Milford chronicle., 1883-03-02
SHE RENTED A HOUSE.

i This is the story Of the Washington
woman in whose house live:
81 was married at nineteen. having
been home from school but few months
where I had absorbed rather dilutef
course Of education. A smatterino q
Z music, had no love for it; an extrav.
agant devotion to embroidery, and some
skill IN that overdone art; a rather cleal
idea of French. These I could on rehec-
ton recognize as the potent elements in
my ibation from the babbling stream Of
knowledge.
81 had never been in society and had
but few gentlemen friends. and when
Tom came-my husband, you know
was in love as quickly as he. We were
married soon after our first tacquaintanca
My parents died within few years Of
each other-my father overwhelmed by
one of those business crashes, which Of
late years occur so frequently, the sur
prise Of the moment dies before the
deeper interest of society has been
moved. For several years after our
marriage Tom was secretary in a manu-
factory Of iron works. We boarded be-
cause we could not afford a home.
"We knew little Of economy. In
those earlier years money came easy and
went with the passing enjoyment and
needs. Tom used to say No use 20
scrimp, Mary can't save enough 10
count much, and I'll have a mine full
some day, just see if I don't. So wore
my pretty dresses, and indulged in my
luxurious fancies, and was even more
thoughtless than he. We have suffered
enough for those sins of prodigality, and
had to learn after little all the ins and
outs that serve to smooth the paths Of
poverty During the eleven years of
my married life have not had home.
After the boys had come-Emest
and Will-what visions used to have Of
a cosy nest for them. Yet they were
happy years till the iron works failed and
Tom was thrown out Of employment,
with TO assurance OF obtaining other.
He had never been robust, but now
tramping about the city from the weeks
beginning till its end in search of a sit |
uation, hearing Of a vacancy here and
there, only to find it already filed on his
application, he was almost in despair,
when the position he now holds was OBJ
tanned.
owe might then have subsisted on
the low salary; we might have endured
the discomforts Of a cheap boarding
house with cheerful minds, had not
Ernest suddenly fallen quite i'll. For
weeks his condition was critical This
long strain of nursing and anxiety left
us weak in purse as well as in body ere
he had recovered. Ernest's safety again
assured, I decided something must be
done at once in a new line of action for
Tom and the boys.
One evening we sat alone-the boys
asleep in their low couch by my bed -
Tom and in despondent silence which
of late settled over us in our few leisure
hours.
"'Tom, said I am going to make
a home for you and the boys. I intend
to rent house at once.
He glanced up with faint smile. but I
started as he met my serious look. He
told me afterward he Thought was talk
ing the fever from which Ernest had so l
lately been restored. I
4
Yes, l persisted, tomorrow I shall +
start in search of house to rent. We
will endure this wretched life no longer n
Tom was incredulous, amazed, disgusted, "
as he found me firm. At o
asst he concluded would awake with a
'ooler brains Oh the morrow and see nv a
'lan foolish, impracticable vision. h
Next morning, however, l started in p
earch of house. For days [ looked p
bout, not because houses for rent were
carce, but my house had not yet been L
discovered Il
cat last, one afternoon, tired and o.
had missed my dinner-I IL
cached this corner Goods were being sc
moved out, the occupants leaving, and W
house for rent thought, found it to ol
e the case. obtained the landlords adj 70
ress, and in half an hour was shown ri
Ito DIR. Harris office. In few words til
e was told my business. bl
"' seventy-fve dollars a month. in adj &C
lnce, madam
GO Sir, I have no money. fu
" How the doctor stared. III
" Consent to this demand Of or
upendcus assurance said give ma %