let
him know that the reason che suggest
ed his lunch down town, to save the
long walk home, was really to save tie
price of that meal toward the dinner,
the dainty little parcel he carried
never costing the price of a regular
meal for them all.
Sse 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
checks 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 FUCKERS on
her pretty face, how small a sum she
could stretch over the necessary ex-
penses.
81 hate to begin,' she said half
aloud eff we once break in upon that
money, it will melt like snow before
the sun.
There was no alternate but debt, and
Mabel knew that Charlie would never
be willing to owe any man 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 nurse or her charges. q voice ring
ing out full and clear, calling:
Mabel Where are you May?'
Here in my roon," she answered.
80 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, Mayl And yet. per-
haps should feel sorry, too, only |
did not know him"
"What are you talking about
"Did YOU read this mornings paper?''
Yes"
Did you potice the death of Amos
Gardner"
No. Is that the Mr.. Gardner who
used to be Mr.. Mullins partner before
you went into the store?"
Eyes; he was bachelor, and he has
left his whole estate to Mr.. Mitfiin ex-
cept a few legacies. The store will be
closed till after the funeral; so We have
three days holiday, May"
al am glad you viii be able to rest ~
But that is not all. Do you CUES
the rest?"
More than that. Mr.. Mitflin took
me to his house this morning and told
me all his plans. He will enlarge his
business and take on all his old sales
men who are willing to come. He has
given me permission to offer position
to VIII Castletou, who has been nearly
a year out of employment because he
would not accept your theory of half
a loaf being better than no bread "
II know. Poor Will am afraid
that Maria had worse year than ours
has been, Charlie"
''Nor is thst all, May"
".More good news stil?'
"Nore still, Mr.. Gardner, Mr..
Mitilin says, did me some injustice by
supposing that would proportion my
work to the decrease in my salary. To
atone for this he has left me five thous-
and dollars"
''Oh, Cnarliel"
"Hold on, little woman, ne also ad-
vised Mr.. Mifflin in their very last in
terview, to reward my faithful disinter-
ested devotion to him in his late diff
culties, by taking me "a partner into
the business"
"Charliel Oh, my Charlie! I must
either laugh or cry" said Mabel, al
most Historically.
Laugh, then. by all means! The
new firm of Mifiiin & Castleton must
not be christened by tears, even happy
onesl Hurrsh, who says after this
that half loaf is not better than no
bread.