Evening star., 1914-07-22

laboring hard as he could. The work
was not so well p0jd as the work at the
bank had been. but he was near his wife
and much happier. He had not forgotten
| the note. Before it fell due he would be
ready with it. Through 1t all Jim could
trace a little hint of annoyance that he
had asked before the note fell due
, Lucy made out without going away
the most expensive part of the doctors
prescription. But she did not mend a.
fast as they had hoped.
Jim borrowed a little here and there 10
pay the doctor and for the medicine Al
together it amounted to quite a sum-
AND it was something he had never done
before.
To all of us THERE have come wears wh.n
everything went wrong-years IN which.
do what We would 1t was impessible 10
get ahead. Such a one had come to
yim and Lucy. They employed every
economy. but it was OF no use.
hen old Bert squares up" Jim said.
well be all right. This monthly inter-
est is hard to meet but he'll make good
and then well be able TO get on again"
From time to time Bert wrote a line to
them His wife was not doing as well as
ne expected. The doctors had not much
nope If anything should happen to her
He broke off there Jims heart was
beavy for him. He knew much Of the
struggle he was having-workinE all day
and often watching far into the night
| than his own did. But his own waved
heavier ms the year drew to a close. The
little sums he had borrowed were asked
again, with varying degrees of imnA-
tience. And he could not always respond.
Little threads of gray began to show In
his close cropped brown hair and wor-
ried lines came in Lucys smooth fore
head.
The note fell due at last due. thsn
overdue. Jim and Lucy watched the let
ter carrier like lovesck girls. And AZ
last the letter came. 1t was black Dor
dered. They knew the news IL had TO
tell before they opened il.
Poor Bert" sighed Jim. holding u
unread in his hand. He'll 20 all 70
pieces"
But the note was not from Bert. n
was from his wife. He had died OF pneu-
monia after an illness Of a few days.
And before he died he had confessed
about the note and how il had come TO
be given The letter WAS n beautiful let
ter of gratitude and faith II would not
-be long until she would ne with Bert.
she said. This much consolation the doc
tor had given her in her sorrow And
she was counting the hours. But the note
lay heavily on her mind Size did not
know how to pay it. She could not WORK.
Whatever WAS oVei. she said she had
directed TO be sent ~ them Was IL
hardship. not having it all? or could they
afford to wait for the return az Their
bread upon the waters
Then the eyes OF jim nlet inv tNts W
Lucy and he knew hei fer true mate
in thought and word and deed she
spoke with sobs. but the words were good
and true.
The home-we can get another one.
jim. How miserable she must nave nee"'
If il had not been for YOU.
And Jin's voice not 50 steady a. Usual.
answered her: Il know. dear That vas
how j felt when poor Bert asked me
What if it were my Lucy sick and IN.
4 thank God I gave il to him.
And so do |. said Lucy.
They wrote a letter-a good soui-satis-
flying. cordial letter-to the little woman
that ii made no difference at all-that the
money was lying idle: that they had
loved to help Bert out. And they tilied
the letter full of good and loving
thoughts. In time an rs arswe, .,rsnms,
wrote that the end had come in deep
peace and joy.
softly the day the letter came. Tney
felt almost that some one lay dead IN inc
house. And Jim telegraphed the money
for flowers that was sore'y heeoeu io'
other things.
4 cn;y for them to mind. They did not
cave much that the mortgage was over
d,,e and the man pressing. Forever atter
little sorrows were to he little TO tnem.
They knew what the others were. iheN
racked their things. almost without re-
greet. Even the garden. mass o' peau'.
ard fragrance could not dim Lucy
avakened cyes But they were not des-
tined to leave. after an! r,
One day foreign letter came lhey
opened it, wondering IL was from Der.
I-ncle Ezra and il contained money 10
- tho note three times over. Bert
when he came to die. had written the
truth TO him and asked him to pay: ana
tbe old man had paid threefolo; but tns
ietter-I,ucy cried over il and, JIM turned
aua.- his head when he read II, Tor II
snoEe of the blessings promised TO the
,,erciful and of the cme who Would make
tTHE END