Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-06-14

long before the four wees had passed,
F. the world had ceased To remember the
financier, and to take ANY interest in
mis- sudden rise and downfall
All this might we'll seem ike the
trouble phantasy of drear to May
as she sits before the fir listening to
The muffin-belL.
"A penny for your thoughts. May
avs Carrie. leaning back with her
hands folded behind her head
-, won't rob YOU, say May with a
smile. u was wishing that I were a
Liau.
Carrie. laughs. ''You wouldn't make
d bad sort of a man, May. No, you'd
make one OF these hiIeous creatures.
a pretty man like the figures n the
hardness ers' windows Why do -ou
want to be a man, May"
May laughs softly.
Because | should like to be a uie-
ful animal; because a man can 10 50
many things to earn his living-swe2p
d crossing or break stones. II is twice
as hard for woman to live as a man;
it 5 because the world can better
spare Us than the lords of the creation.
OF course. we can't stop here Carrie"
No" says Carrie. staring At the
FIRE ruetrlly.
NO says May. arising ard walking
her back. her head erect, and her
lark eyes dreamily meditative. We
have STAYED too long already"
Not too long for them says Car
RE, meekly.
No observes May, gratefully
no. they would keep us if We would
say: | know that-but We could not
do it, Besides, We are not penni-
less.
How much have we ect?" asks
Carrie, whose pretty face is as grave
as a judges.
May pulls out her pocketbook and
emptyirg the contents on to the table
proceeds to calculate:
Ono hundred and eienty-two
rounds. three and twO-pence farthing
no. that's a button--an3-and there
is cur jewelry That would fetch
let me seq"
ooh, May" exclaims Carrie, aghast
May laughs softly, but with a little
flush of shame.
".tewalry is as good as money, Car
RE she says Well say two hun
dred and fifty pounds; but that's cap
i. an everybody knows that to live
upon ones capital is like saving OF
the branch you are sitting on; it
means destruction ruin. downfall
Capital"
'Oh. don't,' pie ads Carrie piteous-
ly; Il can't bear to hear YOU talk like
that; lis just as--as poor papa used to
talk. and never--never understood
him
May laughs. and strokes the golden
head Carcssingly.
We mu5,at exhaust our nest egg: We
must save that in case Of dire neces-
sity We must work. Carrie mine"
Work." repeats Carrie. looking
around helplessly. Yes. but what
at? DO you mean 10 sweep a cross
ing May? And shall | hold the little
lin mug At the side Of the pavement"
"Ahem not a bad idea. There was
a man once who swept a crossing near
the bank He made a fortune. He
used to sweep away all lay in rags
and tatters. and at night went home
to a gran house in Belgrave Square.
He got tired of his crossing at last.
and sold it to a cats-meat man for frs
hundred pounds"
Carrie laughs. which is Just what
May wants
Notwithstanding, / 1onr think a
crossiny will suit us. Carrie. For
one hing. We haEe both an absurd Obj
1ection to rags, and. for another, We
look tco we'll fed Seemingly. Carrie
there is only one thing open to Us 7.
can't weep a crossing, but can
sweep the cobwe3s out Of child~ens
brains can teach school
ooh May" gasps Carrie "You.
don't mcan--to-to-g go back 10 Mrs
Browns, Yur-yoG wort .eave me?"
May smiles, and gives the ~ ldeniy
pale cheek a soft pat
Not exactly, Carrie No; wen
cling together while a spar remains,
the song says No I was thinking
that perhaps I might get an engage
ment as scho0l-mfstress st some school
IN he comtrv--shouli you like that.
Carrier"
The color returns TO Carries face
and size mods with approval
"Tha, would be- better. May. but
lent i, very-very difficult 10 get? r.
seems TO me that everybody who
hadn't any money would like to get
that sort Of thin2"
-Sonething like this for instance. +"
says May with affected careleRsness