Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-22

Don't mother Please?" said Dot, as
she poured the fragant tea.
ooh they're just joking US, Dot.
Didn't you see them wink?" persisted
Dick merrily while serving the steak,
potatoes and gravy.
"Its no joke to be cooped up like this,
to ennybody that's ever had ennything;
as | said to Mrs. Hardy, jest afore
supper" snorted Mrs. Stevens gulping
down her tea.
mo, an its no joke, Richard, to be
held down by others" retorted tie
elder Mrs. Hardy, the bit of steak at the
end Of her fork trembling in unison
with the quiverlng frills at the edge of
her cap.
But Dick rallied them again and
again until the old ladies, despite them
selves, melted into an attitude, suffi-
GENTLY tolerative to permit Of each par
taking of hearty meal. Then as usual,
from long habit, they scourged the dis
tracted couple for time with their per-
sonal ailments; Haunted the asperities
OF life without competence and ampli-
tude, such as was their wont in their
own good old days; upraided Dick and
Dot because the farmhome, up the Hud-
son, had not already been secured as
had long ago been promised; made Bob
and Nellie very miserable about their
manners and their books; and finally,
by accident, hit upon their ever blessed
recourse Of wrangling upon the ex-
haustless subjects of Justification" and
immersion" which were still bitterly
upon their poor old lips as they closed
in slumber in their little single beds at
opposite sides Of the "bestroom;" giving
Dick and Dot longed-for opportunity TO
stow away the children in the folding
bed in the same room near the dining
room door, push the table over against
the mantle, pile the chairs upon it, and
let down from the partition wall their
own creaking folding bed for the night.
"Now Dot, dear, for that plan Of
yours" said Dick eagerly when they
were alone. "Do you know, that thrust
about the farm nearly broke my heart.
After we had paid $1,000, and $500
more would have saved it Its awful,
Dotl"
"Ts the mortgagel foreclosed, Dick p"
mo; but might as well be. Four
hundred dollars or four hundred cents,
II is all the same"
"Dick, are you brave man? FL mean
morally brave, dear?"
TRY me, auG .ee."
"If asked you 10 sacrifice something,
something almost as dear to your heart,
to your very life, as your children, as
as your wife, Dick, do you think you
could do it, now; now, husband, when
there might be happiness, prosperity,
| perhaps even the little farm vet, for us,
where the old folks might have little
we'll, just little more room, Dick; and
where we could at least be safe from this
horror of deception, of want, Of being
turned into the very street, Dickl Could
you? Would you ?"
She had never talked like this to him
before; and he looked at the little mite
Of woman beside him in amazement.
| But he also rubbed his glasses furiously
and nodded his head determinedly.
She tripped into the kitchen and
almost instantly returned with curious
little, apparently legless, table in her
hand. With few dextrous movements
its hinged, crossed legs came into place
with click, Its hinged, detached, stout
cross bar Joined, and with little jump,
she landed herself in sitting posture
upon it.
"Is'nt it lovely, Dick? And stout +?
My Just see herep' She gave herself
a vigorous shake. "Did little sewing
for Mrs. Jack Plane, eleventh floor
front, and her husband-he's cabinet
maker, Dick-made this for me; l mean
| for you. Dick"
chocolates? Jumping frogs? Sea-
beansH Jewelry? Playing cards |?
Lamp-chimney cleaners? Horse-radish i?
What what line, Dot?" he inquired
lugubriously.
She pointed to huge piles of books
upon shelves above the doorways, piled
upon the mantel, dangerously crowded
upon the top of the folding bed and
stacked high, where the book case had
been, along the hallway partition wall
"Gewhillikins |!
Richard Hardy, literator, sprang into
the circumscribed atmosphere of his
little dining room as though an explo-
sion had occurred in Eighth Floor, Rear,
fiat below.
By the time he was on his feet again,
Dot had one arm around him and was
leading the dazed writer to this pile of
books and that; but the poor fellow
could not see rightly for a little, and
with her plan.
81 knew II would almost break your
heart, Dick; not the standing in the
street-you're too much of man 10 be
ashamed of that letting your
treasures go into other hands; almost as
if they were Bob and Nellie, Dick.
Dear, dear old books How we have
loved them But l knew, in this dread
full hard times choice of sacrifices, you'd
only have toto think of it, Just once,
Dick. Why, you must have paid thous-
ands of dollars for them. have been
all over them; just S14 volumes. And
just look here, husband! I've got all
these pretty price-marks lettered and
ready. Some of these single volumes
ought to pay months rent of this flat.
Landlords pressing us too, Dick. And
l found some real little curios, il the
right folks only come along. No use at
the 'second-hands.' Dick, dear, forgive
mel but I've tried them; just to get
prices, you know. Not buyin', nom;
nor sellin' neitherp was the reply from
all. But along Printing House Square,
or Park Row, or around there some
where, Dick, there are just oceans of
editors and lawyers. Why, Dick, they're
always buying books; good books. And
here's nice oilcloth I've hemmed and
got ready, in case it sleets or SHOWS.
You won't mind little snow, now that
you've got that lovely Irish frieze, will
you, Dick2 The pockets will be just
lovely for little volumes and lunches
And Dick, dear, best of all, here's a
whole dollar-a little mending for
Seventh Floor, Rear, dear-to start
withp'
She had not dared to look up at him,