River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-02-05

in this old worldi Oh, how tired OF
this old world / am! | didn't know
what to do. | just tried to go ahead
and be as practical as could, and ar
range some way for us to live. Oh,
/ knew you didn't want me, George !!
can see that much! You don't sup
pose I want to thrust myself on you,
do you? 1t isn't very pleasant to be
thrusting yourself on a person you
know doesn't want you-but / knew
you oughtn't to be left all alone in
I the world;- it isn't good. knew your
mother'd want me to watch over you
and try to have something like home
for you'll knew she'd want me to do
what / tried to dow Fanny's tears
were bitter now, and her voice, hoarse
and wet, was tragically sincere. "Ohi
and now-you don't want-you want
-A-you want to leave me in the lurchl
You"
"Oh, my Lord!'' He went to her
AMI lifted her. "For Gods sake get
up. Come, let's take the coffee into
the other room and see what's to be
DONE"
He got her to her feet; she leaned
upon him, already somewhat comfort
ed. and, with his arm about her, he
conducted her to the dining room and
seated her in one of the two kitchen
chairs which had been placed at the
rough table. "There!" he said, "get
over it y Fanny's spirits revived APP
preciably: she looked up with Il plain
i've eagerness. 81 had bought all my
all clothes, George she said; "and /
aid every bill owed. l don't owe a
for clothes, George"
snThat's good" he said wanly, and he
had a moment of physical dizziness
that decided him to sit down quickly.
For an instant it seemed to him that
he was not Fanny's nephew, but mar
ried to her. He passed his pale hand
over his paler forehead. "Well, let's
see where we stand" he said feebly.
"Let's see if we can afford this place
you've selected"
Fanny continued to brighten. SIN
sure it's the most practical plan we
could possibly have worked out,
George-and it is comfort to be
among nice people. think Wen both
enjoy it, because the truth is we've
been keeping too much to ourselves
for long while. 1t isn't good for
people,"
ST was thinking about the money
Aunt Fanny. The rent is thirty-siy
dollars month; the dinner is twenty
two and a half for each of us, and
we've got, to have some provision fol-
other food. We won't need any
clothes for year, perhaps"
"Oh, longer!" she exclaimed. $50
you see"
81 see that forty-five and thirty-six
make eighty-one," he said. "At the
lowest, we need a hundred dollars a
month-and I'm going 10 make thirty
two"
81 thought of that, George" she said
confidently. "and I'm sure it will be all
right. You'll be earning great deal
more than that very soon."
II don't see any prospect of it-not
till I'm admitted to the bar, and that
will be two years at the, earliest"
"Well, there's the six hundred dol
lars from the sale. Six hundred and
twelve dollars it was"
sit isn't six hundred and twelve
now" said George. 'It's about one
hundred and sixty"
Fanny showed a momentary dismay.
"Why, how"
81 lent Uncle George two hundred; I
gave fifty apiece to old Sam and those
two other old darkies that worked for
grandfather so long, and ten to each
of the servants here"
"And you gave me thirty-six," she
said thoughtfuly, ''for the first
, months rent, in advance"
'Did I? I'd forgotten. Well, with
about hundred and sixty in bank
and our expenses hundred a month,
1t doesn't seem as If this new place"
"Still," she interrupted. 1--WE have
paid the first months rent in advance,
and 1t does seem to be the most prac-
teal"
George rose. "See here, Aunt Fanny"
he said decisively. "You stay here and
look after the moving. Old Frank
doesn't expect me until afternoon,
this first day, but I'll go and see him
now"
1t was early, and old Frank,
just established at his big, fiat-topped
desk, was surprised when his prOspec-
tive assistant and pupil walked in. He
was pleased, as well as surprised. how
ever, and rose, offering a cordial old
hand. 'The real flare !" he said. 'The
real flare for the law. That's right |!
s
~ |