The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-25
ooh, John! How much? Fifty

"Oh. John! How much? Fifty
pounds|
1.-THE chief partner sent for me. Ht
spoke very kind. He said it was very
hard on an old servant, but what was
he to do? He said that all his persona!
| expenses had been cut down to the low
| est, and the establishment in the city
kept up in hopes of better times, but
the trade seemed gone away for good
| and what was he to do? And then ne
said that he was very sorry indeed
very sorry for me he was, but he coulo
no longer go on paying salaries on the
| same scale, and he was obliged to otfel
me a reduction of''-John doubled up
| and groaned as one who has an inter
nal pain-"of half my screW-take 1t OF
leave it-take it or leave it. That's
all, Maria"
"Oh, John! Only half-that Is Wha1
we married on, sixteen years ago. II
was plenty then. But now sne
| looked around her. Six children! Ano
| the eldest only fifteen! She groaneo
aloud.
Three hundred pounds a year Toes
not seem to some people a great III
come; but many families have to make
three hundred pounds suffice Tor all
their wants and all their luXurles;
think of the clergy, half-pay officers
and widows. In careful no.
where are the hands more care1ul
than those Of the London clerks wife
three hundred pounds will go a very
long way, particularly when you get
such a governess as Katherine
chance which falls to few. But divide
the three hundred by two-Mrs.
Emptage rapidly made that division
and gazed before her in CONSERVATION;
some clerks have to do with a hundred
and fifty, even clerks with families OF
six. But none knew better than TINS
| cousin Of a thousand clerks what the
income meant.
"Ohi children" she cried, "what
| shall we do? The things that we must
give up! How in the world shall l
keep you respectable"
Then she looked guilty at Kath'
arine.
"You will not be able to keep me any
longer" said Katharine. ION! l am
so sorry for you, I am indeed"
katharine, my dear, have one more
meal with us, if it is only a cup OF tea.
| Children, Katharine will come and see
us sometimes-won't you, my dear?'
When Katharine came away at nine,
| she met Dittmer Book smoking a Ham
burg cigar under the lamppost.
"They know all now" he said. u
was afraid to komm. I am sorry Tor
them. Yet they have still n hundred
and fifty pounds. In Hamburg that is
a good pay for a clerk. One hundred
and fifty pounds. Three thousand
marks. Count it in marks. So it 1s
twenty times as great-ten marks a
day? They have been too rich, the
English. But they will be rich no
longer. The English clerks are sent
away. The German clerk remains. l
have but forty pounds a year. Eight
hundred marks. Yes, the German re-
mains and the Englishman is sent
away. 1t is the new conquest of Eng
land. The German remains"
81 fear they will have 20 deny them
selves in many things" said Katha-
rine.
"They will eat enough, but they will
no longer be rich. They will no longer
have such a Fraulein to teach the chill
dren."
mo, I must find another place"
ut is sometimes hard to fnd-1 fear
the other place"
81 shall find it somehow. Oh, l have
no fear"
"Fraulein"-Dittmer turned pale,
smitten with sudden terror-"you leave
this good family; you go away. Him
mel! Where can I go to meet you
now"
Katharine hesitated.
do YOU still wish to meet me, Dit
mer?" she asked, without the least
COuueuJ'
Zach! You ask if I wish-what other
pleasure have 1 than to NEE; you'
Fraulein? There is no n else in the
world who listens when 1 speak"
"If it is only to tell me what is IN
your mind I will try to arrange for
seeing you sometimes. But"
"Fraulein, it is sweet to open my soul
to you because you understand and
are kind. You do not laugh. ia! 1t
fills my heart with Joy to be with you
! and to see your face-so Wunder-
schoin-"
"Dittmer, you must not"
"You ask if 1 still wish to meet you.
Ach! And all the day at my work L
see your beautiful eyes and hear your
yoice-so soft and sweet" 80
TO be continued.)