The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-01-11

found himself set out in the street
through the rascality Of bank cashier.
his mother was the first to appear on the
scene with a hearty welcome for the dis
tracted couple, who We're invited to con
slider her home theirs forever. That had
happened more than a year before. just
about Thanksgiving time. Sad day Of
thanks it was, too. for the young mer-
chant and his hopeful bride, but tho
next. just past, had been little better for
the happiness it brought to Anna Allen.
No; the year had less than half slipped
bY before she regretted that her husband
had not taken the hard headed advice of
certain people to seek a position that
would bring in enough to supply board
for two. Instead John Allen rented u
window and store near his old stand and
tried to hold his head up as 4 principal
until the day of settlement.
when the bank comes to my relief"
he would say cheerfully, ''even if it's
only so cents on the dollar. | can go
right ahead from where left off. But
II / take clerkship now | will have to
drop all my trade, and then I'd have to
begin at the very bottom again.
II think you are right. John. and your
Uncle Henry says so, too" was Mother
Aliens stereotyped comment Whenever
this argument was urged in the family
counsels.
This dependence had seemed all right
10 the young wife for few weeks. but
at the end Of three or four months. when
the bank officials offered no settlement
and the return Of fortune seemed as far
off as ever before, she began to feel her
position keenly. She had taught school
short time before her marriage and
knew what it was to be independent
John Allen had always lived on his peo-
pie and was set up in business on capital
furnished by the family. The country
folks where Anna had taught and board
ed round said of the match, Shell be
the gray mare OF that team. for she has
gumption enough for two"
So it was neither n sudden nor an -x-
trayagant notion which Anna Allen held
poised in mind during those early De
cember days.
The summer holidays just passed had
brought to Anna Allen chance for es-
cape from the mental tortures OF her po-
sition The editor of The Daily Monitor
engaged her to take charge of u small
department while its rightful head was
away on q vacation. The pay WAS mea-
ger, and much Of it went for car fares
searching for material to use III her col
umns, but she had workei leruicaily for
success. This she achieved. aud when
she drew her last pay for work done as
substitute the editor turned to her kind
ly and said:
"MrS. Allen. we don't want to lose You.
/ You have done This work we'll. and II you
! think il worth while you may keep this
children'> page for the present Miss
/ Merrill can have other work.
/ thus il happened that Thanksgiving
had found her still filling th. place &C
ceptably. and when everybody WAS look
ing forward to the changes of the com
ing year dream of what Il aew woman
and slender capital can do to,,k lodg-
ment in her brain. Having once ruter-
tanned the idea. to think with herr was
to act. and she backed the resolution
by hard work.
She was often late to dinner. II fact
that called forth wondering looks from
Mother Allen. But the simple word
"Detained by business" spoken in hcr
frank and honest way, shut of all com
ment- John was duly anxious that his
wife keep what his mother called proper
hours, even though she worked at an un
conventional calling. The mother had