Year: 1869

"DoN'T take on about it, darling
Don't pray. Have patience, and all will
yet be WELL" 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 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 be called
Grub along"


But John Ross did not know the preju-
dice of small towns, and be 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
piece 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. 1t 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 a rolling stone gathering no moss, and
knowing that it would be like going
through their troubles again without
money, they concluded that it would be
better to fight on hopefully, keeping their
poverty hidden as much as possible, and
waiting patiently for better days.


But though 1t was easy enough to tall
of keeping their poverty hidden, that is nc





John Ross and his wife could have known
all, they would have found that the Elder
+ by people generally knew the extent o.
their wardrobes; how much to shilling
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 offel
of the house to some one else. In short
their affairs were made to be so bad, thai
people used to shake their heads and won
der how folks could be SO proud and keeI
upappearances as them ROSES did, wheI
they were almost starving, Lord bless
you.


John Ross would never take any notice
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, anC
gave every spare minute to the study o
his profession, working late every night
and merely taking such exercise as wal
absolutely necessary for his health.
rs d But 1t must not be imagined that M
practice fell to his share, for the POO
hocked 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 feve
patient whom Mr.. Ross was called in Il
attend, when the young surgeon had tolC
his wife that no human power could haY
saved the stricken one.


However, people would talk and shak
their heads, and say what pity 1t wa
that such an inexperienced person hat
been called in, &C. and 1t was not unit
the young surgeon had performed severa
clever cures in gratis cases, that the poor
er people favored him with their patron
age, giving him much trouble few thanks
and seldom any pay.


"Look at that" said John Ross one day
as two nurses passed the window in charg
of perambulator fitted with an awning
and containing a tine-looking boy of som
months old" look at that" he said BIZ
terly; "why, should think what is spen
upon that child in nurse and drugs woul
be comfortable income for us 1t
enough to make any man envlous to Sc
how unequally money is distributed
There are those people the Westerns, roll
ing in wealth, and without labor to gail
it, while the more fight and struggle, tn
worse off am. What do they know c
troubleS Grace, my girl" he cried pal
, ,sionately, ~ wish l had never marie
" you, to drag you down to this poverty |"


"Hushl oh, hush !" sobbed Mrs. Ros
the tears streaming down her cheeks
have we not been happy Though it al
~ and have ever seemed to minds Be p,
tient, and times will brighten; but pleas
please se-don't--speak-


Mrs Ross could say no more, for h
sobs choked her utterance. Her hu
bands words had seemed TO cut her TO Il
heart, for Of late he had grown more bitt
and less hopeful. Instead OF dying to
books for comfort, and studying hard,
had grown moody and peevish, In spite


her loving attentions; and many nigl
.g while he slept had her pillow been W
with tears as abe vainly tried to pierce d
III cloud Of gloom that seemed to close the
in on every side.


rs What bear / am, darling" he crlS
srfr ITO NOPE and growl as do envyir
80 hating and malieiously regarding n
.2s rneighbors because they make money a


don't There, never mind I'll ma


cid TonDlKins want me for a paFtuer We