Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-09-01
1909, by Z. W. Dillingham; Company. !.
CHAPTER II.

dunn height, intelligent looking, with
good features and fine teeth. 1t was
not a doll face. but the face of a
woman who had experienced early the
hard knocks of the world, yet in
whom adversely had not succeeded In
wholly subduing naturally buoyant.
amiable disposition. There was de-
termination in the lines above her
mouth 1t was face full of character.
the face of a woman who by sheer
Amt OF logged perseverance might ac-
complish any task she cared to set
herself. A smile of welcome cleaned
d her eyes as she inquired eagerly:
We'll, dear, anything doing?'
Howard shooir his head for al 70.
spouse and Look of disappointment
crossed the young wife's face.
Say, that's tough amt it?" she
exclaimed. "The janitor was here
again for the rent. He says they'll
serve us with dispossess. | told him
to chase himself, l was that mad
Armies vocabulary was emphatic.
rather than choice. Entirely without
education, she made no pretense at
oelng what she was not and therein
perhaps lay her chief charm. AS
Howard stopped to kiss her. she said
reproaChfully:
You've been drinking again. How
ard. You promised me you wouldn t."
Inc young man made no reply.
win an impatient gesture he passed
on into the fiat and flung himself
down in a chair in the dining room.
From the adjoining kitchen came a
welcome odor OF cooking.
Dinner ready?" he demanded. I'm
devilish hungry"
Yes, dear, Just minute" replied
his wife from the kitchen. There's
some nice Irish stew, just what you
| like"
The box-like hole where Howard
sat awaiting his meal was the largest
room in fat which boosted of five
and bath" There was a bedroom of
equally diminutive proportions and a
parlor with wall paper so loud that it
talked. There was scarcely enough
room to swing cat around. The
thin walls were cracked, the rooms
were carpetless. Yet 1t showed the
care OF a good housekeeper Floors
and windows were clean, the cover on
the table spotless The furnishings
were as meager as they were ingen-
ious. With their slender purse they
had been able to purchase only the
bare necessities-a bed, a chair or
two, dining room table, a few kitch-
en- utensils. When they wanted to sit
In the parlor they had to carry a
chair from the dining room; when
meal times came the chairs had to
travel back again. A soap box, turned
upside down and neatly covered with
chintz did duty as a dresser in the
bedroom, and with few photographs
and tacks they had managed to i'm.
part an aesthetic appearance to the
parlor. This place cost the huge sum
| or $50 month. 1t might Just as well
have cost 800 for all Towards ability
to pay 1t. The past months rent was
long overdue and the janitor looked
more insolent every day. But they
did not care. They were young and
life was still before them.
Presently Annie came In carrying
steaming dish of stew, which she
laid on the table. AS she helped How
ard to a plate full she said: so you
had no luck again this morning?"
Howard was too busy eating to an
swer. AS he gulped down huge piece
of bread, he growled:
Nothing, as usual-same old story,
nothing doing"
Annie sighed. She had been given
this answer so often that it would
have surprised her to hear anything
else 1t meant that their hard hand.
to-mouth struggle must go on. She
said nothing. What was the use? It
would never do to discourage How
ard. She tried to make light of It.
"Of course it isn't easy l quite
understand that. Never mind dear.
Something will turn up soon. Where
did you go? Whom did you see? Why
| didn't you let drink alone when you
promised me you would?"
THAT was Coxe's fault" blurted
out Howard, always ready to blame
others for his own shortcomings.
"You remember Coxe He was at
Yale when l was. A big, fair fellow
with blue eyes. He pulled stroke In
the varsity boat race, you remem-
ber?"
II think l do" replied his wife, In
differently, as she helped him to more
stew. What did he want? What's
he doing in New York;"
Hes got q fine place in a brokers'
Office in Wall street. felt ashamed
TO let him see me low down like this.
He said that I could make a good deal
OF money If only had little capital.
He knows everything going on In
Wall street If went in with him I'd
be on Easy street"