The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-07-06
THINGS WENT WRONG

| ple-that young ladies of eighteen Of
ten do. So that accounted for her
going down into the basement where
Thomas Watts was clearing away the
ashes from the furnace and making
his acquaintance.
Thomas was a sort of odd-job man,
of English birth, almost elderly and
Of a squat figure. He had made his
appearance on the street early in the
summer with little push-cart, sickle
and a rake and he trimmed the lawns
(Which are not large) on the street for
q minimum consideration of fifteen
cents With the approach of winter
he asked such Of his patrons as had
| furnaces to allow him to tend them
shake down and feed in the morning,
| feed and bank at night, seventy-tve
cents per week, and ashes removed
an extra twenty-five cents. Miss
Editns papa engaged him for the full
sound of shoveling went down and in
| terviewed him.
She asked him fine variety of ques'
lions. He did 'fairish to middlin', as
| you might say" with his furnaces.
"No, miss, amt married, o course
| he said in response to the next ques-
ton mot as yet. l 'ope to be, but
| I'm not we'll enough OFF. Hive got
lydy back in the hold country as |
| walked hout with, but she ses to me,
she SEES: Thomas, wen | marry Him
goin' to stop takin' in manglin'. Him
goin' to ave a 'ouse o me hown an
q 'usban as as got is bit o money
in the bank So l come hover ere,
but some'ow l never seem to ave no
luck"
For some weeks the family heard lit
tie else from Miss Edith than accounts
of Watts and his touching romance.
Her name is Sarah Jane iggins and
she as carroty air said Miss Edith
Isn't it perfectly lovely? And they
have been engaged now for more than
seven yearS-aS long as JACOB worked
for what s-her-name."
She did help him according to her
poor little means.
"Thankee kindly, miss" he would
say, as he pocketed her donations, 1T
| shows your feeling 'ert an hevery lit
tie clips, as the sayin Is. Him a-goin'
| to tell Sarah Jane about this
Don't mind about that Thomas"
said Miss Edith. But you might give
her my love and tell her that think
you are-a-a nice man and that she
ought not to insist upon house Of
her own if you could take her to nice
little fiat"
mo fear, miss. Hill tell 'er that"
! said Thomas.
One day a very rich man came to
| Miss Edith's house. He was so rich
that he owned an entire fiat building
| all by himself. Miss Edith told him
| about Thomas in her enthusiastic way
and he seemed interested and when
| she had finished he said: well, my
| janitor is going to leave me at the end
of the week and wouldn't wonder il
| this friend of yours suited me very
well, my dear. He would have a nice
] cozy little set Of rooms in the base
ment, big enough for Sarah Jane and
| him, and he ought to save enough out
| of his wagec to put bit in the bank.
| Send him around to see me-"
or course, when Thomas became the
| janitor Of the Arethusa he could not
attend to Edith's fathers furnace any
more and Miss Edith had to go to see
him about Sarah Jane. For some time
Thomas talked to her very freely, but
he said that he would have to wait
and put by bit O. money before he
sent for his sweetheart Then as time
passed it seemed to Miss Edith that
Thomas rather avoided her. He was
evasive in his replies when she did see
him. She taxed him with his unfriend-
illness and he protested fervently that
it was imaginary on her part.
"You see, miss" he said, "'owso-
hever | might wish to ave bit of
chat I've got a job o work to do an
the work as to be done Howin' to
your kind Recommendation I've got
this starvation han I've got to show
as 'ow | deserve it."
Miss Edith thought that was very
nice Of Thomas, but she was not sure
that 1t explained why he was so ret.
icent about Sarah Jane. The explana-
ton Of that came one morning when
passing the Arethusa she saw Thomas
coming out clad in a new suit of CLOS
sy black, stiff new hat and a necktie
as blue as his eyes On seeing Miss
Edith his face instantly became as
red as the brick in the cottages oppo-
site.
"Why Thomas, how smart you are
this morning." exclaimed Miss Edith.
you can't be working. You look al
most as il you were to be married.
Thomas grew still redder in the
face. well, miss" he stammered at
last, that there is my hintentions"
"Why, has Sarah Jane come? oh,
why didn't you tell me-" said Miss
Edith.
"Well, now MISS" said Thomas,
mot to deceive you, 1t amt Sarah
Jane. It's young lydy Hive been
walkin' hout with ere, 'er name bein
Ida Stromberg."
Thomas" said Miss Edith, solemn
ly and reproachfully, "I'll never speak
to you again"
"Why, thought as 'ow you wanted
me to marry, miss" said Thomas.
Il did" said Miss Edith, but want
ed you to marry Sarah Jane, poor