The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-18
STORY OF MRS. JONES
BY JOSEPHINE BRANDON.

BY JOSEPHINE BRANDON
Mrs. Jones was ON her way to the
brokers'. in the lower part Of the city
Her bag contained some bond, that
had to be sold-the last bit Of stock
she possessed. It was lunch time; and
the quietness Of the narrow streets
deserted save for a belated passerby
or 20. proved conducive to introspec
ton.
Her thoughts harked back to BY
gone days: to the time when her re
naming parent had died and left her
with Z few thousand dollars. in the
Arst bright glow Of womanhood. Soon
after that she met Jones. Everybody
thought he was such . nice young
man.
So. - his calls grew more and more
frequent, she came to rejoice In the
belief that the other girls were secret.
" envying her. He bought violets for
her and brought her candy: he was Z
very nice young man indeed. There
were old maids in those days, and she
had the common fear and horror Of
being left single-stranded on the
shores Of the ocean Of matrimony.
One evening he had TREMENDOUSLY asked
her to marry him: and she had -
tremulously answered him. yea.
But that was . good many years
ago. Since then several little Joneses
had come into the world to laugh and
cry. and get married. They must b
clothed and fed: when old enough to 80
first bright glow Of womanhood. Soon
to school they asked often for pocket,
money. the girls especially. The little
boys saved theirs.
On making closer acquaintance
with Jones. she had discovered that
tho position he held was rather more
respectable than remunerative. u
fact. she didn't see how he could have
hoped to support . wife and family %
bis salary. He must have been look
Ing forward to an early promotion
or else he wasn't looking at all.
But with the help Of her little In.
come they managed to get along pref
ty we'll, at least until the panic of 90
Then many employees were turned out
Of job; and Jones was one Of the
number. He comforted her with the
assurance that he had never been duly
appreciated. and 1t wouldn't be long
before his friend. Mr.. White. could GET
him q position worth while.
Meantime they lived on her money.
She shivered at recollection Of the
checks she had written to be cashed
by him in the city. It was less pain,
full to lend" that way: because he
was enabled to keep tacitly to himself
the money he needed for personal e.. ,
penses.
Bit by bit had her small fortune !
dwindled until these few bonds alone
remained. Opportunities for work had
arisen in plenty. but always to b
passed over as too Insignificant. The .
places would lower his standing. he |
said, hurt his chances for bigger
things. Next week or next month Mr..
Rlank or Mr.. Ray had 10 good %
promised to procure him this or that
fine position. And the loan, you know.
might 90 through. Then he would pay
her hack al be had borrowed" and
they'd DO on Easy street for the rest
Of their lives. He then had hinted at
"a automobile: for he fully expected
70 get several thousand q year.
But since time few BY and these q.
pectations were left behind unfulnlled.
Il appeared that he set greater store
BY himself than did others. She
thought Of how he would look when
she returned home. There he'd DO
sitting, with the eternal paper in his
hand, smoking one cigar after another.
II only he would learn to like q pipe.
Soon after she came In he'd begin 10
berate the government for Its being
possible that such q state Of affairs
can exist, when"
She was tired Of his faulty. These
bonds were the last she had. When
the money for them was gone. what
should she do? Go to the poorhouse?
He wouldn't let her work % long %
The stayed with him. because she was
his wife: and yet he didn't do anything
himself. She would leave him. Then
The thought OF the children-after oil,
hey belonged to him. too. But, pshaw!
He seemed to regard them % . mat,
Ter Of course, not 40 . charge (''host-
ages OF fortune" 1ashed through her
mind).
Was Il for this she had promised 70
love. honor and obey" him! How %.
Iurd those words sounded in such 4