The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-11-03

Eleu lIe DrOOhb bhluTy 0HQ Deeu
raised only $50 a month, although in
addition to his work as accountant, to
which he had been assigned after Mr..
Harris death, that Of collector had
been thrust upon him. 1t had been a
hard. bitter experience for pretty little
Mrs. Brooks, this unaccustomed drudg-
cry of housework, this continuous
securing Of greasy pots and pans and
washing Of dishes, which she loathed;
this deprivation Of comforts and luxu-
ries that she had known all her life;
this privation Of many personal things
considered indispensable by the dainty
woman; this necessity of perpetual
rigid economizing, which barely suf-
feed to make both ends meet. She de-
prived herself of much needed cloth
ing, to say nothing of finery, that Joe
might 60 properly clad to his Office,
but she never for that reason descend
ed to slovenliness, never "let herself
CO." as so many women in their own
households make the mistake of doing.
and never had She allowed one word
of complaint, one indication of regret,
to escape her. She had married Joe
for love, for better or for worse, and
resigned herself bravely and cheerfully
to the consequences, however hard to
bear, hoping for the better times that
were so long in coming and encour-
aging her husband to fight on and
win.
Joe. for his part, lacked his wife's
grit and energy, and constant disap-
| Int In ,t fnrti
tude. He loved Emma. He hardly
could have done otherwise, though
calculation had entered largely into
his courting of her. Chivalrously,
while the sweet bliss of their early
married life held him in its spell, he
had done as much of the heavier work
of the menage as he could to spare
her when time and opportunity afford
ed, but very naturally he had soon
tired Of this-where is the man who
does not?-and by degrees had left as
much of it as he could to her, except
when his moods of optimism and af-
fectionate solicitude impelled him to
60 to her assistance. At such times he
wanted to do it all.
On the evening following his out.
burst at the Office he was still resent
full and "down in the mouth" when he
let himself into his little fiat, and the
smiles of his wife as she raised her
rosebud lips to receive his kiss OF
greeting failed to dispel his gloom.
"You seem out of sorts tonight
dear" she said solicitously. "Any'
thing wrong at the Officer"
, Nothing in particular. I'm tired
. and hungry after shaving all day in
this awful heat, that's ALL"
"Never mind. supper's all ready, sc
sit down and tuck in"
"What did you get?''
, "Chops and potatoes"
, Joe turned up his nose, but took his
seat at table and began to eat lie
answered his wife's questions in mono
syllables. His thoughts, 1t was plain
, were not on his meal or Emma's con
versatlon, and, seeing that he was pre-.
occupied and troubled, she ceased to
try to engage his attention.
II paid the gas bill today" he vouch
Safed at length. Ninety cents more
than last month"
Ninety cents morew she commented
: with concern. 'I'm sure we didn't
! use half as much. And we owe the
butcher four-sixty."
! every month 1t costs more to live
{ don't know what we are going to do
i I'm sure'
: "Fm sorry, Joe. Goodness knows
: try to be as economical as 1 can"
G II know, but it's all wrong. It's all
: wrong that you should be spelling
e your hands with those beastly greasy
i pans. They weren't meant for such
= work. l wish we could afford a hired
girl"
r use of wishingy Didn't you get the
i raise you asked Captain Williams
f for?" she inquired.
J. mo"
: He hung his head and lapsed into
gloomy silence. She dropped the NOR
y sci she was raising to her mouth and
l. rose from the table, filed with dis
Il may, her appetite completely gone
Y Tears of disappointment followed the
y realization of what the failure of theil
:, plans meant, for neither had doubted
/. that his request would be compiled
s with, and she had built many castles
o in the air on the strength of it. A few
$ dollars more week added to theil
d distressingly small income would have
d meant much to them. But, gazing a
l. her husband sitting there utterly de
c jected and crushed, her heart went ou
to him in pity and love, and she moved
:, over to his chair and put her arm con
r solingly round his neck.
l. "Never mind, Joe, boy" she urged
y don't look so solemn. We're no wors
l. off than we were before, and you'll
, win out some day"
9 She placed her hand under his chi1
n and raised his head to kiss him. HI
h saw that she was smiling at him en-
J. couragingly through her tears, but re
r fused to be comforted.
r 81 made out the payroll today" h
:, said, "Three other men In the offic,