Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-11-14
WHOLE NO. 1856.

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had long been unfit for wear. But
his money tugged at his heart
strings.
Suppose you wear them one more
winter, Sara" he said. "Just one"
"The shawl is very thin. | shall
catch cold again, as l did last winter" :"
said Sara.
'Poor GIRL" said Jonas, softly, and
crossed towards the desk where his
check book lay. But the grip of the
liend that rules miser's soul nipped
him sorely as he did so. The mo-
mentary impulse vanished. Besides,
thought occurred to HIM.
"They wear sacques Il good deal,
Sara, don't they ?" he asked.
"Oh, they are very fashionable"
replied his wife,
"Then couldn't you make one out
of that old billiard cloth that is IN
the trunk room? My poor mother
bought 1T at an auction. She meant
to use it as coverlet but it is a very
pretty green, don't You think, Sara,
and such nice material"
There is limit to woman's pa
tience. This suggestion measured
Sara's. She started to her feet, and
gathering up her bonnet and shawl
walked out of the room.
After awhile his wife looked into
the room with her old bonnet on, and
her old shawl about her shoulders,
and said:
"Jonas, | am going to spend the
day with my slster-in-law."
Il hope you will enjoy yourself,
my DEAR" SAID Jonas.
He saw her eyes were heavy with
weeping, and looked away, ashamed
Of himself Then he betook himself
to his office, where he ground out his
money, and during the day, COM
promised with himself. He would
do nothing extravagant, but when he
went home he would give his wife
what was necessary. And, after all,
as he said to himself, it would have
been better to have done it. He had
grieved her, and she was the only
thing he loved on earth. He went
home earlier than usual that evening
to make what amends his soul would
consent to, and as he walked briskly
along, being light upon his feet yet
for whoever heard Of a miser grow
ing fat ?-he thought he never again
would bring tears to those good, kind
eyes. Never, never again. And-but
what was this crowd? What had
happened People were coming his
way, and looking backward as they
came.
Men, boys, women, little children,
all the riff-ratf that an accident, or a
quarrel or an arrest will collect in
the streets and now he was in the
midst of the throng, and close to four
policemen, who with set faces, march
ed in time, bearing between them a
stretcher, on which lay human
form covered with shawl. Jonas
looked! Oh, heaven He knew the
pattern of that shawl! Only few
hours before its dlngy palm leaves of
yellow brown, its faded fringe, its
shabby brown centre had been spread
out before him. 1t was his wlfe's
shawl!
"Stop, stop, stop'' he cried. "Let
me see her!'
"Do you know her" asked the
policeman.
''Let me see her face" said Jonas,
growing so faint that kindly man
hard by supported HIM by the arm.
"You would not know her face Il
stone fell on her; it's crushed" said
the policeman. "But shawls are
alike. Keep up your courage. l do
not think this any relation of yours;
she is too shabby. Look at her shoes.
See here, this is her bonnet"
He held mp a bonnet. 1t was
crushed. But Jonas knew it. The
streaked purple ribbon, and flower
among the other flowers that had lost
half its petals. He had fingered 1t as
it lay on the table beside him.
"Yes, | know it," he cried. at is
Sara. 1t is my wife,
Then he pulled away the shaw
from the face, and tainted outright
But as his senses left him, he hearG
some one say
His wife,"
And another answered.