The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-10-30


go to Mrs. Wickham's to board"
Mrs. Wickham's!" he echoed; why,
you wouldn't stay in her dull little
place week" But even as he spoke
there flashed through his mind, in
rapid calculations: Twenty dollars a
week there; forty. here; eighty dollars
a month saved; nearly thousand dol
lars year"
Don't you like it here?" were his
next words, as he glanced around the
luxurious suite.
Yes" she said, except that there
are too many people. 1t is SO noisy"
Very well, then, we will try it
any thing to please my darling" and
he wrapped his arms about her as he
would lull a restless child.
The move was made. and Eleanor
found that she was not as much fa-
tigued as she had often felt after a
days lounging with novel. Her
husband thought it only new within,
but as it was not an expensive one, he
could not complain. When he wanted
to take her driving, she playfully told
him she was learning to walk-horses
were not safe.
The first step, she thought. Now
for the next. 1t came to her almost
by magic. In a little rear ballroom
sat Margaret Devices, clicking away at
her typewriter. A strong, clear
headed girl who had maintained her.
self these ten years, and had put by
her savings. She was soon to be mar
ried to a stalwart young farmer, the
lover of her early youth. They had
worked and wa tied. From the first she
took an interest in the young wife, and
it was given to her energy and COM
mon sense to help a suffering sister.
Together they plotted and planned.
Eleanor's lassitude passed away under
vigorous rubbing and brisk walks.
Margaret's trOusseau was thing to
be considered. From Eleanors sur
plus stock of stylish gowns and gar
ments the country girls outfit was
deity concocted. Eleanor could sew
neatly and rapidly. When all was
ready the snug sum of two hundred dol
lars lay in her writing desk. Her grand
piano, too large for the new quarters,
was removed from the storage room to
a dealers, and was sold for three hun
dred more. She wrote at once to an
uncle in Kansas City; told him of her
little efforts, and asked what she
should do with her mite. He was a
real estate man and promptly invested
it in lot in the rising town of Duluth.
In exchange for her services as
seamstress, Margaret taught Eleanor
the use of the typewriter. When she
was married she left the instrument.
for the summer months, in Eleanor s
care. A nominal rent was agreed up
on, and this was easy to pay, as Mar
garets engagements were transferred
to the new operator, while she, her.
self, attended to chickens and COWS,
and her six-feet of husband.
Eleanor's energy did not stop here.
She obtained pupils on the typewriter
at five dollars each. She shipped a lot
of old party-dresses, crushed and out
of style, to the costumers on -
street, and saved the proceeds. Every
time her husband handed over her al
lowance of pin money she put at least
half of it in her "strong box"
1t was hard to hide all this activity
and cheerfullness from him, but she
did. With her woman's enjoyment of
a little mystery, and her high resolve
to show herself worthy of him, she
kept in the old rut as nearly as posi-
BILE when he was at home. He saw
that she was stronger and it lightened
his labors.
"My little woman does not ride or
read any more" he said one evening
in the indulgent tone he used toward
her.
why, yes, I do read. Don't you
see my little library there?''
~ es, but it seems to me / miss
something"
He missed the litter of thrashy nov
els he had wont to see.
81 told you l was learning to walk, "
she added, with q smile. 81 really do
walk somewhere every day."
.'Thss. pleases me most of ALL, he
said in hfs CHEEKY way; "but what will
DR.. Buell. think?"
II don't care one bit; l have long
since cut his acquaintance"
Tho end of the year rolled around.
Eleanor watched her husbands face
with ever-increasing anxiety. One
evening he sat buried in thought from
which all her endeavors could not
rouse him. He did not feel well, he
said. All night he tossed and NUT
tered. Calculations and figures were
uppermost.
He was up early, as usual, and away.
Eleanor fastened her preparations an6
carefully counted her little hoard-the
earnings of months. Early in the
afternoon she came home with the pro
ceeds of her last batch of type-writing
glowing with exercise and the happi
ness of contributing at least severa
hundreds to meet her husbands cred
itors. He was there, lying on the sofa
pale and hopeless. Forgetting all else
she flung herself beside him with sob
"Oh, Harry, my dearest, what is it
Tell me what it is that is killing you