The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-08

know. 1t was a real enough dazzler
to her. Tim. also. could spiel 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
engagement was brief. Presently, Tim
and Tessie set up in Housekeeping.
The three-room fat cost them $3.50 4
month rental. They just managed to
live on Tins 50 4 week. But they
were a happy pair. Tessie eyed Tim
more fondly than ever. and when he'd
come home and after 4 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, lin
voice was the acme of perfection, or to
sum it up in her a~ll-inclusive word
grand"
They had two children. One. a girl
Of eight months. died last March. Inc
baby was sick quite a While aud the
doctors and the undertaker's bills were
considerable. That was the beginning
of their bad luck. The loss OF the chlld
was a hard enough blow, and, besides:
the little girls sickness and death not
only absorbed their trifling savings Dut
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
Mace. It was no fault of his-just a
streak Of bad luck. He tried hard to
get another job. no matter at what.
He couldn't.
Now q couple with & child aud debts
and great self-reSpect must get along
independently somehow. Confidence in
each other doesn't satisfy the landlord,
and grocers, butchers and bakers
haven't yet acquired the habit OF sup
plying provisions on good intentions or
future prospects.
Tessie had mettle. She hadn't for
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 n
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. tof
every thousand boxes she got 50. Ii
took her a week, working ten hours a
day. to make a thousand boxes.
Since July Tessie has stuck to the
lob. 1t is difficult for a woman to keep
house, bring up a boy. and work ten
hours a day, but, Tessie has managed
il. 1t 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 nat
Tim was really looking for work n
was willing to take anything he u
get. She knew he had a run Of hard
luck.
The S. q week Tessie earned has sup
ported the whole family since July.
Their living is simple. Sixteen or elgh-
teen cents a day for meat. a loaf OF
bread a day, and two quarts Of pota.
toes a week. Tessie and Tim dispensed
with butter. They had some, but 1t
was reserved for the boy. The cost or
their living, not including rent, was
about thirty cents a day. Then Iessie
paid fifty cents a week for insurance
for herself and the boy. and the same
sum for insurance for Tim. they
didn't mind scrimping along on 80 a
week. 1t was the back debts when
worried them. They could pay only q
little on account now and then.
The other day Tim finally got a 1op.
There was happiness in the little home
when Tim came home and told the
good news. 1t was an event.
This is a simple, true little story
whereof Tessie is the heroine. Does
she not deserve to be?-New York
Post.