The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-04
CHAPTER I.
nOMrN ~ TIL. nIrc.nH


Everybody knows how high stands the
reputation of that eminent firm Of solicitors,
Messrs Link s. Pogson. Everybody
knows, toe, thai old Mr.. Link has now been
dead nearly decade, and that two years
ago the senior partner was old Mr. Pogson.
A very good lawyer, but not 50 entirely
satisfactory as q man. Samue! Fo2soa,
cold, practical and autocratic, was hard
master feared and disliked by bis subordl-
mates as much as he was trusted by his
clients.
Young Mr.. Link who was not so very
young, but whose iroa-gray hair looked
juvenile beside tie senior partners white
locks frettod a little under Samuel Pog-
sons iron rule. He was little more than a
clerk indeed, 50 far as the management of
the firms affairs was concerned. And if
ever be raised his voice against any action
of tie senior partners which seemed to him
hard and tyrannical, old Pogson, who did
not care what means he used to gain any
object he had i'll view, would lean back in
his chair, like the old fox he was, and beg
Mr.. Link to remember that in his delicate
state Of health he could not stand contra
dlction.
Mr.. Link began to think that delicate
state of health" a fraudulent deception. He
knew that cid Pogs IN was supposed to suf
fer from a weak heart, end was accustomed
to hear it suggested that the old mans real
malady was the want of one. But as the
senior partner had arrived safely at tho
age of 65, aud still seemed to enjoy life
very thoroughly, there seemed some reason
for Mr.. Links suspicious
At last an event occurred which caused
the junior par ner to throw aside some of
his accus tomed difference to the old mans
Judgment.
Among their clerks. and quite the best Of
them, was young fellow named Clifford
Semple, who had gained Mr.. Links interest
and respect by the strenuou mess of his ef-
forts TO keep a wife and family In comfort
out of his modest salaryof 93 los per weok.
This would have been comparatively easy
If he had not been man Of education and
refined tastes, and if he had not b id the I'M
pardonable imprudence to marry a girl OF
his own class.
These two creatures had the ridiculous
excuse TO offer that they loved each other.
Two supplemented, single hearted beings,
young, handsome, devoted, brought up in
the lmprovident luxury Characteristic Of so
many English middIe,ciass homes, :aey
dared 70 face life together on a total in
come of e@95 a year. This magnificent
total was reached by the addition e. ClIf
ford's earnings of Blanche's iucomo Of $40
year.
At first of course, they found little diff
Guilty in making it sufficient. They had to
live. certainly, in whly their old friends
would have called an impossible neighoor-
hood" they had to save candle ends, aud
exc out a small supply of cheap furniture
with ingeniJs maAe-shifts. But in the
morning glow of happy marriage these
things seemed trlflss indesd. b lanche, COO,
proved upon trial to he clever with her
needle; so that her proud husband often ex~
pressed belief. which was luckily not put
to the test that she could have made him
court suit if he had wanted one. The
young wife managed to get few pupils tor
music. whose level of refinement and in
telligence was as low as the remuneration
OF their teacher. And FOR the first year
things went merrlly indeed.
But when the baoes came; when a little
Roy Godfrey was succeeded by little boy
Wynne. and lie again by tiny girl, then
1t was that the powers of the parents mod
est means ere stretched to the utmost, and
that the por mothers face began to look
worn, and gray tint, the sigu of insults
Gent nouriShmCnt, to spread over Clifford 3
red-brown CO nplexi n.
The1 for cheapaess they went further and
further out of town; and Clifford entered
was best To save tw ponce by walking two
miles of the way to and from the Office, or
whether tho extra wear and tear of his
shoe; did not more than eat up the sum
saved.
They managed to be happy still, in a
way; but thore gre up a bitterness ut tho
bottom of the heart of each, rebellion
agai1s the severity and hope.esSness of the
struggle, which found vent so notimes on
In gloomy 81 ence on the part of husband,
fretfu ness on thu part Of tae wife. Luckily
the cause of their faculties brought its
consolation. Ina children were healthy
ana happy. just as pretty in their home
made clothes as n rich mnE's children are
IL cOs;her ones, just rs delighted with sim
pls toys OF paptS manufacture as TIE I
would have b"en with The hands )mest dolls
and rrcSiDG no. ses i'll lsegent street. Aud,
how ever bad J the ia ne aad motler
Nigh have fel. the pinch of poverty. they
succeeded for years in keeping its crlel fin
gers froDi the Tiny throatS Of the habAs
But III the year when tie eldest child
reached tho age of D, a terrible mis- 'Ortune
fell upon t5em. Clifford Sempla Iell i'll o
scar let fever, and to MS wife, gent grief
he as WIS., enough to 60 straight TO the
hospital Through the kindness # tie jun
Tor IDsml or of tAe firm. al much against
tbel -cln1toA of samuel POGs0n, ClifDris
salary was paid to his wife during the
wnoie Of the time that his illness lasted
This, howevo., proved to be o4ly the ue-
ginning of his trouble. On his recovery he
went to the seaside by himself for a short
time. hoping agai st hope that a certain
consequence Of the fever. which now be-
came apparent, woed PISS away.
AT the end Of Il Tors:IlShts holiday, which
had brought him neither rest nor pleasure,
the unhappy man returned to town, and
once more met his children. His wife, who
had had one brief interview with him on
his leaving the hospital, noticed his gloomy
looks, the haggardnesS Of his lace, the ex-
preston of fear in his eyes. She hung about
him tenderly, but he seemed to resent the
anxiety he saw in her face. and tried to dis.
engage himself from her caresses.
You are not strong enough 20 60 back
TO the office yet, Clifford" she said. Let
me 20 up to town and speak to Mr.. Link
about you. He is always kind and consid-
crate He will understand; be appreciated
your value: and he will persuade Mr.. Pog-
son to keep your post open for you another
week or two am sure.n
But Clifford, who was holding baby
Maude on his kneo, too no notice of her
suggestion. Blanche. who saw that her
husband was in an ,rritSpla mood, did not
at that -.1o4z=nU press .3o point. che
thought be wanted TO forget his fenrs about
his health in the society of his recovered
children.
Geoff and Wynne. however, we're not long
10 discos ering that papa was Different
even baby Maude. popularity known as 1.-THE
eorn-crhke," on account OF her peculiarly
piercing screams. began 10 exercise her ia
NOUS acc mplishment before she had been