The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-07-21

"Oh, Tom, sht cried, now good yoi
J are TO me- Oh, how good Tom"
Shut up," he said In affected anger
u and eat every bit of that breakfast
or III lock you up ia hero all day"
Ana the girl smiling through hel
tears, tried hare 10 swallow the food
while her lips quiycred, and she NUT
tered:
oh Tom How good you are"
With q happier face hc went back
TO the Kitchen 10 get his own break.
| fast.
Shell have good rest to-day. any
I, way he muttercd 10 himself, as
standing by the small window hc ate
his meal Having finished his hastily
eaten food, hc hurried back 10 his wife.
annie, my glrl " he said. gently. II
want you TO do me q favor-Whl you
| promiscW
Not TO lie IN ped, Tom" shc sad,
pieadingly. II can't bear that Won
should wait on m" dear. aud feel
so much better to-day the breakfast
was SO good"
The man looked at her in silence for
a moment
| I'm going TO The settlement dear.
and there's nothing ia do H. the house.
Promise me 10 lie ia bed til come
| back. It's Il wet, miserable sort Of
| morning, and yOu'll bc better IA bed 4"
She saw ne was in earnest. and nod
| ded chrerfulIy.
VERY well Tom, I'll have long
| rest. The breakfast was so good you
deAi Old clumsy thing Did you use
all the bacon, Tom" she added wist
fully
Not hali" ne said impaticntly. as
II knowing what was coming
"Oh, my dear, my DEAR she cried
Have you had nothing but bread and
tea?"
Il had an egg and that's all want
ed Annie girl, ana now I'm OF. 50
good by"
He kissed her tenderly anu went out
OF the room and out of the house, into
the hUc, soft rain that was falling
steadily There was no dog to bark u
welcome, q rusty old pIow lny near
the shed but there was neither horses
nor cattle about-no living thing OK
cept four or five fowl; the whole place
was lonely and deserted
The man looked at his surroundings
with scowlng face.
What home for Annicw he NUT
tered, "and 10 think that for three
years I've sOwn ana waited and wait
cd, and no rain came, and now, when
I've no seed wheat, the rain has come"
He strobe moodily along the rough
road mile after mile, till ne reached
the storc-a grocery bakery. butch
ers shop, postotlice and smthy com
bined. He turned moodiiy away with
q single letter IN his hand.
Have drink before you goo" cried
the proprietor of the store
Thanks nO-lyc no heart FOR
drink he said. Gloomily.
Your wife no bcttcr?"
Better hc answered, bitterly.
She's dying, dying, and she's only
four-and twenty. poor girlW
The storekeeper hesitated He went
on the road 10 ruin himself aud Us he
thought Of the bright young couple
vino had come up so fun of hope and
energy fresh from their English home
four years before, he turned into the
store and reappeared with small box
There's some arrowroot, ana q tin
of cocoa, and few odd things I don't
want in there" he said awkwardly as
he held out the box. Maybe your wife
would fancy them: they're no good to
me-" he added hastily as the other
made u gesture Of dissent
IL can't pay for them, Myles My
rent is over two years IN arrears; I've
no stock, no crop in. and we are near
ly through our provisions
80 bad as thntT the other ejacu-
lated. "Whatll you dog
What can do? | can't get work
miserable failure like me. can't go
away. I've no money, aud, N had,
what could | do?"
well, take that box anyhow. man.
said the storckcepcr rendering il
again
And, as he watched the others re-
treating form, he sighed heavily.
"Who was that. dadF" cried girl,
pecring into the store from an inner
room.
Tom Weston-he's on his last legs
now; no crop in for want OF seed wheat
no cattle, and behind with his rent!
Poor fellow. | pity him and his young
wife"
Were nearly as bad DAD"
Yes, ia some ways. but we've got
health, and anyhow l can get job
somewhere, and SO can you, Mary,
till times gets better: but that poor
girl was never strong, and guess
she'll not live long"
Weston walked doggcdly home
through the mud and slush, the rain
which might have meant so much 10
him had he been able 20 sow any
wheat. falling steadily the whole time.
and drcnching him thoroughly.
He tried 20 assume n brighter look
rs he entered his wife's room. but the
loving eyes saw through his disguise
| at once.
"Oh. Tom. there were no letters, af-
ter air.
| "Only this" he replied gloomily as
he drew out the large official envelope
he had received. Another letter from
the commissioner. informing me that
the rent is in arrears. and must be