The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-05-24
..But, madam" began Mrs. Pc

rnlght issue q mandate.
But Miss Violet Varnes, standing in
the window and watching the sky, dis
covered that tickle April had changed
her mood; that it was, in fact, going to
rain.
"We'n leave the china till next
week." said Mrs. Punderson, and she
moved out of the door as if with every
step she yer satisfactorily crushing
something or somebody beneath her
feet.
One other caller our friends had that
afternoon, the doctors boy, who tucked
a yellow envelope under the door, and,
whistling merrily, turned on his heel.
"What is it, wifeP' said Simon Pow
ers, "'Tain't his billp"
eyes; it's his BILL"
"How muchp"
ga hundred and twenty-ive dollars"
Simon gave a low groan. His wife
stood by his chair and rested her hand
on his shoulder.
"He thinks he's done with you, you
see,' she said cheerily. ''This is as
good as saying you're well again"
Simon put his thin hand on her arm
but said nothing.
"Come, now Simon, don't you get
down-hearted. 1 believe it's this ma
laria that takes the spirit out of you. It's
got into your mind, somehow. Just
count up the things you've got to be
thankful for. How many folks have
got three such children as ours, to be-
gin withP There's Sophie teaching
away so smart; getting three hundred
dollars a year, and Matte, as good as
gold, the dear, and helps me like every
thing, and Robbie, well-he's pretty
naughty sometimes, but he'll make a
smart man one of these days. I tell
you, Simon Powers doctors bills or no
doctors bills, 'tisn't everybody's got
such an old age to look forward to as
you and I have. Then, think of all the
sewing I am getting to do"
self by inches, Sallie," he. said, fixing
his eyes YEARLY on her. 'fSallie, what
made you marry such a poor stick as
me, anyway. You might have had
Squire Barker. Why didn't youPn
Then Sallie slipped down on her knees
beside his chair and hid her face on his
shoulder. And he had more than his
children to be thankful for. in my opin-
ion.
The doctor wants his money!" said
Simon, at length. s.Is can't blame him.
It's his brad and butter. When I work
I expect to be paid"
And he'll be paid. Don't you wor.
ry," said Mrs. Powers, cheerfully.
81 can't stand it, wife, to take
Sophie's school money" said Simon,
after a pause. She wants to lay up
a little. She'll want to be getting mar.
ried some day. Don't it strike YOU
that young Barrow is round here good
We'll, she might do worse. He's
young man that's always very polite te
me.n
They sat in. silence for some time; but
both were thinking and to the same
conclusion.
"Simon, we might sell the desk, after
all"
That's what I can't help thinking
Sally" =
1--WE could manage very well with.
out it." and she looked round the
room. There was a large-fgured
faded carpet on the floor, a roomy sofa
and several old rocking-chairs, covered
with bright cretonne and a slender.
legged old piano with three strings
broken.
81 suppose she wouldn't want my
piano, said Mrs. Powers, meditatively
81 suppose it's hardly good enough fol
her. / could give it up, though, better
than you could your desk. You can
let that go. Itwas your fathers before
YOU"
Simon said nothing. When he looked
round, he saw his wife leaning over. the
old desk and softly crying. They
knew each others thought. The desl
must go.
"Hush!" said Mrs. Powers, as i
their cutlery had been loud. Hush
The children will be coming home from
school. They mustn't see us give way
There's Robbie, now"
The loud bang of the back doc,
startled grandma out of her doing
and she started up with: "What wa
you a-sayingP"
..Simon,'F said Mrs. Powers, in a low
tone, 1--WE can't tell grandma yet. Sh'
won't understand. She'll take it hard
I'm afraid. I'll go put and tell tn
children about the call we've had
They've all come in this minute"
"Ho!" said Rob, 'I don't care. The
we'll have a new one."
"We'll have to rub the brasses," sal,
his sister, a care-taking little Martha o
thirteen.
80! mother" was all Sophie said a
first. 1t was the handsomest thing w
had in the house, and I'd just begun t
find it out. I'll pay the doctor bill my
self, if hell only wait a little. lean do it.
"Poor childr!" said her mother
"Your money'n be wanted for othe,
things, 1 am afraid. It's a hard pine
now, but you shall have a chance flo
yourself sometime, dear. Besides, tn
doctor can't wait. He's going on
West, they say, right off. This ough
to seem providential."
Sophie was a pretty, compact littl
body, with a jaunty air, that Away
gave her the effect of being well
dressed. Her nose turned up a trif
and her mouth was large, I can't deny
but, if her little mirror told hertz
truth about these, then it was, to b
trusted, when it said that the curve an
coloring of her cheeks were faultles
and that her eyes were all that an
reasonable girl could desire. Hadn
Fred Barrows told somebody that thes
same eyes were the handsomest in th
town? Somehow, at those times whe
poverty pinched at home, or when
primary school seemed to her tn
furthest remove from Heaven, tbs
little speech had proved a wonderfl
consider. Poor girl! don't grudge Ii
the foolish comfort. She needed it.
She had noticed, as she %approache
the house that day, how much it was j
need of paint. As she stepped in th
back room, to leave her overshoes, 81
saw that the coal-bin was very low. o
entering the kitchen, her mother m,
her and showed her the DOCTORS bill
The girl. smiled at this appropriat
climax; but it was a smile that on
/ young face always fills me with for
t boding. 1t was still on her lips as 81
went quickly up to her room. Their
!, in the cold, she threw herself on hi
/ bed and sobbed bitterly for half a
hour. She was not heroic, YOU see