The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-12-16
Fer husbands ~
u ~ Relations.
BY Amy Randolph.
ST T is your own faunIt, Clara, said
Walter May.

r is your own faunIt, Clara, said
Walter May.
eionately stamping her foot on the car
"Of course it is" cried out Clara, pas
pet. DO you suppose l don't know it
perfectly well? And that is what
makes it so hard-oh. so cruelty hard
to bear"
The fact was that Mr. and Mrs. Wal
ter May had begun life at the wrong
end,
Clara Calthorpe was a pretty young
girl, just out Of the hotbed atmosphere
of fashionable boarding school. Wal
ter May was a bank clerk who had not
the least doubt but that he should III
timately make his fortune out of stocks
and bonds.
Clara" he said to the young wife
while the golden circle of the honey
moon was yet overshadowing their lives,
'would you like country life?"
"Oh. dear, mo-" said Clara, involun-
tariIy recoiling.
Because" said Walter, somewhat
wistfully, my father and mother are
alone on the old farm. and l think they
would like to have US come and live
with them
81 shouldn't like it at all" said Clara,
"and mamma says that no young bride
should ever settle down among her hus-
bands relations"
Mr.. May frowned a little, but Mrs.
Clara had a pretty positive way Of her
own, and he demonstrated no further.
But at the years end Walter May had
lost his situation. the clouds of debt had
gathered darkly around them, and all
the pretty new furniture, Eastiake cab
inets, china dragons, proof engravings
and dollhouse plants were sold under the
red flag. They had made complete
failure of the housekeeping business, and
now in the fourth story of a third-rate
hotel Mr.. and Mrs. Walter May were
looking their future in the face
Clara had been extravaganza There
was no sort of doubt about that. She
had given "recherche" little parties.
which she couldn't afford. to people who
didn't care for her. She had patterned
LlNI Nll4N tSl VI SlIllVlll dlltI HlOutlS
which were far beyond her reach, and
now they were ruined.
She had sent tcaT-DesDrinkled letter
TO her mother. who was in Washington
trying to ensEare a rich husband for
her younger daughter, but Mrs. Cal
thorpe had hastily written back that it
was quite impossible for her to be in
New York at that time of year and still
more impossible to receive Mrs. Walter
May at the monster hotel where she was
boarding. And Clara. who had always
had a vague idea that her mother was
selfish was quite certain of it now.
"There is but one thing left for you,
Clara" said Walter, sadly.
And that"
rs to go back to the old farm. have
no longer a home to offer you. but you
will be sure of a warm welcome from
my father and mother. shall remain
here and do my best to obtain some new
situation which will enable me to earn
our daily bread"
Clara burst into tears.
$50 to my husbands relations?" she
sobbed. "Oh. Walter. cannot!"
"You will have to-" he said, doggedly,
-'or else starve."
SO Mrs. May packed up her trunk and
obeyed. And all the way to Hazelcopse
farm she cried behind her veil and pic
tured to herself a stony-faced old man
with a virago of j wife, who would set
her to doing mental tasks and over
whelm her with reproaches for having
Guined poor, dear Walter" AS for the
farmhouse itself she was quite sure it