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

deed who first devised the
.A III bandboX apartment houses so
common now in all parts of
New York and must have sat up many
nights working out how to eXtri ate
the maximum of rent revenue from
the area on which he had to fit the
structure.
If there were any flats in Harlem OF
smaller dimensions than the one of
four rooms occupied by Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Brooks the most experienced
and persistent hunter after q place in
which to lodge his family with rela-
tive economy and some semblance Of
comfort would have had the time Of
his or her life finding it. And if other
flats there were more luxuriously fit
ted up, as easily might have benin
| fact, certainly must have beeL-the
case. at iNast there was none, what
ever lJs size, tnaJ 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 she
graced it, altogether unconsciously!
AS the elder of two daughters of STAN
ley Harris, who, while not rich, had
been well to do, she had been brought
up in the comfort of good home and
had enjoyed the advantage of an edu-
cation at private seminary. Her IA
ther, 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
his wife, esteeming the girls happi-
ness superior to all other considera-
tions.
Brooks, who had been in the employ
of the Latin-American Steamship COM
pany for one year and had been
brought into relations with the family
by virtue Of his 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 more
remunerative post.
ITnf al
Mr.. Harris had died few weeks after
their wedding, and they found them
selves thrown upon their own re-
sources. Mrs. Harris, selfish, shall
low unfeeling woman with social pre-
tensions, who regarded her daughters
marriage with the young clerk as q
mesalliance and Brooks himself with
dlsdain, left them to shift for them
selves and with her other daughter
Beth, who was seven years younger
than Emma and shared her mothers
views, as she initiated her haughti
ness, settled down to the enjoyment OF
the modest fortune her husband haG
left her and the indulgence of the os
tentation she loved, but which during
Mr.. Harris lifetime she had never
been able to crafty to the top of hel
bent She did not for this, however
withdraw altogether from association
with Emma and Brooks and continued
on more or less amicable terms will
them. Now and then she condescend
ed to call upon them with Beth, bu
her visits, as a rule, were a good dea
of trial to the young couple, for shG
regarded Brooks failure to get on il
the steamship company as a vindica
tion of her opinion as to his ability
and the Judiciousness of their mar
riage and was prone to condone will
her daughter, assume an exasperatint
I-told-you-so attitude and lament wha
might have been.