New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-07-08
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

standing loo king at the kitchen door
dumfounded by this sudden out
burst.
And so it happened that Mary Jane,
after many happy years spent with
the Rollits, came to give notice to
leave. All on account Of the baker.
But about a week before Mary
James months notice expired dire
calamity befell the Rollits that eclips-
ed all other troubles. Mr. Roliit's
partner had. unknown to him, been
specializing heavily, and a series of
disastrous losses soon brought him
to such a position that he was serious
" meditating whether he should face
his creditors or disappear to foreign
parts.
1t was a terrible night for them
when Mr.. Rollit first brought home
to his Mortified wife the news Of this
disaster. And next morning, deter
mined, if possible, to weather the inn
pending storm, heproceeded to nego-
tiate a mortgage on his house and
raise money on all thatit contained,
in the hope that sufficient would be
Forthcoming to meet the bills as they
felIdue.
But as fast as the cash was procur-
ed it was again swallowed up, until at
last there remained no further way
in which he could obtain a single
penny. If the firm could only hold
on for another fortnight, it would be
saved. Two hundred pounds would
do it. Alas! it would be impossible
to find another two hundred pence.
Ofcourse Mary Jane, as she went
about the house, could not but no.
tice that something was amiss; but
the enstrangement that had S prung
up between mistress and maid for
babe her making any sympathetic
overtures, though on this, the
last day of her stay, she would dearly
have liked to do something to COM
fort the disconsolate woman sitting
upstairs alone with her sorrow.
'tAh! hereis master. He will soon
cheer her up!' said Mary Jane, as she
heard the familiar knock at the door.
But when Mr.. Rollit entered Mary
Jane started in surprise to see the
look Of careworn detection that was
upon his haggard face, and trembling
to hear him ask in hollow voice,
"Where is she?" as he tottered up the
stairs.
When Mary Jane stood upon the
hall mat, rooted to the spot. What
ever could have happened? Then,
unable longer to contemplate the
prospect of leaving them without
knowing if she conld be OF aid, she did
thing she had never done before.
She crept upstairs and listened.
The door was not shut, only push.
ed to; and as Mary Jane overheard
the wretched husband telling his wife
of the failure OF all his efforts to raise
the required two hundred pounds, she
began gradually to comprehend the
situation.
"They're in debt" she whispered to
herself. ''That's why master took to
having the cheaper butterr'
"Never mind, little woman" she
heard Mr.. Rollit say. courageously
trying to render the trial easier for
his wife to bear. eve have had many
worries and troubles before, and
borne them successfully together. Let
us fate this one, great as it is, and Pm
sure it will all come right in the end"
at SHALL" declared Mary Jane, as,
suddenly possessed by a brilliant idea,
she stole down stairs again, put on
her hat, and noiselessly left the house.
And as she ran along the streets,
clutching the door-key in her hand,
'He will do it for me. know he will.
He must!" she kept repeating.
Twenty minutes later she returned
and, let herself in. And behind her
entered Joseph Tubbs.
Mary Jane once more crept upstairs
and listened. Still the same low
sound of voices from the room where
husband and wife, in their misery,
were yet striving to find some means
of averting the ruin that tomorrow
would bring with it.
'No. We are powerless. Two hun
dred pounds tomorrow would save
us, but in this world you don't find
people ready to lend their money
merely on the security OF an honest
mans word"
The door opened suddenly. Mary
vigorously, and husband and wife
clpU W -CIlclE lccO DIS o. DIOdu-SuOul-
dered man stumbled in and stammer-
ed. eyes, you do
Startled by this intrusion. Mrs.
Rollit hurriedly turned up the gas, re-
vealing the desolate-looking room,
with it's empty CRATE, before which
they had been sitting. '"The bakers
mani" she cried.
T. Mary Jane gave her sweetheart a.
violent nudge. And his face became
very red as he awkwardly began
"Yes'm. I am the bakers man.
Mary Jane said you were in trouble,
and that a couple of hundreds would
put you on your feet again. I know
all about what you've done for her,
took her from the orphan school, and
made the woman of her, that's going
to be my wife. I've got bit saved
and had a few pounds left me that 1
shan't Want till we get married and
start a business OF our own, I can
manage two hundred. Will you take