Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-01-03
CLARA'S CONVERSION.

carpet. do you suppose don't know
it perfectly well? And that is what
makes it so hard-oh, SO cruelty hard
to bear!"
The fact was that Mr.. and Mrs. Wal
ter May had begun life at the wrong
end.
Clara Calthorpe was pretty young
girl, just out of the hotbed atmosphere
of fashionable boarding school. Wal
ter May was bank clerk who had not
the least doubt but that he should ul-
timately make his fortune out of
stocks and bonds.
Clara" he had said to his young
wife while the golden circle of the
honeymoon was yet overhadowing
their lives, would you like a country
life?"
''Oh, dear, no." said Clara, involun-
tarily recoiling.
Because" said Walter, some
what wistfully, my father and
mother are alone on the old farm,
and l think they would like to have
us come and live with them.'
Il shouldn't like it at ALL" said
Clara, "and mamma says no young
bride should ever settle down among
her husbands relations"
Mr.. May frowned little, but Mrs
Clara had pretty positive way of her
own, and he demonstrated no further.
But at the years end Walter May
had lost his situation, the clouds of
debt had gathered darkly around
them, and all the pretty, new furni-
ture, Eastlake cabinets, china dragons,
proof engravings and hothouse plants
were sold under the red flag. They
had made complete failure of the
housekeeping business, and now, in
the fourth story of third-rate hotel,
Mr. and Mrs. Walter May were looking
their future in the face
Clara had been extraxagant. There
was no sort of doubt about that. She
had given recherche little parties,
which she couldn't afford, to people
who didn't care for her. She had pat
termed her tiny establishment after
moIels which were far beyond her
reach and now they were ruined.
She had sent a ear-besprinkled let
ter to her mother, who was in Wash
ingtoD trying to ensnare a rich husband
for her younger daughter but Mrs.
Calthorpe had hastily written back
that it was quite impossible for her to
be in New York at that time of year,
and still more impossible to receive
Mrs. Walter May at the monster hotel
where she was boarding. And Clara
who had always had a vague idea that
\ -,
tain of it now.
There is but one thing left for you,
Clara said Walter, sadly.
"And that"
rs to go back to the old farm. |
have no longer home to offer you,
but you will be sure Of
warm welcome from my father and
mother. | shall remain here and do
my best to obtain some new situation
which will enable me to earn our daily
bread"
Clara burst into tears.
Go to my husbands relations?" she
sobbed. "Oh, Walter. cannot"
''You will have to-" he said dogged-
ly, ''or else starve!'
So Mrs. May lacked up her trunk
and obeyed. And all the way to Hazel
copse Farm: she cried behind her veil
and pictured to herself a stony-faced
old man with virago of wife, who
would set her to doing menial tasks
and overwhelm her with reproaches
for having ruined poor dear Walter"
AS for he farmhouse itself she was
70 lata nIa Wi !,
corn and potatoes growing under the
very windows. and the road in front
filled with cows and pigs and harrows
and broken cart wheels. But in the
midst of her tears and desolation the
driver called out:
"Hazelscopse FARM Mr.. Noah
Mays! Here's tn 'ouse. ma'am."
long. low, gray stone mansion, all
garlanded with ivy. its windows
bright with geranium blossoms and
the scarlet autumn leaves raining down
on the velvet-smooth lawn in front.
Clara could just see how erroneous had
been all her preconceived ideas, when
she found herself clasped in arms
of the sweetest and most motherly of
old ladies.
"My poor dear!" said Mrs. May ca
ressingly.
"You are as welcome as the sunshine.
daughter said n smiling old gentle
man in spectacles.
And Clara was established in the
easy chair in front of a great fire of,
pine logs. and tea was brought in and
the two old people cossetted and petted
her as II she had been a three -year-old
child. just recovering from the measles.
There was not word OF reproach--
not n questioning look, not n sidelong
glance-all welcome, and tenderness
and loving commiseration. And when
Clara went to sleep that night. with a
wood fire glancing and glimmering
softly over the crimson hangings of the
.shaet ehambar she bagau IN thfplr