Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-08-14

awfully good Of you to want us here,
but the house is small, and mother Is
really not well enough to have u.s.
! Mrs. Todd said nothing, and Ernes-
tine felt that she had never seen SO
dispirited creature.
If we get near town, mom." VIII
SAID, we can save money on carfare.
| | know place on Erie street one of
| the fellows told me about, where you
can get room and two meals, at a
reasonable price, and It's in walking
distance OF the office Anyhow, |
think we ought to live alone"
That's right" said Wills father
ITS the only way for young married
people. II you need any money when
you go to fixing up fiat can lend
you a little. | always have few
hundred dollars tucked away for emer.
gencies," he explained to Ernestine.
= can let VIII borrow. without in.
terest, II he needs 1t. own house
on Troy street that you could have II
II wasn't leased. But the location Is
not good for you"
We'll manage said VIII conf
IDENTIFY, and Ernestine admired him.
They exchanged bright looks, and
Mr.. Todd said heartily:
We'll, come and visit us sometimes,
anyhow
It was soon time for them to 60.
Ernestine, IN her squirrel coat and
scarlet hat, babe her new relatives
good-by. She felt that there were
tears In the air. realized little that
these people were losing VIII more
definitely than she would ever be lost
to her family. He was their only son,
but they said good-by to him with
quiet dignity Ernestine admired their
restraint. and was grateful for their
good taste. They offered neither ad.
Vice nor counsel, but allowed the
young ones to 30 forth about their
own affairs. The house on Erie street
brought to Ernestine her first shock
Of reality. Ii was an ancient. smoke
blackened dwelling place, not far from
the lake. Across the street from the
house a fse-story machine shop re-
verberated with activity. A secret
looking brown-stone house, With drawn
blinds, stood on the corner. Ernes-
tine felt that the apartment they spoke
OF so gllhly was not so near. A sense
OF the irreyocable nature of the step
she had taken swept over her. She
was now Wits, and, as he had said
TO her father. his roof was her roof.
His home was hers, and this was 1t.
She had definitely abandoned her old
way OF life and set her feet In a
strange country. The future was as
remote from the past as though she
were following him to a great dis
lance.
Hand in hand they ran up the stone
stairs and met small plump woman,
called Mrs. Bennett. with whom VIII
discussed rooms and prices, while |
Ernestne stood to one side, burningly |
conscious Of the gold band Oh her |
third finger.
Ernestine was too good sport to /
bemoan their conspicuous lack of |
money. Fresh from the rigors OF
inee school. It was NOT hard for her
to accustom herself to simplicity.
VIII discovered that she had most
practical nature. The forces which !
had driven her into marriage had not
all been romantic. In adjusting her
self to living on Wills pay, she was
able to exercise some OF her native
ingenuity and shrewdness, and In that
capacity she found a certain pleasure.
1t was fun to put herself on a basis
OF having no money to spend and then
how much she had grown
accustomed to spending In the months
since she had left school. Her trunk
was full OF pretty clothes. IT was an
element she did not at first appre-
ciate.