Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-04-01
THE LAST STRAW

/ TWE LAST STRAW
A. che hest of times we had hard
IN make both ends meet. -
- - wears previously the firm in
- mn father was junior partner had
sIsf ana then our troubles began.
- n, retrieve his losses, he had
Alt,-s.9 fn various speculations, the
eg7I- Of which was that we were left
C5mfrr home one evening through a
,.,7;rr ,now-Storm. cold and miSera-
n. and wondering if my way would
.'.,,ys liz along the rough and dark
-s.tsaf life. I became aware that our
Es-1.Vs were unusually bright. MOllie
.,s7al ..a door. and l saw a curious
-l-,+rr4 of pleasure and trouble on her
srss+ little face, while her eyes were
decidedly red.
.,Wlst is the matter, Mollie?r l ex-
e-,imaf why is the best bedroom all
nj up."
rT- before she could answer, heard
fa1,step on the stairs, and, rushing
=, encountered Ethel about half way.
.Wbg. you darling," l cried, hug
sing Far Ike a bear, ''what do you
maSn l,v coming upon us Ike a thief in
The p1ght2 How did you manage to get
sWsy2 You said the house would be
,ofgII 0f ne0ple. Come down and tell
rsslI about IT, and l began dragging
tsrIawn the stairs. sob. dearl 1t is
orisl 10 have youl MOllie and l were
tlgfnror you at breakfast, and saying
what a comfort it would be if you were
b4eand We could all grumble together. :"
Don't be too glad about, Esther, .
put m Ethel sadly; | am afraid it is a
matter for regret rather than rejoicing. +"
"Wbyg But. goodness, Ethel, what
have y0u been doing to youTself?"-for
We had got rs far as the SittIng-reOm,
and the bright gaslight showed us pale
thin face not a bit ike the bonny Ethel
Of 3D.
81 have not been well for good while
in fact. never since we were at San
Reno. think that little attack had
there WAS really a fever which did not
cone out properly, and 1t has been in
n system ever since"
But. Ethei," l interrupted, twas it
right not TO tell us this before2 You
should have been taken care of long
a-0.n
q have really had every care" re-
turned Ethel warmly. But latterly
nv head has been so bad that | could
not bear the children's noise; and the
doctor SAYS it Is quite imperative that l
should Lave few months of complete
rsst
And "a very sensible man he is tool"
put In M5liie.
"Uh. if We could only sleep through
thewuterIike dOrmice and hedgehogs!''
sighed M0IHe one morning at breakfast,
when things were looking their gayest
both inside and out.
THAT'S a happy idea, MOlliet' 1 an
sEsred. IF we could only carry it out,
What a saving il would be-"
There's the postmanl'' observed
papa.
~GL. [ don't care about him now
E.,d is at home. There is nothing
much 10 0eXpect but Christmas bills; and
lam sure they won't cOnduce to my
happiness, 'T 1 answered, mOodily stir
rng NY tea.
"OBe for dad and one for you," said
Ao-ie. Looks suspiciously like bill,
ESie."
Ut course It lS-twO pounds one
shilling and eightpence for sOling and
hee.ug, e cgterd. But whom on earth
s dad epis.le from?"-glanclng at the
uln foreign paper over which papa was
Emitting his brows in very perplexed
hshi0l.
He read on for about five minutes,
lltI our patience was well-nigh eX-
aauS-ed, then, laying the letter down,
galced at US with a half comic, half
Ileiul expression. ="
Frelare for the worst, my dears," "
IL Sald then. Pm not sure whether
Vt moi you'll consider this to be the last
sdaN which hrelks the camel's bach"
VI nat Is II? What IS the matter?''
We exclaimed IN a breath.
d5ad lt," +" said papa. passing me the
Ft.-I; and | read aloud
Ny dear Charles,-You will, no
Doubt be much surprised to receive
t',er from me after our long silence,
q Slu especially letter written in Eng
,11l; but. after poor Toms death, India
O7c-lne '' hateful to me, and determined
- st'J-e all my affairs and return to my
q .G'.'e land. ] arrived in the spring of
.lS Year, after an absence of thirty
ieals' poor lonely widow whose hus
sA--u and children all lie in foreign
ssIe'eS. Ny sOrely-tried heart yearned
i.l, III little love and sympathy, and |
,VoAed -. forward with an eagerneSs 1 can
~, express TO a sight of the old famil-
laf faces
- buJ l had not taken into account |
srs ,rg TIlanceS and changes of thirty years. |
~ ~ l found myself a stranger where | |
- -,'l y Aolea To lind a home. | went first |
= tle house Of my only brother, a
w. IHJe'llhy merchant living at Clapham.
i~, '75ined pleased enough to see me;
r., NJ. MS wife, a fashionable worldly |
grol' TDli''l' and his children, who are all |
fr,,s- s-oSu up, looked upon me as an in
S. So and took no pains TO hide their |
No. Jh-i-lenls. Had they thought me
~ ~ woman, how different would have |
~ ~ TIER reception of mel For a few
,bo.-ls' tIbio-.lls' for my brothers sake, l bore
he cl iu4eneSS and unkind hints; but it |
tbe1a tbs,,lile lnsupportable at last, and left |
,bs s-l li.li lot my only remaining relatives -
sSter. '-''' 0-i'''iio Gil VI lny ueau
o,.ere Here at first I was received with |
"! Stea arms. An unknown aunt comipg |
vsaI., WI india was a possible mine of |
Rnt 'In, and as such not to be despised. |
sa1r :, an quick at reading faces, and / |
hars through them at once. They were
Nh, worldly, shallow, and selfish; and |
eDts h haiIer a few weeks, no rich pres
Hao been received, no signs of |