The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-10-13

It, that ! ami" complained the girl,
who sat by the dying fire in her
kitchen crate, one restless hand
twisting and pulling at the wedding
ring she wore. 81 wish l was back
again at service, do, with nothing to
worry about. I've been managing on
half nothing, and doing without this
and that, now you're out of work so
long. did think we'd have been
happy and comfortable when I mar
ried you"
The girls voice broke in an angry
sob, for she was young and thought
less, and did not notice that every
complaint she made was a stab
through the heart of the honest fell
low she had married. He stood now
staring gloomily into the little back
yard, where his country wife, with
her love of flowers. had trained few
bright colored nasturtiums up a bit
of trellis work, and planted a row of
homely stocks and asters, with tiny
patch of mignonette to smell sweet
beneath the window. He saw them
all, and the scent drifted up to him
from the ground.
Poor old Milly!" he thought to
himself. 1T is hard on the lass Just
now" He turned around. Don't
go saying things you'll be sorry for
by and by, MILL" he said gently. God
knows, I'd never have brought you
away from the country if l hadn't
heard work was so plentiful up here
In London. So it was at first and
maybe will again. Wen have to fight
on for bit"
He drew nearer, and laid a hand
on the averted shoulder
"Cheer up, lassie 1t amt like you
to turn cross and nasty" He gave
the girl playful shake, but in an in
stant she had sprung to her feet, and
was facing him with blazing eyes.
Gross, am l." she cried shrilly.
"And enough to make me! I'm not
an angel, and never was, and say
I'm sick of it, pinching and scraping
and parting with the bits of things
for rent. l wish was dead!"
A flood of passionate tears choked
her as the memory of the past trou-
bles rose up like black cloud before
her eyes, and she felt herself in i'm
pgination growing old and shabby,
like all the other weary, untidy, shift
less London women whose husbands
had got no work, and her pretty little
pieces of furniture and wedding pres
ents melting away one by one in that
last resort of the poor-the ever open
pawnshop.
There was silence in the room.
broken only by the girls sobs. and
for once her husband did not speak.
There is limit to all patience, and
love may be strained to the breaking
point at last. Jim was dumb now.
with never a word or caress, and the
girls grief grew quieter in sheer sur
prise. Was Jim going to get sulky?
Him, that she could twist round her
finger, and turn with a smile or coax
Ing word, since they had first walked
out together in the green Hampshire
lanes.
Presently he turned abruptly round
and, walking to the cupboard where
his coat was hanging, took down a
cap.
Tn going out again to look for a
Job" he said.
The girl glanced at the clock; it
was half-past 4.
But it's tea time now" she mur-
INJURED, sudden remorseful thought
flashing into her mind that he had
eaten no dinner. Better stop and
have it."
The man shook his head. IT don't
want none. I'd best get out, or NAV
be You and I'll quarrel worse. You I've
said some cruel things / can't forget.
1 never thought taste o. poverty
could change You so sudden; but
there, I'll CO."
The anger which had almost died
down of a sudden flashed up again.
Go, then, go!" she cried shrilly.
And good riddance, An Won
needn't" But the door crashed TO
behind him, and she sank back in her
chair, trembling and exhausted. alone
in the quiet room.
Jim and she had parted in anger.
The clock on the shelf above her
head licked nolsily on, and the rat
tie OF carts In the street outside came
hazily in as she sat brooding by the
hreside alone. She was calmer now
and could think reasonably and even
be a little ashamed of her wild out
burst. And she began in memory to
drift back to the country again and
home, and her courting days.
She saw herself waiting at the
wicket gate each evening for Jim
his work up at the Hall stables being
done, and he free to take her out for
long sountry strolls. How good he'd