Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-08-16
CHAPTER l.
TILE MORBID NEEDS LOVE.

we 10 do? You know | am not strong
enough TO keep house alone. We can I
afford TO break up our home and go
into hotel, and yet it seems almost
the only thing left TO do. What shall
we do?"
81 don't understand why all our girls
stay so short time!" exclaimed Mr..
Ward, irritably. And then he locke d
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 checks.
"Oh, | don't understand il! All l
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: il is
more than can bear, Richard. If you
were any sort of man, you would
know what 10 do"
well, l am any sort of a man, and l
don't know in the least what 10 do, re
piled Mr.. Richard Ward 20 himself, as
his wife laid her head down on the
table, regardless Of several dishes
overturned, and broke into sobs as
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
then at the mother, and the youngest
of them began to cry.
stop that, Carl" exclaimed Mr..
Ward. sharply. Then, as he pushed
back his plate with the food on it un-
touched, he muttered to himself:
"Im 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 cnrled in piteous ef-
fort at control and the older one be-
gan eating again, looking from father
to mother anxiously.
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 l will do up the
dishes, won't we, George? Wen play
hired girl tonight, won't we?"
'Let me help, tool" cried Carl.
"Yes, you can help, too. Finish your
supper, and Wei have jolly time
washing and wiping. Now. Martha.
you go in and lie down. Wen get
things Strengthened out somehow"
Mrs. Ward feebly protested. but al
lowed her husband TO lead her into the
sitting-room, 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, l don't like to see them living |
around. Besides, dirty dishes have a
way of growing with miraculous rapid /
ity when the girls gone and things 90
70 pieces like this" he said. with a
lapse into irritation again.
ITS 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, anprily.
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 strength:
and, IS he neared the door the column
began to topple, ii balanced for mo-
ment on the edge Of safety. and then
fell with crash. The child looked at
the ruin moment in terrified silence.
then sat down on the floor and began
60 cry.
MIS-. 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
lay down and turned her face TO the
wall in despair. And Richard Ward. of
the firm of Mead, Ward and COMPANY.
known in business circles as a good
agreeable, and fairly successful mer-
chant, and in church circles as a con-
sistent member and active Christian
man, turned from his wife and went
out into the dining-room with a look
on his face that his minister had never
seen, and a feeling in his heart that
was good way from being what
might be expected in a man who was
sin good and regular standing" in the
Marble Square church
at would be very funny. il it were
not so near a tragedy" he said 10 him
self as he picked up the broken dishes
while the two boVs Looked nm UT,