The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-10-12
Earning His Bride by the
Sweat of His Brow
By Tom Hall.
By Tom Hall

rThe eccentric aunt of Laura Marsh, be-
fore she will consent to the marriage of her
niece with Ned Wilson, requires them to
carry out whimsical plan she has formed.
which she calls ian experimental wooing."
The plan is that the two young people un-
der the eyes of herself. her already mar
ried niece and her husband. Jane and Alex
Kelsey (christened by her the Utter Fall
ures," because of their frivolous tenden-
ces), shall practice housekeeping in cot
tage provided by her, from breakfast un-
III supper time each day, returning to their
respective homes In the evening. They are
live and pay all expenses on an allowance
1t the rate Of 81 900 year, Laura to at
tend to the work of the household. assist
"a BY one servant, and Ned to engage in
rome useful occupation. such money as he
earns to be given to the poor. If at the
end Of the summer they are not tired Of
each other and stand the further test of
SEPARATION. to which she will then subject
than. she will give her consent. At the
tine Of this reading, the plan is already in
eperation. Cicely Brown, a young Vas
ar graduate, interested in sociologic stud
rs and author of a Monograph on Domes-
te Service" being engaged as maid of all
work. Ned Wilson, one of the subjects
u the experiment. is the narrator]
THERE was but one thing to mar
our complete enjoyment of our
sunts whim. That was the propri-
etary interest which she and the utter
Failures" took in it. They were omni-
present.
We could be alone in peace and quiet
nowhere. In fact, between the three
OF them ! had little or no time to pay
{ any OF the ordinary devotions to Laura
On one of those few occasions when
found such time I was rudely inter
upted by Aunt Alice.
Ned she asked. show much of your
allowance have you spent SO far?"
! had to confess that did not know
and when are you going to get tc
work. she continued. I could not
make answer in this case, either. had
nfgoften all about it.
The next day went forth in search
q work. commenced with the higher
eades OF business. as a matter o1
course. | found, however, that M
oank presidents were needed at thai
ume; that merchants did not at tha,
rtlcular moment require manager
lor their affairs; that even the mos
aOie lawyers did not require senior
partner, who had never been admitted
0 the bar; and that the most abl,
PHYSICIAN in town could attend to hi
Practice with the aid of a couple O
young doctors.
Inc next day l aimed lower. sim
~ had to. l went in for lower posi-
IONS. even offered myself as clerl
one OF the stores. 1t was useless.
s.ns down through the various grade
with equal success, or rather lack of it
f'naily approached the coal and WOO,
-. nm 70 whom had just paid stee]
WI ior coal for our own house. l sup
Ne ne thought me crazy. He told m
i vas not strong enough to do any o
" Work ne had to do. But after hat
p'eaoed with him awhile he made m
= : oner-actually made me an offer
.e even went SO far as to give me
slc.ce OF work. He told me that
s0au go to work at once driving a Goa
son' or that he could give me
nance to earn at least some money b
"ing wood. He had to depend ON
~ loafers around town to saw WOO
,01 MIN, and, as a rule, they wer
snk IS when he most wanted them. H
- not believe l would get drunk. an
: soslu, y therefore, give me the contrac
g Ill his wood-sawing. l thank
ay acccepted the offer, and agree
. l % disappoint him. The matte
oneration was easily settled, an,
]. i eed to his first offer, which SCENE
! : p'ease him. 1t really did not matte
g whatever l earned was.to q
- sty. oand If the amount was no
,.ant % satisfy Aunt Alice, coul
make it up out of my own pocke,