Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-20
ONE OF THE MANY.
Pathetic Story Of Terrible Strug-
gle with Poverty.

gle WIFI SOV0TGy.
They had been married for rather more
than year-Jim Carol and his pretty little
wife-and their baby daughter was two
months old.
He was a fine fellow, was Jim-well set
up, and good to look at; chivalrous, upright.
and honest as the day. But though he came
of good old stock-of which he was the
Iast-he was only a clerk in a London
architects office, with miserable salary of
el00 a year, which, of course, he might
lose with his situation any day. 1t will be
clear, hope, to the meanest understanding
that under these circumstances he had not
the smallest right to think of matrimony,
so when he had the audacity to propose for
Mariory Linton-niece and ward of the
pompous and wealthy old Joseph Linton, of
Manchester-that gentleman gave him a
very short shrift, and promptly showed him
the door. And when, month later, pretty
independent Marjory ran away with this
same handsome, impecunious Jim Carol,
her irate uncle-to use his own expression
''washed his hands of her and closed his
door against her and her husband forever"
At this terrible sentence Elarjory did not
trouble herself very much, nor did her
husband suffer it to affect his peace of mind.
He was too happy to care whether all the
rich old men in Europe closed their doors
against him-or otherwise.
They lived in tiny house in a red bricked,
pointed-gabled terrace at Camberwell; and
they had enough to do TO pay the rent and to
make ends meet generally, especially after
the baby came. But they loved each other
passionately, and that made things easier.
Marjory was the most sunny-hearted and
hopeful of little women; and she was quite
sure that some day Dornton & CoX-awak-
ening to a sense of Jim's abilities-would
take him into partnership and make his for
tune.
But alas! for Marjory's dreams, on the
particular evening on which this story
opens Carol was vending his way home
ward dejectedly enough, for Dornton & Cox
having had heavy losses lately, were reduc-
ing their staff of clerks, and among those
dismissed to-day was James Carol. Jim
felt stunned and bewildered; for situations
were not as plentiful as blackberries in Lon
don in 1884, any more than they are now.
30 Jim, how late you arer' cried little
Mrs. Carroll as she few to the door to meet
her husband. Il thought you were never
coming! had to put baby to bed at last"
Had you, dear!' he answered, absently,
as he followed her into the small but cosy sit
ting room.
He looked depressed and out of sorts,
Marjory thought. Perhaps he has one of
his bad headaches. But like a wise little
woman asked no questions; only poured out
his tea, and gave him his slippers. He did
not eat any thing, she noticed; but sent up
his cup to be filed again and again, draining
it each time feverishly.
He was very silent, too.
us any thing the matter, dear1" his wife
said at last, in anxious tones
Eyes, MariOry," he answered, with an
effort. Then, after pause he told her.
For moment her sunny face was clopded :;
this was a contingency which they never
contemplated. Then she said, bravely:
Never mind, Jim. 1t will not be difficult
for you to get another situation. l see
scores of advertisements in the papers every
dayr'
But Carol was not so sanguine. He was
of more gloomy temperament than Mar
jory, and would not be cheered, not even
when baby woke up and smiled and cooed
in his face as was her wont.
"You see, Jim," said Marjory, cheerily,
1--WE still have good part left of your last
salary. 1t is not quarter day yet for good
while, and we can economic in little things.
We might let Ann go" (Ann was the small
maid-of-ali-wOrk,) "she is really getting
very careless; she broke three plates yes
terday. If have a chairwoman TO come in
Saturdays / can easily manage the work
myself. Baby is SO good, and requires so
little attention.
Jim put his arm around her as she knelt
beside him.
Dear little woman" he said, Il couldn't
let you do that. Not yet, at least"
They studied the paper diligently day after
day. Carol answered innumerable adver-
tisements, both by post and personally, but
in vain, though he spent an alarming sum in
postage stamps, and returned night after
night weary heartsick and footsore
The days went on; Quarter-day drew near
and passed, and the Carols little store of
money melted away. For the baby had been
i'll, and several tradesmen's bills, small but
imperative, had had to be paid. The weather
was oppressively hot and enervating, and
Marjory's little face began to look pinched
and worn, for the baby was peevish and
fretful requiring constant nursing and at
tention, and the servant had been dismissed
some time ago.
Another week passed. Jim felt almost
desperate, for he could obtain no employ
ment, and, 10 make matters worse. the
baby fell i'll again. 1t seemed a kind of
wasting, nameless illness. She cried and
walled night and day and grew almost
hourly more shadowy looking The doctor.
whom Carol at last called in, shook his
head, asked few questions, advised change
OF air, and ordered the young mother to
take ''plenty Of nourishing food" With a
view to furthering the latter object-chanre
of air being out of the question-Jim
pawned his watch and chain Poor fellow
he felt shamefaced and embarrassed enoueh
as ne took the ticket and buttoncd his coat
over his now chainless waistcoat But the
money so obtained kept them going for
some little time; and Carroll meanwhile.
dio not for day relax his efforts to obtain
employment. He searched with anxious
ohlgence in eachevening's paper the column
devoted to vacant situations and an
sWereo various advertisements which
seemed singularly suitable But those
VINO nave studied that column-not for
amusement or curiosity, but for dear life
know That OF these advertisements only too
many are simply swindles, and that the com
paratlvely few which are bonatide are
speedily secured by those who have either
s.e innuence or the experience, which Jim
Carol had not. he set OF every morn;n0