The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-07-12
CHAPTER I.
THE WORLD NEEDS LOVE.

OoSA 70 snc oiu quosIou. VHoS oso
we to do? You know am not strong
enough to keep house alone. We can't
afford to break up our home and go
into hotel. and yet IL seems almost
tho only thing left to do. What shall
We do?" rt
IL don't understand why all our girls
stay so short q time!" exclaimed Mr..
Ward, irritsbly. And then he looked
across the table at his wife, and his
look softened little as he noted more
carefully her tired face and the traces
Of tears on her cheeks.
"Oh, l. don't understand it'll All
know Is that they are all simply hor-
rid. ] do everything for them and
never get anything but ingratitude
from every one of them! The idea of
Maggie leaving me to-day Of all the
days, just when Aunt Wilson was COM.
ing. and Alfred home from college, and
Lewis down with his accident; it Is
more than can bear, Richard. If you
were any sort of man, you would
know what to dol"
swell, am any sort of man, and I
piled Mr.. Richard Ward to himself, as
his wife laid her head down on the
table, regardless of several dishes
overturned, and broke into sobs as a
relief to her feelings which had been
growing in hysterical power ever since
Maggie, the hired girl, had that morn
ing not only given notice of her de-
parture but had actually left, after
brief but heated discussion about the
housework In the Ward family.
The two children at the table turned
frightened looks first at the father and
thon at the mother, and the youngest
of them began to cry.
"Stop that, CARL" exclaimed Mr..
Ward. sharply. Then, as he pushed
touched, he muttered to himself:
"Pm losing all my Christianity over
this miserable hired-girl business. It's
breaking up our home life and wreck
ing the joy of our very children"
The child's lip curled in piteous eff
fort at control and the older one be-
gan eating again, looking from father
TO mother anxfously.
Mr.. Ward rose, and, going over to his
wife, he sat down by her and stroked
her head gently.
There, Martha, you are all worn
out. Just go into the sitting-room and
lie down. George and will do up the
dishes, won't we, George? Well play
hired girl tonight, won't we?"
T.af haIn I'D
eyes, you can help, too. Finish your
supper, and we'll have a jolly time
washing and wiping. Now, Martha,
you go in and lie down. Well get
things Strengthened out somehow"
Mrs. Ward feebly protested, but al
lowed her husband to lead her into the
where she sank down on
a lounge.
"I've got splitting headache, Rich
ard; leave the dishes until morning.
You're tired with your business"
mo, 1 don't like to see them lying
around. Besides, dirty dishes have a
way of growing with miraculous rapid
ity when the girls gone and things GO
to pieces like this" he said, with a
AaPSC III W IIlJdJlOH again.
''It's not my fault" exclaimed Mrs.
Ward, sharply. Carl, stop that noise"
she added as Carl began to gather up
some of the dishes, piling the biggest
plates on the little ones and letting
several knives and forks clatter to the
floor in his eagerness to help.
Don't be always nagging the chill
dren, Martial" said Mr.. Ward, angrily,
losing his temper for the tenth time
that evening. The other times he had
lost it silently.
Its always: Stop that noise!' from
mother when her head aches" said
George as he tried to pick up the
knives and forks quietly, and let them
drop twice before he had them back on
the table.
"See me help! See me help!" sung
Carl as he started towards the kitchen
door with his arms full of dishes. The
pile was too heavy for his strengths;
and, as he neared the door the column
began to topple, it balanced for a mo- |
ment on the edge of safety, and then
tell with crash. The child looked at |
the ruin moment in terrified silence,
then sat down on the floor and began |
TO cry.
Mrs. Ward sat up on the lounge and |
looked at her husband almost saw
agely.
Richard. Ward, If you don't do some
thing to change all this"
She did not finish her sentence, but |
ay down and turned her face to the |
wall in despair. And Richard Ward, of |
he firm of Mead, Ward and Company,
Known in business circles as a good, |
agreeable, and fairly successful mer-
liant, and in church circles as a con-
,istent member and active Christian |
nan, turned from his wife and went |
,ut into the dining-room with look |
On his face that his minister had never |
seen, and feeling in his heart that |
vas a good way from being what
night be expected in man who was
in good and regular standing" in the
Marble Square church.
at would be very funny, if it were
lot so near a tragedy" he said to him
elf as he picked up the broken dishes |
while the two boys looked on. at |
would be comical,' IL 1t were not so
niserably serious in its effects on our