Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-12-14

poT-At houoekeeplnG. In Drawing neT 1oTts
was line; but domesticity was not in her
line, Notwithstanding.
To add to her difficulties, the butcher
from Mool-which was Eve miles of--only
visited Slumberworth once week. Reggie
endured timed meat and boiled sggs for
three days, and then rebelle3.
At two o'clock in the afternoon Carissa
decided to drive alone into Mool and buy
some meat. It would be q pleasant surprise
;or Reggie on his return from Haymcuth.
to which he had gone for the day to meet
friend. We have already implied that
they were an original couple.
She bought some pounds-several pounds
of beefstsak, sufficient to ration starving
company. At the evening meal it appeared
that il to ray, ~ much of it a. their land.
lady felt entitled to spare them
Clarissa watched anxioualy a. Reggie
| raised his knife. my favorits steak!" he
said, wei pleased. After few minutes she
began to hum q song. When she had I'm
| ished three verses she looked troubled. Reg
| gle was still carving.
"Hanr it, it's tough" he said, at
length. after q succession of futile efforts
to divide their portions. He was wreteAed-
" hungry.
That's just what acked the landlady
to do, dear" Clarissa answered, timidly.
| ffWhen gave it to her to day at four o'clock
| told her to be sure to hang it WELT"
One action of Clarissa's nearly brought
disaster in its train. 1t was Reggie's fault
~ she said explainedly afterwards, for net
telling her. She informed Reggie that it
was only right to encourage local enter.
prise. She felt that it was her duty to deal
It tho village grocer's. It might possibly
be more expensive than sending direct t.
the stores, but the Slumberworth peopll
were nice, and, anyway, even if they did
lose little, they could always put it down
as charity. Reggie grinned but said moth
ing when he heard her gravely order q quar-
ter Of pound of the best loaf sugar few
minutes afterwards.
When 1t appeared-four minute Jumps anl
bill for halfpenny-he shrieked with un
comfortable laughter. But Clarissa did ne
laugh She went upstairs.
For the first time in her happy, careless
. youth she wept bitter tears. She began II
write q letter home; she told her mothe
how dreadfully, dreadfully, dreadfully, sh
missed her and the girls. Then "a
looked up suddenly round the little diAit!
, bedroom and saw shooting stick OF Aes
eie's lying ON the floor with . yawninI
chasm of hole disclosed.
She heard him whistling in the lowe
room. Presently he came upstairs. On tn
dressing table his round military" .haiz
brushes were lying alongside her silver enc
!, - Something which abe did not quit
understand gripped at her heartstring an
4 stirred her curiously.
a A moment later he banged at the doc
: and demanded admittance with an air Of ur
: mistakable mastery, tempered by q SINGER
q repentance. She opened it with qnee
: Sense of unaccustomed shyness. But ther
were tears-happy tears, more than littl
proud and feminine In her eyss-and b
'' asked the reason for them and seolded h
A. he kissed them away.
ooh, they're only because" she said.
It was 4 woman's reason, and Reggie a
II dirt and reproached himself for his unkin'
# ness. He did not understand, of cours
|. When did man ever?-Black and White.