Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-10-14

ers in the lodging house were all labor
ing men (; her room was too small to
entertain her friends, if she had had
any; her only exercise was the walk to
her two daily meals aud back no one
tried to make her acquaintance; she
never obtained glimpse of the land
lady, but frequently heard her snappish
orders to the frowning Mongolian cham
bermaid. Her life was almost unbeara-
bly, dull, but then she had never had
the advantages, the close friendships
and pleasures of other girls, and she
would thus, in hope of brighter future,
tolerate the present.
Were only those troublesome debts
diminished. instead OF making daily
fresh developments, then the struggle
would be comparatively easy matter.
With bitter sighs and lonely tears she
longed for the day when her cage should
measure more than ten feet square
when she should have two windows,
and no longer be compelled to look at
the tin patches on the neighbors' dilap.
idated roofs, when she could afford
book or paper to read, and to eat three
times day if she felt SO disposed. In
view of that hoped-for time, had it been
approaching ever SO slowly, she could
have kept up brave heart; but 20 see
it receeding made her concern for the
future difficult to hide in the presence
of her jovial and care.free husband.
What had she done to be thus tried
the childish wife of seventeen asked
herself despairingly. Would He who
marks the sparrow's fall not pity her
in her time OF need2 The faith she had
been taught in Providence as sender
of relief to the disheartened at the
eleventh hour she felt, in spite of her
efforts to support it, was slowly dwind.
ling and dying within her.
These were her reflections as Patience
sat daily working by the dark little
window. The chill of November weather
numbed her fingers. She hoped the
next trife of money realized from her
shawls might be spent in procuring
wood for warming the room, aid put
ting the box stove standing in the
corner once more in use.
Why didn't ye come to work this
mornin', Barneya" said a fellow work
man to Mr.. MacFlaherty, coming from
luncheon on bleak, snowy day in De-
cemember. "Why, what ails ye?-ye
are smilin' all over!"
:'Oongratulate me, Fatty-Tve got
an heir. There is boy up home--nice
as you please. Now, want to know
what do you say to that, old fellow?'
"That's way upl You're fixed up in
business now, Barney. I'd like to see
him, so would; but I don't suppose
your wife would let any of us fellows in
up there. But it's time was back to
my work. You'll be down tonight,
and give the boys shake, won't you,
Barney? You know we've got to have
bouncer to the health of Master Mac
Flaherty."
"I'll set up the drinks, Fatty-rest
easy on that. I never went back Oh ny
friends yet, did 1? That boy'll cost me
plump one hundred dollars, but that's
all right. Tell the boys to prepare for
jamboree at Barney's expense. Go
'long, Fatty"
The third day dawned upon the little
stranger, and sent its accustomed dim
light into the window and into
Patiences room. The last candle had
f1ickered out early in the night, and the
infant had cried for nourishment and
other attention which its mother was
unable to give. At nine the doctor
came-a cross old man of fifty, who
evidently knew his case was proftless
one. Inside the door he hesitated a
moment to contemplate the contents of
the scanty quarters, and then, with ILL.,
concealed displeasure. burst forth:
No fire yet? Didn't say distinctly
that fire must be made Immediately,
and kept going in this weather. There
Well, if here don't lie my note of direc.
tions in the identical place dropped it
twenty-four hours agol WeIl-well |!
that's encouraging /"
"Tm so sorry, DOCTOR" replied
Patience, in choking voice; "but no
one has been here since you left. My
husband failed to come home last
last night. I've no food for the hungry
babe, and I don't know what I'm
to do"
"And have you had nothing to eat or
drink in that time p
Nothing since the tea he brought
me before you came yesterday"
"Well, then, how do you expect to
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