Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-12
UNDER THE WEATHER.

"au nothing to live upon"
She looked around upon the res
Or the Greyton family with the tragic
air Of modern Medea.
The Greytons lived in pretty, ole
manor house, on the Bloomingdalt
road, just pleasant drive out of town
They liked pretty draperies, and cul
tivated rare roses, and painted lovely
little amateur pictures, and basked, il
sort of unthinking way, in life's sun
shine.
They didn't know quite how much
income they had, nor exactly where it
came from. They only knew that
everything was in the hands of "pool
papas" lawyer-a darling, white-hair.
ed old philanthropist, who was devot-
ed to the heather, and who ofliciated
as secretary to half a dozen foreign
mission associations. And whenever
they wanted money they went to him
for it.
And one day, when Mrs Greyton
and her daughter Lila went to the
city Office, with bundle of unpaid
bills, to get Mr.. birmingham to write
checque for them, the door was pad
locked, and little notice "To Letr'
was tackled up on it.
Where had Mr.. birmingham gone ?
Nobody knew.
When would he return? The public
was densely ignorant on that subject.
Why had he gone? And in answer
to this question there was very uni
yersal Struggling of shoulders, ard a
whisper about general "smash-upw
Poor Mrs. Greyton! She and Lila
were both as ignorant and incypcri-
cnced of the world as n pair of white
kittens, and it was some time before
she could comprehend that Mr.. Fra
mingham was Thoroughbred william
and that she and her little flock were
penniless.
"Vhat shall we do?" murmured
Mrs. Greyton. after she had wept
through her whole supply of pocket
handkerchiefs.
Couldn't we sell our hand-painted
china" said Clarice, swarthy-browed
girl Of eighteen. Il designed every
piece myself. And Mr.. Favalli said"
"Pshaw" curtly interrupted Fenella,
"Just look at the china-store, crowded
full of far finer work. Poor Clariel
they wouldn't pay you the price of the
mineral paint it took to do them, for
your placques and vases"
81 can do art-embroidery very nice
ly," suggested Mona tall, shy girl
with liquid black eyes, and jetty hair,
growing low on her forehead.
"The embroidery market is overfull,"
said Fenella, who was the incarnation
Of common sense for the family. "lf
you could do housework now, Mona"
Mona looked down at her slim, white
hands, all sparkling with rings, and
shuddered.
But Bess, the youngest, came brave
ly to the rescue.
"The first thing" said she, sis to
send all the servants off, except Ann.
We can't afford to pay four girls and "a
man any longer
"But who is to keep the garden in
order," cried Clarice, "if we discharge
the MANI"
at must go without being kept in
ORDER" said Bess, cor else we must do it
ourselves"
"My poor s"sighed Mrs. Greyton.
Mammals roses shall not suffer-"
said Lila. Il will look after them
myself"
"And old Mrs. Playford, who spends
a month with us every SUMMER" said
Mona. "And the Bidgood girls, who
always invite their friends here to the
midsummer picnics-and all the people
who drive out from the city to lunches
and teas"
1--WE must make a clearance of the
whole of 'em" said Fenella. crisply-
"unless, indeed, they would like to make
a business matter of it and pay their
board"
"Oh, Fenella" cried Mrs. Greyton.
"Well, why not, mamma? So far as
can see, we haven't got money
enough to buy our own bread and but
ter-so how can we afford to order ices,
and frozen puddings, and pateS de toie
yras for other people? But if we had
a regular income, | am almost sure,
with AIMS help that we could set a
very nice table for boarders."
Lila looked terrified.
Mamma" said she, "has it come to
tlis?"
Bess frowned savagely.
"Lilla," said she, don't be a fool.-
unless you think You would like to
starve."
And while the family were still in