The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-01-04
CHAPTER XI,


CHAPTER XI,
We have all experienced the ex-
traordinary transformation which our
yesterdays actions occasionally undergo
when viewed by the light of next
morning" The color is all different
and even the outlines seem changed!
Now, to such transformations Mrs.
Jacks acknowledging usually performed
under the influence Of quick emotions
were peculiarly subject.
The letter which she had dispatched
to Mrs. BOddington did not appear
nearly so wise q document when con-
sidered by the cool light of morning
as she had thought 1t in the full tide of
her angry feeling on the preceding
night. Popsy's joy-expressed with So
briefly, for POpsy had great deal Of
solid f-possession-when she found
mamma was not going out to teach that
day, but would stay with her own, own
little girl, as Mrs. Jack assured her with
a hug, scarcely raised an answering
smile on her mothers face. Popsy
needed other things even more than
mammals society and assistance in the
adornment Of an old battered wooden
doll, which underwent a great deal of
dressing and undressing. Pop" ~ needed
boots and bread-and-butter-a consider
able quantity of the latter-and a new
hat, and warmer little cloak for the
autumn weather And Mrs. Jack began
to reflect with dismay that she had
reckOned upon getting many of these
things with that quarters salary.
She looked sadly at the receipt for
the price of her advertisement in the
Codlington Chronicle. Mrs. Bedding
ton'sswas the only application she had
ever had in consequence of it. No one
else had taken any notice of it, and at
length, ON Barney's advice, she had
withdrawn it in despair: 1t was clear
that Codlington people were determined
not to employ her. Painfully she went
over the accounts for the third or
fourth time since sending the note to
Mrs. Boddington; toiling up and down
the weary columns of figures until she
felt tired from head to foot, as if she
had been literally walking on a dreary
road She dreaded getting into debt
again. And yet it became apparent
that she would not have the where
Withal to live on to the end of the
year, paying ready money for every
thing.
Il suppose that they are right at
Percival House, and that I am an idiot
who does not understand how to man
age my income" she said, leaning both
her elbows on the table and pressing
her soft round cheeks on the knuckles
of her clenched hands. She wondered
what this mysterious art of managing"
really was, and wished that she could,
learn it. And then the self-accusing
thought came dimly into her mind that
managing probably meant simply doing
without many things one would like to
have, either for ones self or for 9TH
ers. For herself, Mrs. Jack continually
made the sacrifice of pleasures and pref
tineSS which she was thoroughly quail
fed to enjoy. But, for Popsy, she was
conscious of being guilty of culpable
weakness. There was one sacrifice
which she had been advised to make,
and which she had hitherto refused
on her childS account But now she
began seriously to contemplate it, She
feared she must get rid of Biddy. Now
that she had no occupation to take her
abfOad-and, alas! thee was no chance
Of her haTing such occupation any more
there was no real reason why she
should not wash and dress her own
child, and take her out to walk in the
fields, as Riddy had done Well-Biddy
must go. She would easily find better
place, if not a kinder mistress. And
| the tears dropped fast from Mrs. Jack s
eyes, and triCkled down over the knuck-
les with which she was indenting her
soft face.
But it must not be supposed that the
tears were all for Biddy. by was
a faithful, kind-hearted girl, and Mrs.
Jack was grieved at the thought of
parting with her; yet the tears were
not all for Biddy, neither were they
| all shed on account of her money
| troubles. These oppressed her, but she
| had a buOyant temperament, and that
| kind Of hopefulness which belongs to
youth, and which springs from inabil-
| ity to realize the fact that miSfortunes
| which crush down others will truly and
| absolutely crush us with leaden inn
| Partially. Just as in childhood 1t is
| difficult to believe that we also
| must surely die. No; the tears swelled
up from a deeper spring Of feeling than
| either of these.
X euppose 1 shall never see him any
more" lnuEmured Mrs. Jack to herself.
land who knows what stoEies may be
told him about me? should have liked
to see him once more, just to say good
by and to thank him for all his kind.
ness. He was very kind and good to
| poor, silly, inexperienced me-" And
the open palms covered the pretty,
child-like face, and Mrs. Jack sobbed
| outright, 5s
Miss Barnasconi was greatly surprised
on returning home In the middle of the
day to hear from her landlady that
Mrs. Jack had not been out to give her
lesson that day, and that, moreover, II
was. the opinion Of Mrs. Petherick, r
N, that Mrs. Jack had lost her slider
walton"
Lard, love 'eer' wheezed out the
kind-hearted creature. Il was afeared
it wouldn't answer, her going gov'ness
Ing. You know what / thinks, Miss
Barnyscony-a good husband to take
care of her and a nice house and hel
own pony carriage; that's the sfderwd
tiop for Mrs. Jack to hold; and wei
she would become IL"
Miss Barnasconi pondered oyer this
news az she sat drinking her cup Of
tea in the little parlor. = hope thu
poor child hasn't lost the situation
L oh EE,1pTaoO indaa5 prI