The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-07-08
WEST NORTHWEST.

city as nearly as possible in that direc-
ton, which, if you followed far enough
for 70 miles, in fact-you would come
to the small town where my cousin
Christopher lived, before his health broke
down and his father lost all his money in
speculation. Chris had always been del
icate, but no one thought very seriously
of it, till he had this fearful illness when
his life was despaired of; and, though he
people sometimes do, he only got better
to find that his father was a bankrupt,
and that he himself must work while he
could, rather than be a burden ON his
family.
So, hearing of young fellow in Mer-
ton-our great manufacturing city-who
wanted private tutor, Chris came to
coach him and to board with us, for we
were large family, and mother said we
could do it as cheaply for him as he
would be likely to do it anywhere else,
and put by something into the bargain.
Not that we should have wanted
to gain by having Chris, if we had
had money enough of our own, but
then we never had. There were 80 many
of us, and father only earned e130
year, and mother was an invalid. and the
lodgers were continually coming to grief
in some way that compelled them to
leave without settling their accounts.
And the younger ones were still at
school, and Bob only earned 10 shillings
~ ,yoal opd A rth1r bod q cob 10 rsb IN az
Oxford that was never enough to keep
him, and Milly, our showcard, as we
called her, would not take situation, or
60 anything whatever but get engaged
to one man after another, each worse
than the last. She really monopolized
the drawing room with having them to
afternoon tea-which we could not af-
ford. But it did not matter about the
drawing room, for that was horrible,
with an old grand piano whose lid was
loose, and with walls that crumbled and
let the nails out, SO that the brackets
tumbled down ON peoples heads-but
mother would have them put up again.
And there was always dreadful atmos-
phere of hearthrugs and old antimacas-
sars. Then Harriet, our one servant. had
no time to dust. and could only dust the
drawing room properly once week ;
there were so many other things to do,
and the SCOT was so trying. There could
be no place on the earth grimier than
Merton. We had the chimneys swept as
often as we could afford it; but it seemed
to me that other people never swept
theirs at all, and, as soon as the windows
were opened the SCOT came in, darkening
the air like the plague of loousts, and set
tling down over every thing that was just
scrubbed clean, till one felt as if one
could lie down and die. The fogs were
full of it-you never saw such substan-
tiM fogs. Chris said once that they were
meat and drink to him; and they hap
pened every other day. And what with
SCOT, and fogs, and mothers neuralgia,
and Milly's engagements and a family OF
nine-life was not life; but 1t was still
less existence. Itwas one long scramble.
Ifelt sorry beforehand for Chris, know
ing how different things had been for
him year ago, when he did not know
that he would never be strong again, or
that his father had speculated away
everything. l knew that he was not
accustomed to house like ours, and I
knew that if | did not look after him a
little nobody would. 1t seemed likely
that Milly would not even fiirt with him,
because he was consumptive; at least,
she had asked already whether it was
catching, and said that it would be fun
ereal to have him in the house So
made his room as nice as could-it was
the attic next mine. 1t had not been re,
papered for years, because we said the
walls were damp. They were not really
but we had no money. Still it looked
clean when l had done-I remember
standing still, and watching q great flake
of SCOT that was lowering in through the
window, in an undecided way-and
even got some nasturtiums out of the
back garden and put them in a vase
They were dingy, like everything else
but they looked green and yellow, and
better than nothing.
remember had only just done when
Chris came, and was shown into the
drawing room Mother and Milly were
there; mother had neuralgia and Milly
had cold; and though it was warm
day the fire was lit, and they were sitting
over it and would not have the window
open. When / came down / found then
all there, and mother was telling Chris
about her neuralgia. He looked flushed
just then. not like a person who coult
not live long, to me, and SO bright ant
resolute. l liked his face very much
but l saw that the drawing room wa
giVips him dreadful hsadashs-apd y