Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-02-01

very Slau!
Just then her eyes fell on Popsy's
little frock-the jack towel garment be-
slowed on her by her grandmother
which Biddy had been sewing at.
] I'm afraid Popsy won't have her
pink and white frock now!" said the
young mother, sadly.
CHAPTER xI.
We have all experienced the ex-
t~raordinary 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 actions-being usually performed
under the influence of quick emotions
were peculiarly subject.
The letter which she had dispatched
to Mrs. Boddingt0n did not appear
nearly so wise n document when con
sidered by the cool light of morning
as she had thought it in the full tide of
her angry feeling on the preceding
night. Popsy's jo~y-expressed with So
br1ety, for Popsy had a great deal Of
solid self-possession-when she found
IN was not going out to teach that
day, but would stay with her own, own
little girl, as Mrs. Jack assured her with
a mug, 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
don, which underwent a great deal of
dressing n undressing. POp -; needed
boots and bread-and- butter-a consider
able quantity of the latter-and a new
hat, and a 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 locked sadly at the receipt for
n price of her advertisement in the
Codlington Chronicle. Mrs. Bedding
tons was 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Withdrawn 1T in despair: 1t was clear
that Codlington people were determined
not to employ her. Painfully she went
over he 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
telt 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
Perclval House. and that / 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 dlmiy into her mind that
managing probably meant simply doing
without many things n would like to
nave, either for ones self or for 9th
ers. For herself, Mrs. Jack continually
made the sacrifice Of pleasures and pref
tines which she was thoroughly quail
lied 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 child's account. But now she
began seriously to contemplate it. She
feared she must get rid of Biddy. Now
n a she had no occupation to take her
abroad-and, alas! the was no chance
of her having such occupation any more
was no real reason why she
not wash and dress her own
child, and take her out TO walk in the
fields, as Biddy had done. Well-Biddy
must go. She would easily find a better
place. if not a kinder mistress. And
the tears dropped fast from Mrs. Jacks
eyes, and trickled down over the knuck-
les with which she was indenting her
face.
But it must not be supposed that the
tears were all for Biddy. Biuuy was
a faithful, kind-hearted girl, and Mrs.
Jack vas grieved at the thought OF
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 hopefulncss which belongs to