Year: 1869







"DoN'T take on about it, darling
Don't pray. Have patience, and all will
yet be we'll" whispered Grace Ross, leaV-
ing her untouched breakfast and kneeling
at her husbands feet, so that she could lay
her hands upon his breast, and let her blue
eyes look up appealingly in his.


The Ross folks, as the people in Elderly
called them, were in sad straits Some
two years before, with q little money in
hand, John Ross had come to settle with
his young wife in the pleasant country
town, having made his calculation that
he would get no practice, as the new doc
tor, for the first year-at least, none to
signify-but that he could furnish his
house quietly, and live decently for that
first year, while what little he did earn
would 60 TO his remaining stock Of cash,
and add to what he gained during the
second year, which he hoped would be
something, if not considerable, at least
enough to enable them to what he called
Grub along"


But John Ross did not know the preiu-
dice of small towns, and he soon found
that he was looked down upon with con-
tempt by the old practitioner; not known
by those who considered themselves the
gentry of the place, and viewed generally
with suspicion by the poorer and middle
classes. He might have possessed the
skill of the Royal College of Surgeons
condensed into one man, but the people of
Elderly would still have shaken their
heads at him. And knowing all this,
Tompkins, the old surgeon, used to
chuckle and rub his hands, killing some
and curing others, and year by year grow
ing richer, telling himself that the new
man would soon grow tired and go, for,
after all said and done, it was great
niece Of impudenCe to come and set up in
Elderly without his leavel


But things had gone very crookedly
with the Ross people, and in spite of every
exertion, John Ross found himself at the
end Of two years and some months, penni-
less, and without chance of bettering his
position. It seemed as if the people
would have none of him, and again and
again he was for trying some other place.
But after long discussion, his wife and
he always bore in mind the old proVerb
of rolling stone gathering no moss, and
knowing that 1t would be like going
through their troubles again without
money, they concluded that it would be
better to fight on hopefully, keeping theiI
poverty hidden as much as possible, an6
waiting patiently for better days.


But though it was easy enough to tall
of keeping their poverty hidden, that is ne
slight matter in a country town; and i
John Ross and his wife could have known
all, they would have found that the Elder
by people generally knew the extent o
&6atr orIr hnvF IN n
they owed the baker and butcher; how
that their landlord fully expected they
would give him notice from quarter tC
quarter, and had promised the first otfel
of the house to some one else. In short
their affairs were made to be so bad, thaf
people used to shake their heads and won
der how folks could be so proud and keeT
up appearances as them ROSES did, wheI
they were almost starving, Lord blesi
you.


John Ross would never take any MOTTO
of the small tattling of the people, or h
might have resented the fact that Tomp
kins had spoken very disparagingly o
his ability. But he was too wise man
He hoped that times would mend, ant
gave every spare minute to the study o
his profession, working late every night
and merely taking such exercise as wa
absolutely necessary for his health.


But it must not be imagined that h
practice fell to his share, for the poo
fiocked to him in spite of the i'll success
that attended his efforts in the first yea
Of his coming. In fact, Tompkins mad
great capital out of the death of a feVe
patient whom Mr.. Ross was called in t
attend, when the young surgeon had tol
his wife that no human power could hav
saved the stricken one.


However, people would talk and shak
their heads, and say what a pity 1t wa
that such an inexperienced person ha
been called in, SC. and it was not unit
the young surgeon had performed severi
clever cures in gratis cases, that the poo
or people favored him with their patrol
age, giving him much trouble, few thank
and seldom any pay.


"Look at that" said John Ross one da,
as two nurses passed the window in Charg
of O perambulator fitted with an awninl
and containing fine-looking boy Of SON
months old" look at that" he said bi
terly; "Why, | should think what is speI
upon that child in nurse and drugs woul
be a comfortable income for us. 1t
enough 10 u1hk6 ally udn OhNlOu5 w sN
how unequally money is distributel
There are those people the Westerns, rol
ing in wealth, and without labor to gal
1t, while the more fight and struggle, Il
worse of 1 am. What do they know
troubleP Grace, my girl" he cried pa
sionately, wish I had never Marie
you, to drag you down to this poverty p


Hush oh, hushl r sobbed Mrs RoE
the tears streaming down her cheek
have we not been happy through It q
and have / ever seemed TO mind Be o
tient, and times will brighten; but plea
please t--speak--"


Mrs. Ross could say no more for b
gobs Choked her utberance. Her hi
bands words had seemed to cut her to 1
heart, for Of late he had grown more biti
and less hopeful. Instead Of flying to ]
books for comfort, and studying hard,


had grown moody and peevish, IN spite
her loving attentions; and many q mig
while he slept had her pillow been '
with tears as she Yainly tried to pierce
cloud Of gloom that seemed 70 close Oh


in on every side


aWhat q bear am, darling" he crl


"to Nope and growl as ! do, envYi


hating and malioiously regarding


neighbors because they make money


/ don't. There, never mind. I'LL nj


old Tompkins want me for partner "


An hour after he was making no