The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-04-22
SOPRANO. THrRTY.NrNE.

Late 70 October The following announcs
ment appeared ia the morning and even
log papers:
The Harmony Hall chorus viii rssum
lie rsbesrsals November 9Th Application
. jo.a sAs eAoxus 10y V made to sss con
dneior. Z. T. Lane, ss Harmony Hall. pre-
yious 70 that date.
A week later a paper containing thu
announcement was wrapped about spsck-
age Of cut garments. aud given 70 . sew
ing woman Who was waiting in the hall o
. house on BentIy Avenue. and the woman
taking the package, vent into the street
where she was joined by gaunt, one'eyed
dog. who grimly took bis place by he'
side. and walked on down the avenue, and
through street After street, turning and
ever tusning = the streets grow narrower.
alth and moro noisy. till they reached the
crowded tenement quarter Of the city.
from vhcnce they came.
From time 10 time the dog stopped aud
looked enquiringly into the womans face.
expecting her 10 put the package on the
ground that be might take it in his teeth
and carry il for her, as be had been ac-
customed 10 do; but to-day she plodded
YEARLY on, her heavy thoughts making
her iorset sle eAvy pasiass 10 her arms
She had expected Mrs. Wharton to pay
her for the finished work abe had taken
home; bot Mrs. WhHtop bad been out
shopping and her purse was empty and
she, disliked to face the pale woman, 80 she
sb6l . hote BY the servant 70 say that the
IyNeAq must wait another week for her
I have lees than dollar, and can We live
oS jshs than q dollsri asked the woman to
herself. as she moved along.
Then she fell to calculating how much
bread and how many potatoes could be
purchased for ninety three cents. and how
|it ntth ~ AfiSed into seveav parts for
the seyes days. snd each seventh divided
BY three meals a'dat, and each third divi-
ded sgsin by three, tor there were three
to eat and they shared alike. the woman,
the child and the dog. She had long ago
become an adept in that sort of mental
srithmetiot mkA "a hoas her needle had
gone steadily in and out while she calcu-
lated the tflioal losAti rations on which
they must subsist specified time. till
the rent was RHjA the coal bought. or the
hard sbfhId mdh1y received. But today
the weary brain refused the task set be-
fore it, going mechanically over and over
the sevenths and thirds, without arriving
1t definite result.
How utterly weary shs vas Of all this;
Of life. and everything II contained, and
how longingly she looked forward to the
rest that would be hers when the heavy
feet had taken their last step. and the tired
hands were folded. never 10 unfold. But
after : moment she drew hastily back
from the comfort Of that thought. for she
might not even think Of that rest, lest it
should como the so6hsr; shs muSt live as
long as the child lived and needed her,
and she chided herself sharply for the
passing thought, that II, perchance, the
child should die. she, too, might have lib
erty to die, and be at rest. Poor, tired
soul.
By this time the woman and the dog
arrived at one Of those tall. dreary shells
OF brick md mortar in M chp ths city
poor do. SngrsGate. Theyk& inShsough
tho open Street door, and tOled up flight
after flight Of steep stairs. through mar
row. ill-smelling Railways swarming with
dirty children and noisy women, of va
rious nationalities. the dog quietly max
ing way for biz mistress n the two low
rooms under the root which they called
home.
The woman unlocked the door. and
when they entered, locked it again. The
room, scrupulously clean. was lighted by
. skylght in the roof. and contained .
stove, two chairs, table, and an upright
piano. The dog and the piano we're the
folsom OF former home, absolute neces--
stiles. for the dog was her only protection,
and the piano was the life Of the child, a.
it had formerly been the life Of her hus-
band
She stood . moment looking Il The open
piano. and The worn copy ofths "Afessiah'
on the rack open at the chorus, "Glory
God" noting the sccentualion marks
|, " husbands neat hand, for he had
-. Professor d music. and she. when
& n.r. led him, somewhat famous ora
orio singer How viddly she remember
4 4 thosa ars, happy yesrs-the dainty |
,om. win IL unshlne and 6owers--the
oils aud triumph sharedlalike-ths bsauti-
j children that "a. ne It length, singing
With .lmost their i 'rs breath Then
anne tho clouds under which she dwelt
lone in silence and angu 'sh' fearing %
ell even her husband Of the deafness that
vss surely and steadily creeping npon her,
ike an enemy in the dark, blur.1ng and
,lotting out all the sweet world OF SOUND.
How she struggled and fought against 'ne
tide with all the force OF Der
msure. now. in her despair. 80 called
3od cruel and unjust
Oh, she cried II had been snbsnsivs
md obediens then. . greater evil n'gh'
,ot have befAllen mel 4
For, right or wrong. she believed thai
he had been made to suffer for her sin
rhe God she knew was . God Who pun
shed in lore and mercy, maybe. but still
punished. and 70 whep she bad ned 10
sheer despair Of escape Of revolt, and 70
bad learned 10 be still. snd to trust. II not
10 lore. She remembered how. sith