The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-08-26

And lts the truth am ho' any
good, Peggy"
She knelt down beside him. "4os
are the dearest thing in the world
to me, Richard" she said, and her
arms went around his neck.
For moment he let them stay
there; then he flung them off
you'll begin to see how worthless
am after a time," he said. "Pm
no good, Peggy. A man who can't
keep his job and support his wife
might as well be dead"
Then as he saw the sick horror IN
her face he gathered her into his
arms. 81 didn't mean just that,
1e murmured, "but | don't know
what has got into me. | can't see
things right any more"
After that Dicks days were spent
in search of work and Peggy's in
sewing on little white garments
which she made from her own we'd
ding lingerie. She had not written
to Aunt Judith of the bad state OF
affairs, and there was no one else,
for Peggy was an orphan, and so
was Dick.
The meals became so scant IN
substance that at last Dick said
"1t's hardly worth while to serve
boiled potatoes with silver spoons,
is it, Peggy? You'd better let me
pawn them and pay the rent"
"Oh, no" Pcggy's hand was over
her heart. ooh, mol"
"Well, the first thing you know
we'll be set out in the street"
Then into Peggy's face had come
something that Dick had never seen
before-a white look of contempt.
''If | were a man." she said slow
", Il would break stones on the
road rather than not be able to sup
port my wife,
For a moment Dick stared at her
then he flung himself out of the
room.
After he had gone Peggy cried
hopclessly. But at last she wiped
her eyes, gathered up the silver
spoons, and she, too, went out.
When she came back she had the
money for the rent and the materi-
ais for a good dinner, for the spoons
were heavy and had brought a good
price.
She cooked the dinner and waited
for Dick. But he did not come.
The food grew cold, and she sat
down at the window, watching.
Then the evening grew into night,
and still she watched.
When Dick came in she was
asleep on the couch. Her face was
white as he bent over her, and there
were tears on her cheeks. He knelt
beside her. ooh, Peggy" he muir
INJURED.
She sat up and stared at him
drearily. 81 thought - | didn't
know where you were," she whis-
pered.
81 know" He dared not tell her
of that day-of how he had gone to
the river and had stood on the
bridge and had wondered why life
should not end; of how, in the win
dow of the secondhand shop on bis
way back, he had seen the silver
spoons, their wedding spoons, heavy
and solid and chased. The vision
had come to him of Peggy in her
white gown and veil-of her face
as he had kissed her at the altar
all at once the manhood had walked
in him, and he had gone bac1aSo his
old employer and had asked fol
work, humbly acknowledging his
faults, telling of his wife, and they
had taken him back.
Il know now why | failed" he
said as he finished telling her what
ne could. 81 wouldn't give the best
in me. But now I'm going to work
hard for you - and - the kid
Peggy"
A week later, when Aunt judith
came swooping down on them ant
found out the real state of affairs
Peggy confessed about the spoons
81 hated to sell them," she said
"but l just had to, Aunt Judith"
And that very afternoon Aun
Judith hunted up the secondhand
shop and bought them back, ant
when Dick came home they wer,
shining on the table.
"And now" said Aunt Judith, a
she slipped her tea and watches
Dick eat the beefsteak and omele
which she had purchased and ha'
cooked with her own expert hand
-"and now l want to make prop
osition. | want you to come bacl
with me to Hillsdale and take car
of the store for me and live in m
big house. Peggy can run things a
home, and you can run the busi
,,oee p;oborJ ,nd Til rro opJ 4rou