Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-03-10

| - LIZ AAOhCJ oO uuCu DIS lie QOoS the
thought that it was Ethel, who was
always his favorite, who got it from
him for Mr.. Dawson"
OF course that made Billy furious.
The mason work in Burlington was fin
1shed, and he had SIG for his share OF
lt-and that was his total cash capital.
Had 1t been spring, he would have
found work in plenty, but in the late
autumn no one needed help
But one day Billy came home ra-
diant.
I've found a job!" he called, as he
came into the yard. George Crandon
has offered me a place in his whole
sale house in the city. He's the old
gentleman [ bought our dry goods from.
He lives in Burlington in the summer.
1t will be only $40 a week and thu.
hours are long, but there's a chance for
promotion"
"Oh, goOd!' cried Ethel. "Now we
can begin to pay grandpa"
of course we cam" Billy declared.
Lets count up"
Ten dollars each week would do so
much!
one dollar and half for rent-their
little cottage cost them but six dollars
a month-two dollars for Billy's car
fares in and out Of town each week,
four dollars for living, one dollar and
half for clothes and incidental ex-
penses. Billy would have to carry his
lunches. That left one dollar every
week for grandpa.
but washing and ironing" said
Billy.
I'll do those" said Ethel, gayIy.
Billy demurred but at last gave i'm.
and to clinch the matter Ethel sat
down that night and wrote a short note
to Grandpa Harding, inclosfng the first
dollar.
Leeville is on the edge of the sub
urban circle Of the city. Train service
is poor To get to the store in time
Billy must go to the North LeevilIe sta
| ton, mile and half away, and catch
| the six O'Clock train there 1t meant
rising at five o'clock and getting his
own breakfast-fOr he would not allow
long after dark every night, with the
wood to cut and outside chores to do
before he went to bed. But he was
determined young man, and, having at
| tackled the work, he felt certain of
keeping it up.
Many were the offers Of help which
came from his family and hers, with
kindly insistence, but they were as in
sistently refused. Young people can
stand considerable hardship when they
make up their minds to do it. Billy
and Ethel liked baked beans so well
on Saturdays that they ate them on
other days. They cut down the break
fast menu to plain oatmeal. Paying
Grandpa Harding's loan became a sort
Of game with them, and they delighted
in adding extra quarters and halves to
the weekly dollar.
The other side to all this saving and
scrimping was not quite so pleasant to
| look upon. They stayed away from ia
son Prindle's wedding because they had
only the clothes they wore and could
not afford new ones. They could not
even afford the usual tickets to the win
ter lyceum course ; and Ethel found her
self more or less cut off from her old
friends because she could not keep up
with them in the expenses Of gayety.
There was a week when a severe cold
kept Billy at home three days, and the
cashier "docked" him five dollars. How
ever, they persisted
And in all this time what of Grand
pa Harding? Grandma Harding had
correctly recorded his annoyance The
old man, grown fretful and petulant
over his losses. had tried hard to treas
ure in his heart bitterness toward Ethel
and her husband. Somehow he could
not keep it there long. So perhaps out
of sheer desperation he talked worse
| than he felt about it.
The first dollar from Ethel came
right in the midst Of one of these out
bursts and he felt called upon to use ii
as an illustration.
There, now" he said to grandma.
displaying it, they're trying the effect
of dollar on me. l warrant you they
think that when they have paid a dol
lar or two they can borrow another
! hundred But they can't"
He growled and grumbled over it,
and took himself away to his Office.
stopping at the bank to enter the one
dollar upon his account there. THAT
much is safe, anyhow" he asserted,
almost vindictiyely.
He added another dollar the next
week, and then another. BY that time.
as no request Eor more came, he be-
gan to feel 6 little ashamed &c him
self. A letter from Leeville by no
means added to his satisfaction
Ethel and Billy are having a hard
time" wrote her mother, but they are
making out They are very proud, and