The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-30

He walked out, slamming the door,
and left the wretched mother and
daughter to their misery and tears.
Saturday came and he received his
rent money. By selling some more
furniture and pawning several small
articles-Mrs. Wilson had gathered a
sufficient sum to meet the indebtedness.
But when the next month came the land
lord was prompt in his demand for the
rent. The poor woman had not been
been able to resume her work and she
had no money. TIE landlord was mex
orable, and in few days he served her
with legal notice to vacate the apart
ments. She secured two small rooms on
the top floor of an East side tenement
house, and although still weak from her
long illness, she returned to her work
in the millinery shop. But she was un-
able to accomplish much and her earn
ings were very scant indeed. Jennie
found employment in an envelope factory
downtown, and with :hcir meagre wages
combined they continued their fight
against starvation.
But there was still further misfortune
in store for them. A year later the
mother was again taken i'll, and this ILL
ness left her confirmed invalid. Jen-
ME, however, was in the en-, n,,oymcnt of
excellent health, and she had proved
herself so faithful and efficient at her
work that her wages had been raised,
and with the small stipend that she re-
ccived each week she supported her
mother and herself. Again, and then
again her pay was increased, and at the
time our story opens she had become so
accustomed-young and inexperienced
as she was in the ways of the world-to
her life of labor, and had been so en-
couraged by even the small increase of
wages she had received that the natural
buoyancy of her nature had risen above
the depression of spirits which at times
had made her life seem almost hopeless,
and she had resolved to make the best of
fate, to cheerfully work on for her
mothers sake, and to look forward to the
future with the hope that some day she
might discover silver lining to the
cloud which had so long darkened the
sky of her young life.
"Good-by, mother" she said, when
Monday morning came and she was
about to leave for her new scene OF labor
as saleswoman in fancy store.
"God bless you, my child!' said the
invalid. II shall pray for you all day
and wait your return with anxiety" =.
They kissed each other, and Jennie
left her humble abiding place with a
lighter heart than she had known for
years. She hummed an air as she tripped
down the poorly lighted stairway of the
old tenement and hurried on to the store
with feeling that was akin to joyous
ness. She found the situation pleas
ant one, and as the days went by and
the spring advanced Sue resolved to
celebrate the advent of summer by re-
moving to a more cheerful dwelling
place. Mrs. Wilson was still invalided.
but by the labor of Jennie she was made
comfortable, and pooras they were, both
were quite happy under the improved
condition of their moderate means of
subsistence.
1t was now mid -Maytime. Birds were
singing in the parks, leaves were whls-
pering from the trees, and the air was
redolent with the perfume of blossoms.
Only few weeks longer and the old
quarters woald be exchanged for other
and pleasanter ones. And Jennie was
80 happy. Weary as she often was when
she came home at night, cheerfulness
was ever her companion. Fidelity to
her mother was to her religion, and
she was thankful to heaven for the con-
tinuance of her good health and the op-
portunity to earn sufficient money where
with to purchase the simple comforts
which made her life to degree pleasur-
able, and by which she was enabled to
keep her mother from becoming the in
mate of some charitable institution. 1t
was hard struggle for this girl to keep
the wolf from the door, but nature had
cast her in an heroic mold, and she
never for moment lost b art.
One evening on returning home she
found her mother very ill-so ill, indeed,
that she became alarmed and sent lad,
who lived with his parents in some apart
ments adjoining, tor doctor.
"Your mother is very sick, miss" said
the doctor as he was leaving the place
after prescribing for the patient, but l
will do all I can for her."
"Oh, DOCTOR" said Jennie, "save her
for me. Do not let her die and leave
me alone in the world. Doctor,
doctor"
She could say no more. Her poor
heart was almost breaking, and leaning
against the rickety bannisters in the
hallway she buried her face in her
hands and sobbed bitterly. The doctor,
who was a man of sympathetic nature,
spoke to her encouraginyly and tried to
console her.
II will call again in the morning." he
said. "Are you all a!one2 Is there no
one with you and your mother2"
1--WE are alone, DOCTOR she said be-
tween her sobs, ''but there is kind
old lady who lives in apartments next to
ours, and she will come in and stay with
us tonight. Please don't fail to call in
the morning, Doctor"
She was now quite calm, and bidding
the doctor good evening, returned to
her mothers bedside.
Oh, the weary watching by day and
night! Oh, the heartache! Oh, the
wretchedncss OF that poor young heart!
Oh, the loneliness! Oh, the cross that
she must bear!
But the end came soon, and within a
fortnight's time she sat by coffin in
which lay the body of her dead mother.
The weary and over-burdcned spirit had
taken its flight, and this faithful, reso.
lu.e girl. surrounded by a number of her
shopm:.tes and small group of sym
rathi" mo ncinhhors. awaited the coming