The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-07-02
uh a. ii IA lx.,enns Pova-u S. Govt Report, Aug u, 1882
R@y!A!:!:!! q! Bssi9s Bsxass'
ABSOLUTELY PURE
MRS. pARRow,s PooRHoUsE,

ward. and unlock ed her door With unusual
energy.
She united her rusty black bonnet care
folly brushed away some imaginary dust,
opened closet door. took out an old'issh
ionei band box ard deposited the bonnet
10 II
Then she folded her thin wooden shawl
neatly, put il in its proper sorner ot the
upper bureau drawer, aud then replaced
ber weIl'vorn alpaca dress with diney
calico wrapper.
She was tall and thin, with a hard,set
face creased with innumble wrinkles that
N sde her appear much older than she
really was. Her abundant dark hair, thick
ly stresked with gray, was pulled back
tightly from ber forehead. and held in an
unbeooming knot by an old ''tusk'comb'
that had been her mothers.
There was not soft line in Mrs. Oar
rows whole contour. aud she seemed tue
embodiment Of augles aud unyieldinn
hardness.
she was widow, now. -Four years be
fore poor old Job Darrow had meekly aud
DOT uuwilingly given up the ghost. 10
spite Of the years that had elapsed since
then, people still talked Of the bard time
/ be had endured in bisunbsppy and unlove
ly home, where only the barest necessities
were doed out to hin. though he was
skilled sober mechanic, and earned good
wages. His wife had persisted in putting
the greater part OF his earnings in the saw
ings bank. lest be and she should come
to the poorhouse.
She lad nursed this fear Of ending her
DAYS 10 the poorhouse. until 1t had be
come . mania with her; and after her hus'
bands death had given herself up wholly
t) the notion.
No suffering or destitution could be
great enough to enlist her sympathy. She
worried he dealers from whom she bought
her scapty supplies by her 'tastings,
which often amounted to nearly as much
as her purchases; and by her haggliDg,
penurious ways and fault finding
Ga the morning OF which write. Mrs.
Dsrrow's face wore an sir Of triumph Her
eyes shone eagerly, aud her thin lips were
as near SIN lie as it was possible for them
to be, after the long years in which smil-
! ing bad become lost art to them. As
she hastily buttoned her wrapper, she
muttered to herself
I'll settle the matter right now. guess
III 20 over and drag il away before they
know what I'm up to, and I'll get some
tramp to cut it up for me as soon's l can.
III give him the soup bone in the cup
board. and that corn bread, since it's so
hard and dry cant eat it. 1t seems like
9 shame to give that bone to lazy. good
for nothing tramp. but I'm afrsid I'll have
TO. Well, there's one comfort about it
that poell make stove.wood enough to
last me ai least three weeks, aud not cost
me cent, either.
At this point iu her soliloqny she tied
q faded eineha sunbonnet upon ber head
and walked ont OF her house. the air Of
trium pbant satisfaction merging into den
ance. She crossed the street and approach
ed the house OF her neighbor and one'time
friend, Mrs Rebecca johnson.
Directly In front OF Mrs Johnsons
small house disused telephone pole was
living. /, had been blown down and brok
en- by severe storm several weeks before
and Mrs. Darrow had looked upon it with
covetous eyes ever since
Morning. noon and night she thought
OF the pile OF stove wood into which 1t
might be converted. until 1t seemed as II
she could never really rest again unless
she possessed it.
This morning her grasping spirit had
urged her to go to the manager OF the tee
phone exchange aud ask permission to nse
the pole.
To do her justice !, had cost her hard
struggle to 60. She was so eradeing her.
self that she felt sure be would refuse aud
perhaps insult her; but 10 spite Of this
iesr, she at las, plncked up courage to
&c.
Mr.. Ingram, one OF them telephone
poles has f,ii down 10 our street broke
10 tha, big storm. you koow. 'Taint sny
account, and its dreadfulty in the way;
do you care il hire man to move III
she asked nervonsly.
Mr.. Ingram looked up somewhat absent
lly. He was very busy at that moment,
and a good deal sorried over the com
plant. of poor telephone service, With
which be t.d been besiesea sinee tue
night Of the storm.
He locked a, Mrs D,rfos, her shabby
but clean dress, her tbin, restless hands.
her msny wrinkles. snd the sight touched
his | cart
Obi you mean another Que OF iho'e
broken pol do yen' 10 your way 10 ~
Certainly, madam. yoa eau hsse II femoy'
"A Il Won choose. should bsye had Il
aoue n,seli, ~ soon ss ! got through re
p.itipg dsmsees. stall be glad TO bsve
In disposed oi, La cure. Good morning
msdsnl
Aod 40. before ale fairly realized IT.
Mira Darrou bad been bowed ont OF ibs
ofiee.
Her conscience did not upbrsii hef io'
q having given him TO uoders'and that ih'
. pole xas 10 Lsr ~sy. when II sss really
ia lros, oi Der reishbor's houss seros'
a.. .,,sst shs even ildulged in sly