New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-04-08
A POCKET-PIECE.

Mrs. Ruther sat down, and folding
her hands, thing she very. seldom
did-looked ruefully at the breakfas
table with its array of unwasheG
dishes, at the pile of mending in bel
work basket near the window, and
Last and longest, at the heap of letters
in her lap.
They were bills, every one of them
even the aristocratic-looking square
white envelope, which no one could
have suspected of being a dun, held
the DOCTORS memorandum of the sun
due .@for professional services during
past six months.
There were bills from the grocer,
from the butcher and the baker, the
traditional, candlestick-make being
formidably represented by the gas
company with it's quarterly statement.
The total made her sick at heart.
Yet she had tried so hard to be
eoconomical!-too hard, she thought
bitterly, as she remembered in her
secret soul that Johnnie's attack OF
pneumonia might have been averted
10y stout rubber boots and by new and
warm under clothing in place of the
old dannels she had patched and darn
ed so faithfully.
The new garments had to be pur.
chased after all, in spite of her short
sighted thrift. They were the Doc,
tors first prescription after the crisis
was past.
She thought, too, how, to save the
expense of sick nurse, which they
could SO i'll afford, she had tried to
care for the sick boy day and night,
at a time when her own physical sys-
tenn called for rest. OF course, she
had broken down in the effort, with
the result that she, as we'll as JOHNNIE,
had to be nursed, and the doctor had
two patients instead of one. We all
of us make such mistakes, now and
then.
Well, there was no use in crying
over split milk; at all events. she had
no time to sit down for any such pur.
pose, so she went about her duties
with willing hands, if with heavy
heart.
There was one thing she could do,
If only John could be made to con.
sent. The new cloak, which made
such a heavy item in Draper & De
Lanes bill, and which John had given
her for Christmas, could be returned.
She had not worn it, and it's pur.
chase had been conditional on her APP
proval.
John, who, as every one will under
stand, was her husband, Mr.. Ruther-
was a bookkeeperin downtown store,
with salary which scarcely suficed,
with strict economy, to buy bread and
SHUTTER, clothes and shelter, for his
little family.
Still, they managed to keep mod.
crate bank account, and this was the
first time they had really run behind
hand. But while she was sick there
had been no one to watch and guard
against all possible leaks, ard the gro
.ceTy bill was double what it ought to
have been. AS for generous, warm.
hearted John, he had never stopped to
count dollars, much less pennies, with
his wife and boy lying i'll, the house
had been kept like an oven, and the
amount of coal and gas used had been
frightful. ri
She thought of all this again and
again through the long day, and there
was small wonder if her children
found her absent-minded more thar
once. That sum total haunted her like
a nightmare, and for the first time il
her life she dreaded her husbands
coming, because of the burden of care
which awaited him.
She put the hateful envelopes out O.
sight-at least he should eat his sup
per in peace and comfort-and mad.
the children tidy for their father
homecoming. The fact that New
Years is legal holiday in no wis
shortened his days work; the book
must be posted before taking accoun
sof stock
It was long after dark, when at las
she heard the sound of his latch Ike,
in the lock of the front door, and sh
fastened to hurry up supper, as tn
children rushed pell nell. to welcom
their father. He came in smiling, a
usual, the center of small tumult Q
joyful noise. ''Maybe you think
isn't cold out of doors,'' he sal
y brightly. Supper most readyp Ir
las hungry as a hunter And ther
with glance at the mantel, .sNo lei
'ters? only one delivery to-day. I re
member"
81 think they might have let you 0
early this afternoon" she answere
,evasively.
Impossible, my DEAR" he replied
why this is the very busiest part {
my year. Don't you know that, litt]
woman"
81 ought to, by this time . she sale
with sorry attempt at laugh; ''b,
couldn't help hoping all the same
come. supper is ready"
Both Mrs. Ruther and her husban
had long ago tacitly agreed to surrel
der to the children the first hour or
after his return every evening. It W;
the ..children's hour and unle
there CHANGED to be company at te
r.allconversation in which they cou
not take part was postponed uni
after their early bedtime.