Evening star., 1896-11-28

Edna" cried her father. peremptorily.
ARE you hungry"
NO. father"
'Sure?'
''Quite sure. am not In the least hun
| gry''
Then go to bed"
| Edra came around the table to where her
| stepmother sat and kissed her ON the
| cheek.
Good night" she said
| Coed night my poor child" murmured
Mrs. Sartwell with a sigh.
| The girl kissed her father, whispering as
she did SO:
I'm afraid I'm your little girl again by
the way you order me on to bed.
You win always be my little girl to me-
| my DEAR he said. Good night"
| Mrs. Sartwell sighed again as Edna
closed the door.
| II suppose" she said, "you think it
! fair to me to speak in whispers to Edna
| when l am in the room. or you wouldn't
90 it. How you can expect the child to
nave any respect for me when you allow
| her to whisper"
| You know there is always something to
| eat in the house"
Mrs. Sartwells lips trembled as she
folded her work methodicaIly, inclosing
| needle. thinble and various paraphernalia
Of sewing in the bundle. placing it exact
ly where it should be in the work basket.
| The keys jingled at her waist rs she rose
| Il am ready, and always have been, to
| 1t. Perhaps expect TOO much, but think
you might ask for it civilly. If you treat
! your men as you do your wife. it's no Won
| der they strike"
Sartwell made no reply, sitting there with
his eyes closed until his wife, with Quaver
| In her voice. told him his supper was ready
| 1t was plentiful spread. with choice of
beer or spirits to drink: for one of Sart-
wells weaknesses was the belief that to
work well man must eat we'll. Although
his wife did not believe in nor approve of
| this pampering, she nevertheless provided
we'll for hiiE, for is not a woman helpless
In such a case?
Turf ing over her sewing and signing al
most inaudibly to it, she remarked, quiet
"As I said to Mrs. Hope when she call
Said to whom?" snapped Sartwell, turn
ing round suddenly.
IN my callers. 1 suppose 1 am allowed to
have some private friends of my own. SILL
| II you wish me to sit in the house all day
| alone you have but to say so, and 1 will
obey"
Dent talk nonsense. If you can help it.
| What was Mrs Hope doing here?"
She was calling on me-.
Quite so. 1 think 1 understand that
| much. What was her mission? What par
| ticular fad was on this time?"
Il should think you would be ashamed to
speak like that about your employers wife
when she did your wife the honor to con-
suit her."
About what? That is the point 1 want to
get at"
"Ah" CLINT of anger came into Sart-
| wells eyes. and his wife looked at him
with some CIeasiness.
Mrs. Hope is woman who goes about
doing good. She is much interested in the
men at the works. and thinks of calling
en- their wives and families to see for her.
self how they live. She thinks perhaps
something may be done for them
dee she?"
si. She said she hoped you considered the
And you answered that not having any
consideration for my own, it was not likely
that l would give much thought to the
| wives and families of the men,"
II didn't say so but 1 thought it,
! Admirable self-restraint Now. look
here. Sarah. you're playing with fire, and
haven't the sense to know 1t. Mrs. Hope
| Is meddling. hysterical fool. and"
You wouldn't dare say that to your en-
ploysr"
| or your caliber can live for years with a
| man and not begin to understand him.
The trouble is that 1 shall say just that
| to call him. the moment his wife puts her
| finger in the pie. Then what follows?"
You will lose your situation
Exactly. Or. to put it more truthfully,
| l resign-I walk out into the street"
You surely would do nothing so foolish :"
That follows instantly when am COM
PEELED to give Mr.. Hope my opinion re-
garding his domestic relations. Then what
VIII become Of your income? VIII Mrs.
Hope contribute, do you think? Do you
aspire to place on her charity list? The
result of your gossip today may be that 1
shall be looking for another situation to-
morrow"
Mrs. Sartwell had been weeping during
the latter part of this harangue
1t Is always me- she sobbed, that is
TO blame FOR everything wrong. Your hasty
sG fn,,l
you made me more of a confidante in your
aftairs-other men consult their wives bet
| ter men than you. and richer than you will
| ever be-; Mrs. Hope says that her hus-
Il don't want to hear any more about
Mrs. Hope
You insisted on talking about her. 1
didn't want to say anything, but YOU cross
questioned me till had to- and now you
blame me-"
Very well. Let it rest there. Bring me
| jug of milk. II you please"
You are surely not going to drink milk
after beer?"
Il claim the liberty of British subject
| drink"
Get the milk or tell ne where to get il. :.
Mrs. Swartell always arose when her hus-
band offered to help himself from the lar
der She placed the jug of milk at his ell
bow.
I've got a number of things to think
over, he said. Il want to be alone'
She stood by the table looking at him.
Good night, john" she faltered at last
Good night" he answered.
She gazed at him reproachfully in silence
but he did not raise his head, so, turning
at last. with deep sigh, she left him to
his meGitations.
Sartwel sat there, with deep anxiety on
his brow. Silence fell on all the house At
last the master reused himself and turned
to the table. He buttered two slices of
bread and cut piece of dainty cake
placing them on a plate with drinking
glass. Lighting a candle and turning out
the gas, he set himself to the acroba tic
feat of carrying plate. jug and candle
First, he softly opened the door and kicked
on his slippers. Awkwardly laden, he
mounted the stairs with the stealthy tread
of burglar, but. in spite Of his precau-
uons. the stairs creaked ominously in the
stiffness. He noiselessly entered a ROOM
and. placing the difficult load on q table
softly closed the door. When the light
shone on the sleeping girls face, she
opened her eyes very wide, then covered
them with her hand. laughing a quiet,
sleepy little laugh, and buried her face in
the white pillow.
"H-s-sh,' said her father.
Instantly she was wide awake.
Il was afraid you were hungry, after
ALL he whispered.
Il wasn't then, really, but am now,
little"
That's good"
He placed a small, round gypsy table near