The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-01-19
HER BANkBook.
BY J.. ~Josephson.

They worked together In the same
factory. but did not know each other
except by sight. One day, however. her
sleeve was caught in a belt and he sue
' ceeded in saving her from being
crushed in the machinery. Thus they
first met each other.
They soon became fast friends. Both
had lost their parents early and had
learned to fight their own battles. and
! both We're strong physically as well as
morally.
When they had known each other for
six months he asked her to marry him.
She asked time to think 1t over. but
finally agreed. and they were married.
They rented a small. a very small, cot
lase In a row of many others near the
factory. but the roolns were light and
airy and clean. They We're perfectly
happy. the work seemed like play to
them. They bought furniture. one
piece at a time. OF inStalllnents. and
last installment had been paid and they
felt that the table or chair Or bureau
really belonged to them.
One day the Wife felt hat she was to
become "a mother. The discovery did
not make her feel happy; on the con-
trnry, she felt it as a punishment, which
Vas to destroy the whole plan OF their
life.
In the evening she told her husband.
he did not say anything. but began to
walk up and down the noor. 1t was
evident that he thought Just as she did.
"A child" he said to himself. "a child
.osts much money and is only in the
Way; the mother must. stop working
20 take care of the little one-and that
means loss of wages and increased ex-
penSes.'
His head became quite dizzy when
he thought of all this. :.
He Went to he bureau. III the top,
drawer was a savings bank book in;
his wife's name, in which they had put,
VERY cent they could spare. quite a
snug little sum he had always thoughts,
He tore Off 81 sheet Of a per and be-,
gan to figure out. His wife sat at the
J other end of the table and oollcd at
him in silence. =
In the evening both cursed the UNI
born buby.
4 pale, stckly looking creature, always
quiet and smiling, looking into the
strange world with great blue eyes. =
AS soon as the mother was strong
again the baby was given to the wife
of a neighbor. that the mother might
start in working In the factory again.
But the woman put the money in her.
own pocket and the strange child grew
paler and thinner every day. The
mother could not help noticing it and
one day she decided that she must stay
home and take care OF her child.
Slowly the mother love developed In
her heart, and she loved to look into
the beautiful blue yes of little Mary.
who was always playful and smiling.
! Often she could not help taking her
face with kisses. But when her hus-
band was at home she did not dare to
show that she loved her little girl. He
was not a bad father, he never slapped
or hurt the child, but he never touched
1t or even locke at 1t.
In the evening the bank book was
taken out oftener than ever. and his
brow darKened WHEN lie saw how the
amount grew steadily smaller, and
then there was an expression of hatred
i'll his eyes when he looked towards the
little crib.
In this way little Mary grew up, and
when she was three years old she was
sant out into the street to play with.
the other children. Now that the mother
could once more &C to work the father
seemed q little more Sutisticd-pOssibly
the deficit in the handbook could be
covered again.
One evening when the mother came
meme from work she found the child
unconscious in a neighbours house. She
had been run down by an utomobi
and her beautiful little head with its
beautiful curtis was covered with blood.
We'll. l suppose e better send
for a doctor-that cost too much
money"
When the father came home he looked
at the child in silence for some time,
then he said:
We'll, I suppose we'd better send for
a doctor; he will LAY to make out the
certificate of death anyway"
The doctor came, said something
about Il fracture of the skull, ordered
ice and did not give any hope. Two
days later little Mary died.
She was buried the next Sunday. that
the parents might not lose a days
wages.
In the evening when they sat alone
in the room II the mother was softly
! crying. the handbook was taken out
once more and he began to figure out
what a lot of money the dead child had
cost. and how loEg it would take to
, make up for it.
>. IL next day they walked in silence
side by side towards the big factory.
;. When they had lmost reached the
gate the man said:
Well. she is dead now-better so. 1
suppose 1t had to be that way. Now
we must work harder han ever to
earn back the none the child cost
u.s."
RI The mother said nothing, but tried
to hide the tears which came into her
yes: