Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-08-10

The box-like h0lS where lio@ul
sat awaiting his meal was the large
room in a lat which boasted Of Ave
and bath" There was a bedroom Of
equally %dlrinutiye proportions and a
parlor with wall paper so loud that il
talked. There was scarcely enough
room to swing a cat around, The
thin walls were cracked, the rooms
were carpetless. Yet it showed the
care Of a good housekeeper. Floors
and windows were clean, the 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, = chair or
two, 3 dining room table, 9 few kitch-
en- utensils. When they wanted to Htt
In the parlor they had to carry q
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
chlptz did duty as q dresser in the
bedroom, and with u few photographs
} and tacks they had managed to Inn
part al aesthetic appearance to the
|, parlor. This place cost the huge sum
Of $25 q month. 1t might just as well
have cost 500 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 yer young and
! life was still before them.
Presently Annie came in carrying
8 steaming dish Of stew, which she
" laid on the table. AS she helped How
ard to a plate full she said: $50 you
= had no luck again this morning."
Howard was too busy eating to an
swer. AS he gulped down a huge piece
: Of bread, he growled:
Nothing, as usual-same old story
: nothing doing"
y Annie sighed. She had been givel
this answer so often that it woulC
:" have surprised her to hear anything
else. 1t meant that their hard hand
to-mouth struggle must go on. Sh'
said nothing. What was the use?
would w do to discourage How
3 ard. She tried TO make light of It,
"Of course It isn't easy, l quit
understand that. Never mind, deal
J Something will turn up soon. Wher
r did you go? Whom did you see? VIII
didn't you let drink alone when 20
[ promised me you would?"
} "That was Coxe's fault" blurte
out Howard, always ready to blam
others for his W shortcoming
"You remember Coke! He was {
, Yale when l was. A big, fair fello
with blue eyes. He pulled stroke
- the varsity boat race, you remer
a ber?"
M ~ think l do" replied his wife, /
differently, as she helped him to MOI
stew. What did he want? What
he doing in New York;"
Hes got a fine place in a broker
ONCE in Wall street. I felt ashamt
to let him see me low down like thi
He said that / could make a good de
Of money II only l had a little capt.;
He knows everything going on
Wall street. II l went In with him
be on Easy street"
M How much would 1t requireT
1.-TWO thousand dollars"
The young wife gave a sigh as S
" answered:
I'm afraid that's a day dream. Or
your father could give you such
amount and you wouldn't go to hi
. would you?
mot If we hadn't another crust
the house." snapped Howard savaj
ly. you don't want me to, do you
he asked looking up at her quickly
mo, dear" she answered cain
~ have certainly no wish that y
should humble yourself. At the 81.
time / am not selfish enough to We
TO stand in the way Of your futu
Your father and stepmother hate l
l know that. l am the cause Of "
separation from your folks. No do
your father would be very willing
help you If you would consent
leave me"
Dice Howard laughed as he replied;
well, If that's the price for
$4,000 / guess I'll go without 1t.
wouldn't give you up for = mill
times $2,0OO!"
Annie stretched her hand acr
one the table.
ard. Really" she said.
me- CrO BE Continued
with "
was Engineering In Hospitals.