Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-07-28

room.
M ,lhcr," he whispered, v'ry
audibly, "old Mr.. Jennings is in the
kitchen, aad lie says he called to sec
atont. the money you owe him."
The crimson hal ll,odcd Mrs. Bliss
whole face row; she shrank back from
B:nny's words.
"And he says" went on the urchn,
unconscious,y mcrcilcss, "it's the third
time he's called"
Mrs. Bliss looked piteously Mt the fine
lady in tho lilac muslin and the fluttsr.
ing ribbon-bows, then at the family
Bible. Mrs. Sewer felt magnctically
that crises had arrived and was
vaguely agitating the atmosphere.
"say fftccn," she spoke up, with a
whccdIing mir.
Mrs. Bliss took the family Bible from
its rcsting-placc on crochet mat under
tue gut looking glass;.
"Take it." she said, hurricdly.
Denny shall carry it home for you if
if you can make it convenient TO let me
have the money at once. ;"
Mrs Sewer drew cut her purplc-pus
purse without loss of time, and placed
three bills in Mrs. Blis,' hands.
$50 much obliged to you'll" she MUIR
mured, with the sweet smile which her
decricrs were apt to compare tic a per-
petual flow Of New Orleans mo!ascss.
And she went on her way with Benny
trudging behind with the family Bible
wrapped in brown paper and tied with a
piece of blue twine.
81 feel exactly as if I'd sold one of
the children" said the p5cl woman,
wringng her hands, after Mr.. Jennings
had been paid his bill, had written out
a receipt aud was gone. "Bnt what
was 1 TO do2 owed old Jennings the
money for last years coal l:il, an the
interest on the mortgage YVES due last
week, and there is the srcccr's account,
and--ol, dear, dear! After all, the
fifteen dollars was only drop in the
bucket, and don't know what on earth
I am to dor'
And the tears dropped fast INTO the
wasll-tub rs she rubbed out Bcnny's
calico shirt waist with the cardinal
coor.d horsc-shoes on the white ground,
which he OILY wore on Sundays and
high holidays.
She went into the restroom when
tile washing was done and the clothes
were fluttcrng on the line, and looked
with shuddcr at the vacant place under
the gilt looking glass.
GLOW could I-how could ~ she
cried aloud. 81 might have known it
would take all luck of the house to
sell Grandfather Bliss old family B.blc!'
And she sat down under the lilacs on
the doorstep and began to weep softly,
with the corner of her apron for a pock-
handkerchief.
"NIrs. Bliss b :tscy! Why, what's
the mattcr1 Is there any one sick or
dcad2n
Mrs. Bliss dashed away the tears.
"No," she faltcrod, as her eyes met
the inquiring g'z, Of Walter Whcclock,
the village lawycr-'on.y the family
Bible has gone"
"Thc family Bible! Has some one
stolen it''
"No; I've sold ito Mrs. Sewer, at
the hotcl.''
"Humph!' Mr.. Whcclock knitted his
dark brows until they made a level,
shaggy line above his eyes. ''What was
that for?
For money" flushed out Mrs. Bliss,
eff you must know it, Walter Whcclock
for fifteen dollars 10 pay old Jcn-
nings the balance on our last years coal
bill And if you've como togct the in
tcrcst on the mortgage to-day, l may as
we'll tell you. first as last. tnat hain't
got the money norno prospect Of getting
it, aud so you may as we'll GorccIose, and
done with it. If and the two children
bavc got TO go TO the poor housc-But
after all. I" she added, with a sudden
tide of hopclulncss, 'thcre amt no
danger OF that, so long as l have two
hands to work with, thank the Lord y
Don't talk nonsense, Bctscy" said
Mr.. Whcclock. rather CURLY.
"But if l could only get the family
Bible back again. cried Mrs. Bliss, hys-
tcrcally. "oh, I'd give anything to the
one who would bring the old family
Bible back to mel'
Anything, eh3" said Whcclock.
eyes, anything!' said Mrs. Bliss, rock
ing herself back and forth on the door
stone. "1t would bring good luck with
.it-oh, know it would I was such a
fool ever to let it CO."
'sWel, We won't say anything about
this interest money to-day" said Wheel.
ock, with his hands in his pockets.
Perhaps some other time.
"All times arc the same to me-" said
The little widow, rcckless'y. Forty
five dollars, isn't liz We'll, Pm not
likely either to End a gold mine OF strike
an wei between this and some other
day."
And she fell to tearing off the dust
trownc.l lilac leaves, with n hand that
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