The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-04-05
THE OLD CLOCK.

AONU al u COttubo 10 NcIy oWOC0 ~
adrst, but when chinks come in the cot
Ttage wall and the winter wind rises and
blows through then there must be bought
plaster to fill in the chinks, for love.
like many another sweet when exposed
too much to the air. sours.
When Mamie Kent was pretty, sim
&gle girl, people shook their heads and
warned her against listening to the suit
of Harry Dean. He was only poor
'tteamster and had nothing but his week.
iy wages. She lived at home with her
mother, helping her do the plain sewing
which the neighborhood required and
occasionally hiring out to help the farm
ers' wives at harvest time
So the two young folks were equally
poor and equally without expectations,
but when did love ever hesitate at cir
scpmstances like these? All his old, SUBJ
tile arguments are known. They were
used in this case.
1.-THE cottage that is large enough for
two is large enough for three The add
ed advantage of the mans wages will
more than offset the additional expense
of his keep The responsibility of wife
and home will make man frugal and
thrifty"
All these arguments were used to JUS
fifty and further the suit of Harry Dean.
1t is so easy for love to convince love
that love should be INDUCED So the
old arguments were successful, as usual,
and the young people were married.
Who can tell of the bliss of those first
few months, while love grew and rip
ened between the two hearts; when even
the stinting and saving were pleasure,
and sacrifice was pleasant because die
stated by love? Harry worked hard, be-
cause now he had such a real purpose in
working. BY dint Of doing overtime he
made some extra money, which all went
ITO swell the little hoard which they
Were laying by for rainy day, and they
were happy hours which the old kitchen
clock licked awaya it stood on the white
floor and beamed over the household.
Mamie communed much with the
'old timepiece about noon and supper
time She would look at its smiling
face and then listen till she heard O step
ON the walk and the CHEEKY voice of
Harry at the door.
Even the first grief that fell on the
household was made sweet to Nannio
by the consciousness that there was a
loved one sharing it with her.
1t'was just six weeks before her little
one came that Nannie's mother died
md. left void in the home that the ad.
vent of the little stranger only partly
diIed.
The baby was a boy, and they named
az Harry for its proud father. There
were some things tho little one didn't
xxnye which it might have had had not
so n1uch of the parents savings gone to
pay tine grandmother doctors bills and
fnneral expenses But he thrived and
grew vigorous and hardy. He was past
q year old and had begun to toddle
about when the darkest days they had
ever known came to the Dean household.
Love in his arguments had proved an
arrant fallacist. He omitted so many
contingencies which might arise when
the object he urged was eliminated.
HehhaG failed to tell Mamie how Harry
might fall sick and lose work and leave
her with three mouths to feed. 1t was
nj the most discouragng time, too
near the closing down of winter 1t
seemed very hard that typhoid should
take Harry just then, just when his
strong arm and tho result Of his labor
were SO much needed, when the family
treasury was so greatly depleted, when
the stoves needed coal. and the baby
woolensL No wonder that Nannie's
heart grew heavy when she saw the task
that was set for her hands to do. But |
she took up the struggle bravely, as
only a woman can whose great love has
made her heroic There was tho baby |
to tend, Harry to nurse and the living
to make. Through many days she sat
sewing by her husbands bed, while the
baby played on the floor, and at night,
when the little one was asleep, she
Joined the double duties of gaining
overtime Oh her stitches and watching |
the invalid's feverish slumbers. Now
and then a neighbor dropped in to re-
lieve her, but moro often her vigils !