The Republican., 1890-11-14

| coulu only reply that 1t would make no
difference at all.
at will be awkward, all the same"
said Matthew to me afterward. 1--WE
have had to go into debt already, and if
we are to get no rent for year we shall
have to go in deeper still"
81 know that, but what could we do:
We might hare lost them altogether if
we had refused, and with such excellent
references our money is safe enough"
! When thing is done there is no use
in discussing it; we had got our tenants,
and think we were glad to get them at
any price. No people could have been
more pleasant than they were; they
! made no difficulties about anything.
and were always friendly and cordial
| whenever we saw them. Again and
| again we congratulated ourselves on our
| good fortune.
We were very glad all the same when
| the year drew to a close, for of course
we had been obliged to pay the interest
as usual, and as we had only our regular
income with which to meet it we had
gone into debt on all sides.
! 1uC y C~I Will DG up Ill u lOTGLlSQI
now," said, when Matthew was groan-
ing one day over our unpaid bills.
The next day was fine and bright, and
proposed that we should go out and
call upon our tenants. We thoroughly
enjoyed our walk; the pleasantness of the
i day, added to the near prospect of relief
from our difficulties, raised all our spir-
its, and we chatted gayly along the road
until the house came in sight.
Il think they might keep curtains in
the windows" said Jane as we reached
the gate.
Nonsense, Janet" l replied sharply.
"You are always finding fault about
something or other; no doubt it is the
latest fashion to have no curtains"
1.-The house does look rather odd,
though" said Matthew; "in fact He
broke off suddenly and quickening his
pace went up to the dining room win
dow and lookedin. Jane and followed,
and pressed our faces against the glass.
The room was bare!
Not stitch of furniture was left; car
pets, curtains, all were gone. Jane burst
into tears.
'fJane, how stupid you are!" l ex-
claimed angrily, but more because Of the
growing dread at my heart than that l
really thought her stupid. "Of course
they are house cleaning"
Matthew said nothing. He went up
and tried the door; it was open, and we
rushed in. The empty rooms echoed to
| the sound of our feet; the bare walls
seemed to mock our misery: our tenants
had run away, and we were ruined!
Whatever Matthew's faults are must
admit that there are sparks of nobility
i'll his nature. When we had proved be-
yond Il doubt that our fears were cor
rect his first words were, "Now we
must think how to meet our creditors"
Matthew" cried, in a sudden burst
of remorse, sit has all been my fault.
Oh, | wish we had never had the house
at all; but you shall do just what you
think best now"
Very well" said Matthew, 1--WE will
sell the house and pay OF the mortgage,
and then we will see how we stand with
the world.'
felt it was right, and said not
word to hinder him, but 1t Was not the
affair of moment; nor when the house
was sold at last were we in any better
position than we We're before; for in ad-
dition to the back debts which still had
to be paid there were the legal expenses.
| was not at all surprised to see streaks
of gray in my hair, nor to notice how
many new lines had appeared on Mat
thew's forehead. AS for Jane she cried
all day, which only made me cross.
could see no way out of our troubles,
and | did not even try to advise Mat
thew. The sky was so dark and gloomy
that it seemed impossible for any light
to appear.
81 suppose we shall have to go through
the bankruptcy COURT" said l bitterly
one day.
"No," said Matthew; "there is another
way, and l want to consult you about it.
If we sell off some of our capital we can
pay off all of cur debts"
"But how shall we live?" l exclaimed.
"We must take little cottage and
keep no servants, and must try to find
some work as copying clerk. I am
afraid that is all l am good for now"
Matthew! You copying clerk
again? cannot let you do it,"
"There is no other way" said Mat
thew cheerfully, "and SO we must make
the best of it,
said no more; no, not even when l
found that after all our debts had been
paid we should not have enough to live
on, unless Jane and 1 found some en-
ployment. I knew that Matthew was
right, and that it was the only honorable
thing left for us to do. Jane has gone
out as companion to an old lady, and l
take in needlework and keep our tiny
cottage in order for Matthew and my
self.
We are not quite unhappy, in spite of
all our troubles, but we feel the break
up of our home keenly, and when / see
Matthew come in, worn out and weary
from his scantily paid labor, and think
of the happiness he used to enjoy as he
went about helping those in poverty and
distress, feel that the best wish l can
bestow on any one who has an aunt is
that if she should die she may not leave
l. n