The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1909-09-11
CHAPTER III.

OeeO WHO OrSt OeVlSoO Inc
bandbox apartment houses 50
common now In all parts of
New York and must have sat up many
nights working out how to extricate
the maximum Of rent revenue from
the area on which be had to ft the
structure.
If there were any fats In Harlem Of
smaller dimensions THAI che one Of
four rooms occupied by Ir. and Mrs.
Joseph Brooks the most experienced
and persistent hunter after a place in
which to lodge his family with reIa
tive economy and some semblance Of
comfort would have had the time of
his or her life finding It, And If other
Fats there were more luyuriouSIy fif-
ted up. as easily might have bpeu-in
fact. certainly must have been-the
case at least there was none. what
ever its size. that was kept cleaner or
neater or in which more effective use
Of available material had been made
than that over which Mrs. Emma
Brooks presided as mistress and fac
totum.
And Mrs. Brooks herself-how shs
graced il. altogether unconsciously.
As the elder of two daughters of Stan
ley Harris. who. while not rich. had
been we'll TO do. she had been brought
up in the comfort of a good home and
had enjoyed the advantage Of an edu-
cation at a private seminary. Her IA
Their. whose constant companion she
had been and whose sense of democ-
racy in the matter Of association she
had Inherited. had adored her, and
when she had given her heart to Jo-
seph Brooks. electing him from among
numerous suitOrs, including James
Smith, he gave his consent to their
union against his own judgment and
In face Of the strenuous opposition OF
bis wife. esteeming the girls happi-
ness superior to all other considera-
lions.
Brooks. who had been In the employ
Of the LATINA merican Steamship COM
pany for one year and bad been
brought into relations with the family
by virtue Of bis selection as secretary
to her father. the general manager.
had no means whatever of his own.
and his salary. then $50 month. was
a desperately small income on which to
begin housekeeping for girl reared as
she had been. But her father helped
them. and the young couple counted
upon his influence to procure the ad-
vancement of his son-in-law to q more
remunerative post.
Unfortunately for them. however.
Mr.. Harris had died a few weeks after
their wedding, and they found them
selves thrown upon their own re-
sources. Mrs. Harris, a selfish. shall
low. unfeeling woman with social pre-
tensions. who regarded her daughters
marriage with the young clerk as
meSalliance and Brooks himself with
disdain. left them to shift for them
selves and with her other daughter,
Beth. who was seven years younger
than Empa and shared her mothers
views. as she initiated her haughti-
ness. settled down to the enjoyment of
the modest fortune her husband had
left her and the indulgence Of the os-
tentation she loved, but which during
Mr.. Harris lifetime she bad never
been able to crafty to the top OF her
bent She did not for this. however,
withdraw altogether from association
with Emma and Brooks and continued
on more or less amicable terms with
them. Now and then she condescend-
ed to call upon them with Beth. but
her visits. as a rule. were a good deal
OF trial to the young couple. for she
regarded Brooks failure to get on In
the steamship company as a vindica-
ton Of her opinion as TO his ability
and the judiciousness Of their mar.
rage and was prone to condone with
her daughter. assume an exaspprating
I-tOld-yOu-so attitude and lament what
might have been.
During the four years of their mar
ried life Brooks salary had been
raised only $50 month. although In
addition TO his work as accountant. to
which he bad been assigned after Mr..
Harris death, that of collector had
been thrust upon him. 1t had been
hard. bitter experience for pretty little
Mrs. Brooks. this unaccustomed drudg-
cry Of homework. 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 fnery. that Joe
might go 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 rhe 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 chperfully
TO the consequences. however hard 10
L,