Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-09-05
70E HAD been sent by one of the

NN y HAD Oeen sent Dy one OF the
J6I large downtown stores to lay q
90 carpet in the spare bedroom. BE
whistled merrily-in the intervals
when his mouth was not full Of tacks-
and although his face was lined with
care. there was good-natured twinkle
In his eye and he went about his work
as one who enjoyed 1t.
The young mistress Of the house had
come into the room and was watching
him from the window seat. the only
available resting place In the room.
Her frame Of mind was Of the deepest
cerulean hue. and she considered her
self an exceptionally unfortunate
woman. Her husband had that morn
ing informed her that, owing to unex-
pected reverses In business, they would
not be able to 60 to the seashore, as
they had planned to do. and. in fact,
they could not leave the city. but must
be content this year to test the attrac-
tto0s Of St Louis as q summer re-
sort There would be nothing to do,
therefore, In the way Of recreation but
to ride over the well-known bOulevards
and attend the theater once In a while
The dressmaker who had been engaged
to plan and make a number Of fetch
Ing gowns and other CONNECTIONS"
must be informed that her services
would not be needed, and altogether
the mistress Of the house considered
this life to be a very disappointing af-
fair. one which. when taken all In ALL
was by NO means worth the trouble
Of living.
Ghs watched the man In moody 81
lence. Why did he take any interest
In his occupation? How could he be
happy when for him the future evil
IDENTIFY contained nothing but work
She wondered how life appeared as
seen through his eyes. She felt like
talking to him; she wanted to learn
something Of his history; but there was
the rat-tat-tat Of the hammer to drown
an conversation. even had he been able
to sUeak distinctly with the tacks In
his mouth.
When bis task was nearly finished.
and when he was pouring the last re
naming tacks from the paper into his
Have you q large family Of chill
drsnr
mo children at all. ma'am. and 1
guess IT'S a blessing I haven't the way
things have turned out" he replied
cheeFfuIly.
you have had some trouble in sup
porting yourself. then. 1 concludeY
Myself? Gracious! 1t wouldn't
be any trouble to provide for myself.
Anythings good enough for me. But
yoa 50 all my life long I've had some
body on my hands to take care of.
I was Just q small kid. though l was
the oldest Of fve, when my father died.
Then mother said:
:Joa, you are a little fellow, but
you mnst do what you can to support
the other children And 80 I went to
wort, and you might say never was
Q child from that minute. Then
mother she married again. because she
thought 1t would be better for us chill.
dren. she said. My stepfather was q
g0od-hearted man. but not one that
ever could set the river aflre, and after
awhile he met with an accident that
crippled him for life, and had him on
my hands, too. The other children
grew up and married OF, but none of
'em ever seemed to have a place In
their homes or any money for father
and mother. was the Oldest, you
know. and they'd got into the habit
like Of depending on me. guess 1t
was nothing more than natural that
they should.
'-Then Aunt Jane. my stepfather's
oldest sister. came from Iowa on q
visit. She was considerably drawed
up with rheumatism. and she said she
thought the trip would do her good.
That was ten years ago. and she Is
with US yet"
"Why, you have no right to sup
port her. She Is not related to you in
the slightest degree"
That's so. but then, she amt related
to my brothers and sisters, either, DO
they couldn't be expected to take her.
She has no money. no other relatives
Of her own. and no place else to 60. |
Naturally. I've got to look after her.
Shed be heap more agreeable, |
though. II she wasn't 10 cranky and |
fond Of finding fault. II the tea is
green she wishes 1t was black, and II |
It's black, she's sorry faint green, aud |
so on. But, then, we all have our |
faults" he placed a tack on the |
edge Of the carpet and hammered II in.
II should think any home would be
unpleasant that contained such
woman" remarked the mistress Of the
Al &i- % H.
had subsiced.
He smiled. well, with her remarks
and with father and mother always
hectoring more or less, our place amt
always what you'd call gay. But I've
found that the best way to be happy
ID not to think too much about yes
terday. but get all the good you can
out Of to-day. And there's a good deal
that's pleasant to be found, after all,
II we'll only look for It,"
ut is not surprising that you were
not able to morry." she said. ignoring
his philosophy.
"Oh, but l am marriedv' and hie
rugged features were Illuminated by
Q brilliant smile. Then he drove in
another tack.
with four grown people to support
two Of them invalids-you must have
. hard life, no matter how you look at
II, and yet you struck me, somehow.
~ being a very happy man."
And 20 l am." he returned, still
smiling. The richest man in st. Louis
or Mckinley himself amt any happier
than I am this day. could sing at
uAs top Of my voice. could even