The labor world., 1899-12-30
BOTTLES. |
A Victim of Prosperity.

gI...s-E'a
.''There, Bootles! Another seven-and
sixpenny worth of useless dog!"
She had said the same thing every
January for eight years: it was q
standing joke between her and Bottles
but they never tired of it,, being one
OF, those exquisite satires whose bril-.
liance is not dimmed by time
tOnce more 1 am: licensed to keer
'one dog, and you may wink impudent.
ly at the, next policeman you meet
he can't say anything to you It's been
a hard matter to find the shillings, but
not SO bad as some years." -
And the leaping Bootles, perfect
embodiment Of joyous welcome, spoke
love and thanks enough to repay a
much dearer tax. and as he actively
superintended the preparation; of their
tea, he was the happiest dog in the
world. ..Ejs5 s@ t,t,@ nj
/ Yet they 4, had; known vicissitudes
these two friends, since he had beer
given to her-a foolish, ecstatic, romp.
ing pup-eight years ago, by the board
er downstairs. 81 &ce..E5 ceSE5 -.i i.33.z
She had been i'll sometimes and not
sable to go to business: for weeks OF
even months, and this meant hard
times for both. But Bottles; whether
lean :.or fat, bore their ,reverses with
cheerful patience and loved her dearly
through them all. He also loved one
other, the lodger next door In the dull
cheap street, who had been formerly
the border downstairs. .,a44. @$..3%s
His mistress and this man were botf
something in the city; they went
together every morning, and a tender
friendship flourished between them thai
was hardly hopeful enough to be called
love-. For they were both SO poor an6
struggling that marriage looked il a:
far off as heaven. There was a sort q
understanding between them that wher
his income reached a hundred and fifty
a year they should marry. but the,
rarely alluded to such an impossible
future and worked on to meet the ne.
cessities Of each day, .i5s
Such discipline made the man strong.
er and more patient, but the woman
rebelled; she was younger, with a con:
stitution that could i'll bear the strair
Of daily drudgery: 1t tired her, and
some times a sharp word betrayed this
for she was naturally sweet tempered
But her friend-ay, anG Bottles too
understood this well, cheering her witt
love. and every little thoughtful kind.
ness that affection could suggest. Al
first sight there does not seem much
that one aIoiler can 40 for another, bul
In numberless unobtrusive ways hi
1SsI .1,1s k1.4 H,rv1 80 Fo
I Because he could do no great things
John Sinclair was all the more faithful
in little services, but Bottles rejoiceG
in them both with no divided mind, anc
for once the old adage concerning the
unsuitabi1ity of three was made null
and void. Il .. ,:-...-; -. + a,
Eight times this harmonious trio ha6
seen the old year die into the new, anG
perhaps only Bootles knew, how happy
they really were, how dear the com
panionship was in spite of toll and
poverty, and the. strict economy which
made Bootles keep his bone preserve
as much a secret from Predatory cats
as he could The only feline thing hi
tolerated was the landlady's kitten, but
perhaps that was mere policy, for he
was a knowledgable dog, understand.
ing the blind side of elderly ladies'
Eight times his tax had been insisted
upon by an implacable government, and
then there came a change. Lucy's
uncle-also something in the city, but a
very moneyed something-lost his wife
and knowing that for at least a year
the etiquette of grief prevented his TAX
;ve h S,,11op1xy fn fvoT
his poor relation, remembering that she
was ladylike and pleasant to look at.
He actually invaded the cheap street
which until then had never contained
so expensive person since it was made
and seemed to gild Lucy's shabby room
with the superauous atmosphere OF
wealth which he threw off as though
unable to consume it on the premises
Without wasting much time or many
words he told her she could come and
keep his country house for him, and be
mistress of it during the present year
If she wished, and that he would give
her suitable allowance for such po-
sition.
you must dress well, Of course" he
said, with glance that withered up
her frock. There are visitors always
coming and going at my place, and you
must be up to the mark. You won't
know yourself in we'll made clothes and
little good jewelry."
Hardly. waiting for her answer he
wasaoff in the whirlwind Of his self
satisfaction, never dreaming that she
could hesitate over such handsome
offer; nor in truth did she, for 1t meant
practically, year of rest, of change
and even luxury. She was so jaded
that the mere anticipation Of such
things seemed new life to her; she
gloried in them until she remembered
John Sinclair and the difference her
going would make to him. The part
ing would be heavier to bear for the
one left behind in the old drudgery
and she saw the patient face grow
paler as she told him. But for hel
sake he tried to be very cheerful.
cit will do you no end of good" he
said, land we can write to each othe,
of course we can both write frequent.
ly' I suppose you will leave Bootles
with me?"
But she was quite indignant at this
mo, indeed! I can't spare him
Where go Rootles goes. Uncle Marsh
said I might bring him."
So in a very little while John Sin.
clair got leave of absence for an hour
to see Lucy off by the Brighton train
m