News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-13
ONE OF MANY.

UNE VI MAN l.
They had been married for rather
more than a year-Jim Carol and his
pretty little wife-and their baby daugh-
ter was two months old.
He was fine fellow, was Jim-well
set up and cool to look at; chivalrous,
upright and honest as the day. But
though he came of good old stock-of
which he was the last-he was only q
clerk in a London architects Office with
miserable salary of e100 year, which,
of course, he might lose with his situa-
ton any day. 1t will be clear, hope,
to the meanest understanding that un-
der these circumstances he had not the
smallest right to think of matrimony.
So when he had the audacity to propose
for Marjory Linton-niece and ward of
the pompous and wealthy old Joseph
Linton of Manchester-that gentleman
gave him q very short shrift and prompt
ly showed him the door, Aud when, q
month later, pretty independent Mar
Jory ran away with the same handsome,
impecnnious Jim Carol, her irate uncle
to use his own expressions-'f washed
his hands OF her, ard closed his door
against her and. her husband forever"
At this terrible sentence Marjory 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 al the rich old men IN Europe
closed their doors against him-or other
wise.
They lived in tiny house in a red
brlcked, pointed -gabled terrace at Cam
berwell; 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 pas
sionately, and that made things easier
Marjory was the most ny-hearted
and hopeful of little women, and she |
was quite sure that some day Dornton & |
Cox, awakening to n sense of Jim's
abilities, would take him into partner
ship and make his fortune.
But, alas for NTarioryis dreams, on
the particular evening on which this
story opens, Carol was vending his way
homeward deiectedly enough; for Dorm
ton & Cox, having had heavy losses late
ly, were reducing their staff of clerks,
and among those dismissed to-day was
James Carol. Jim felt stunned and
bewildered; for situations we're not as
plentiful as blackberries in London IN
1884, any more than they are now.
" Oh. Jim, how late you are ~ cried /
little Mrs. Carol as she flew to the ]
door to meet her husband. thought /
you were never coming, had to put ]
baby to bed, at last"
"Had you, dear ?" he answered alb /
sently, as he followed her into the small
but cozy sitting room. !
He looked depressed and out of sorts,
Mariory thought. Perhaps he had
of his bad headaches. But, like wise
little wife, she asked no questions, only
poured out his tea and gave him his
slippers. He did not eat anything, she
noticed, bat sent up his cup again aad
again, draining it each time feverishly.
He was very silent, too.
'Is anything the matter, dear!" his
wife said at last, in anxious tones.
''Yes, Marjory," he answered, with an
effort. Then, after a pause, he told
her.
For a moment her sunny face was
clouded; this was contingency which
they bad never contemplated Then
she said bravely:
'Never mind, Jim. 1t will not be
difficult for you to get another situation.
/ see scores of advertisements in the
papers every day"
But Carol was not so sanguiDe. He
was of more gloomy temperament
than Marjory, and would not be cheer
ed, not even when baby woke up and
smiled and cooed in his face as was her
wont.
They studied the paper diligently day
after day Carol answered innumer-
able adv ertisements, both by post and
personally, but il vain; though he spent
an alarming sum in postage stamps, and
returned night after night, weary, heart
sick and footsore.
The days went on; quarter-day drew
near and passed, and the Carols little
store of money melted away.
Another week passed. Jim search
ed with anxious diligence in each
evenings paper the column de-
voted to ''Yacant situations" and
answered various advertisements
which seemed singularly suitable. But
those who have studied that column
not for amusement or curiosity, but for
dear life-know that of these advertise
ments only too many are simply swim |
dies, and that the comparatively few |
which are bona Jtde are speedily secured /
by those who have either the influence |
or the experience, which Jim Carol /
had not. He set of every morning for |
the city, neglected no opportunity, left 1
no stone unturned, but in vain.
In September they moved out of their !
pretty home to very small and dingy |
cottage which stood alone, little way
back from a side street, behind timber /
yard. It was not an attractive dwelling, /
but it was very cheap; and the rent OF
their former house was now out of the
question. To defray the various inevi- |
table expenses connected with the re-
moval, and one or two other necessary |
outlays, they sold some of their furni |
ture, and q few other things besides
Marjory's iewelry had all gone long
ago.
One day, in walking westward along
Fleet street, Carol met an old fellow /
clerk, by name Archie Lyle.
"Hallo, Carol % Lyle exclaimed, /
grasping the formers hand heartily, and
turning to walk alongside. Glow are
youl Haven't seen you for a month of
Sundays. Why, you look down in the |
mouth, old man What's up, eh?"
Nothing particular" replied the
other, coldly enough, "except that 1
have been out of a situation since left
Dornton & Cox. Insps citing public
buildings, when you have a wife and
child to keep on nothing, is not Tarti
cularly exhilarating or lively occupa-
ton, he continued bitterly.
"By Jove, no !" said the other in seri-
GUS tones.
''By the way" he said suddenly,
when they had crossed several streets in
comparative silence, "you are q good
draughtsman, are you not You have a
good idea of plans and that"
81 ought to have" returned Carol
dryly, "seeing have been clerk in an