The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-03-16
THINGS THAT APPEALED TO

eood-looking young fellow. True, he
did not make as much money as Tessie
did. He was an assistant porter in
4 cloth store. and his wages were 50
| week. But Tessie thought him an eX-
| ceedingly pleasant fellow. He was
| always neatly dressed. his hair was
| faultlessly oiled, his handkerchief was
perfumed. and he wore scarfpin that
caught Tessie's fancy. The big ruby
and the diamonds surrounding it were
glass-and not the finest at that-and
| the gold was brass, but Tessie didn't
know. 1t was a real enough dazZler
to her. Tim. also. could "spief' better
than the other fellows, she thought,
and he could sing the latest popular
songs with what seemed to her perfect
| art.
Tim became Tessie's STEADY" The
enca cement was brief. Presently, Tim
and Tessie set up in housekeeping.
The threa-room fat cost them $3.50
| month rental They just managed to
| live on Tins 50 a week. But they
We're a happy pair. Tessie eyed lin
more fondly than ever, and when he'd
come home and after hard days
| work sing You're Only Teasing Me-"
or something of that sort, Tessie was
overwhelmed. An impartial critic
might have expressed serious doubts,
and perhaps the neighbors didn't say
all that they thought. To Tessie, Tins
voice was the acme of perfection, or to
sum it up in her all-inclusive word,
grand"
They had two children. One, girl
of eight months, died last March. The
baby was sick quite while and the
doctors and the undertaker's bills were
considerable. That was the beginning
of their bad luck. The loss of the child
was a hard enough blow, and, besides,
the little girls sickness and death not
only absorbed their tri1ing savings, but
plunged them into debt. But they had
another child left, a boy, "going on"
four years. They concentrated their
love on him and faced the world with
courage.
Three months after Tim lost his
place. 1t was no fault Of his-just
streak of bad luck. He tried hard to
get another job, no matter at what.
He couldn't.
Now a couple with a child and debts
and great self-respect must get along
independently somehow Confidence in
each other doesn't satisfy the landlord,
and srocers, butchers and bakers
haven't yet acquired the habit of sup
plying provisions on good intentions OF
future prospects.
Tessie had mettle. She hadn't Tor
gotten her old trade. Her eyes troubled
her a great deal, but she was deter
mined to keep things going without ap'
plying to anybody for assistance. she
went to one of her former bosses and
cot a Job making boxes for tobacco
cigarettes. The material she would
carry home and there make up the
boxes. The pay wasn't much. For
every thousand boxes she got 50. IL
took her a week, working ten hours
day, to make thousand boxes.
Since July Tessie has stuck to the
lob. 1t is difficult for woman to keep
house. bring up a boy, and work ten
hours a day, but Tessie has managed
it. It is especially difficult for one
with granulated eyelids to bend over
such a task all day long. Tessie, how
ever. didn't complain. She knew that
TIM was really looking for work ana
was willing to take anything he could
Get. She knew he had a run OF nara
luck.
The SIS a week Tessie earned has sup
norted the whole family since July.
Their living is simple. Sixteen or elgn-
teen cents a day for meat, a loaf or
bread a day, and two quarts OF pota-
toes a week. Tessie and Tim dispensed
with butter. They had some, but II
was reserved for the boy. The cost Oh
their living. not including rent. was
ahout thirty cents a day. Then Tess1e
Maid fifty cents week for insurance
for herself and the boy, and the same
sum for insurance for Tim. Ihey
didn't mind scrimping along on 80
week. It was the back debts "hlcn
worried them. They could pay only
little on account now and then.
The other day Tim finally got 1oo.
There was happiness in the little nome
when Tim came home and told the
good news. It was an event.
This is a simple, true little story
whereof Tessie is the heroine. Does
she not deserve to be?-NeW 1ork
Post.