The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-12-18

owe you"
you've owed that two MONTHS"
replied the man. "Come, let 90,
missus. l don't want TO hurt you.
I've got to obey orders. Money
or the machine was what the boss
said"
But the woman did not relin-
quish her hold. Still clu'ching
the machine, she turned her
agonizing eyes upon the bystand.
ers.
"Foriy dollars" she repeated,
sand the machine is but fl ifty, and
he's taking it. | never tailed until
Jim broke his leg, and his work
stopped, and his wages with it, and
Id doctor bills and ALL
mo, that she didn't" cried a
voice from the crowd. "I'm know
ing TO her honesty"
"And he'd better be off with his
cart" cried a man who had stalked
oul of the entry Of the house near
which the crowd had gathered,
rolling up his sleeves.
'Look here, good people," ex-
claimed the man who held the
machine, IL don't want 10 do this.
| obey orders or lose my place and
my bread and butter. She'd better
90 to The boss and talk to him
not to me-"
"Tve been," said the woman.
"He's made of stone. | told him
he'd starve us. He will. There,
what is the use OF my fighting like
a drunken body in the street-a
decent woman! They've more
than the worth of the thing now
God knows; but they've the pow
er. Take it," And she let go hei
hold and covered her eyes with
her hands.
Bat in the place of these rough
red fingers, others, dainty and
small, and well 6 eloved, came down
upon the cover of The machine.
Emma Rome had pressed forward
and now spoke:
"Slop," she said. "Will you LET
this woman keep her machine if
pay you len dollars ?"
"Them's the boss's orders, Miss
replied The man, sand I'd be glad
to do it, ioo.'
"Then, while the crowd gather
ed close, and the woman who had
told her pileous tale sobbed with
joy. Emma drew the sum named
from her purse, received a receipt,
which she gave TO The poor woman,
and experienced for the first time
the delight which the performance
of an utterly unselfish aci brings
with it.
Moreover, when the machine
had been borne upstairs. Emma,
who had exchanged a few words
with ITS owner, followed her 10 her
miserable room, noted It's poverty,
heard all The bitter tale. 1t was a
true one-the hot tears told that
But | don't mind anything
now, Miss" sobbed The narrator.
"Now the machine is my very
own. / don't mind how hard /
work. And the only great tug is
the landlord-four dollars month
for rent"
"As much a month as a yard of
that trimming" thought Emma,
with little pang.
She questioned the woman fur
ther, and found that her landlord
"lived down stairs" And before
she turned from the door she
emptied her purse and had paid
three months rent in advance.
P "Yonr husband will be well and
at work by that time," she said !;
and there were no regrets for the
lost fringe As she took her way
homeward. Nay, she was not even
slung 10 the soul when Madame
Farine remarked, with a glance
that said volumes
"rhe black lace from your old
grenadine dress? Certainly, since
it is your faste."
The dress, however, was not
despite The refurbish
ed lace, and Emma wore 1T TO the
party. She was quite conscious
Iha, every woman OF her acquaint-
ance knew what the dress was
trimmed with, bul her conscience
whispered 10 her that she had dore
right. Moreover, the light of a
better thought was on her face.
Arthur Maine found
more than ever before
by 1T, aud as she drove
iome that night, Emma felt the
marguerite phich had said to her
he lores" had been no faiss prophet.