The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-08-10


sigh; disappointment and failure all
along TIE line, and only few short
years ago she had thought it well nigh
perfect. OF course there was the
child, but Tom wasn't Joe, and at this
point the poor girl brushed away the
hot tears angrilv.
What was the good OF fretting for
one who had proved himself to be lazy
and selfish and utterly unworthy of
any woman's love and trust? 1t was
true Joe had never lifted his hand to
her, but he had lashed her with his
tongue, which was a hundred times
worse to bear. II had been torture
to her sensitive spirit to listen to the
scathing torrent of abuse which had
Issued from his lips upon the slight
est provocation, and even now her
cheek reddened at the recollection of
the hateful words he had hurled at
her in his anger.
Sometimes she had a vague feeling
that her heart must be dead within
her, so Indifferent had she become to
the common things around her; it
was only when her baby cried she
knew it was not so, for his feeblest
whimper was sufficient to arouse her
from the dull apathy of despair into
which she had fallen.
lust two years since she and Joe
set up housekeeping together in the
tiny house in Dove avenue, and now
oil hnr Iayr 10 In,
at her feet Crushed and undone she
had come back to her mother, moth
ing but bundle of skin and bones,
and with scarcely enough spirit left
to hold her head up" as that worthy
woman conHded to her special crony.
"And her as gradely lass as ever
worked four looms to be saddled with
a child that's worse than fatherIess, "
the neishbor answered sympathetical-
Iy, seeing only an additional burden
and expense in the tiny morsel of hu-
uanity.
But to Margaret Alice the child was
the one CLEAN of brightness in the
darkness of her lot, albeit his coming
had been the chief cause of all her
wretchedness.
In Loomshire, unfortunately it is
customary for a woman when she be-
comes wife to go on working at her
looms, and in this Margaret Alice had
only followed in the steps of thou
sands of her sister weavers. Indeed,
she had preferred to do so, for her
L -.
was able to add some useful piece Of
furniture to their comfortable little
abode, but it was surprising how
many ''off days" her husband seemed
to have after the knot was securely
tied.
IL doubt he's bit lazy" one OF
her sisters ventured to remark when
these holidays became more and more
frequent, but Margaret Alice dis
claimed the calumny Indignantly; for
love is ever blind, and woman's
faith in the man of her choice dies
hard as a rule.
But circumstances alter cases, and
with little Toms appearance upon the
scene Margaret Alice resolved that
other mothers might please them
selves, but as far as she was concerned
the factory should see her no more.
Henceforth her home and the baby
must constitute her kingdom. AL
though she had never even heard Rus
kin's words she resolved, as she lay
In her delicious weakness, with the
downy head upon her arm, to be a
sort OF queen to her man and her boy.
''Joe can earn good money when
he's mind, and now that he's set up
family he'll see the need of sticking
to his work in downright earnest"
she unused serenely with a loving
glance at her baby. "And he shall
tave the cosiest home in all Loom
shire for his pains, she added, proud
ly, wholly unconscious of the hard
wall of opposition which was already
rising up between herself and her de-
lightful plannings.
For there are always two stand
points from which to view situation,
and, to his shame, Joe Gibson's diff
fered very materially from that of his
wife.
9TH boy'll be a month old to-mor-
row, and old Nance is a rare 'un at
minding children" he began airly
one bitterly cold day as Margaret sat
by the fire with the child on her knee,
making wonderfully pretty picture.
''Nay, Joe, you'll have to be sole
breadwinner now; my works at
home," she replied in her slow, gentle
fashion. But the next moment she
gathered the living bundle to her
bosom, and gazed at her lord and
master with wide, startled eyes. 1t
was scarcely to be wondered at, for
the storm of invectives which fol-
lowed quickly upcc her mild speech
might well have made stronger
woman quail.
To discover flaws in her husband is
always a bitter experience for any
woman, and after that sudden awak-
ening Margaret Alice carried heavy
f<xr lanlrc