Year: 1874

FOF louB time hO hO'iSS was tohSh
of the note.


Annie, seeing that her brothers
patrons were resolved to cut her ac-
quaintance utterly, paid them no fur
ther outward attention, and devoted
herself diligently to her business.


With increased income came aug
mented expenses. The little tenement was
exchanged for the quite pretentious one
before alluded to, with residence above
commodious store at rental of one
hundred and fifty dollars per month.
The family, being never before accus-
toned to the luxuries that money
brings, became very extrAvagant in
their demands upon the profits of the
house. Annie would often expostulate,
but to little purpose, and slowly, as the
months rolled on, did she realize the
fact that she was barely able TO retain
funds enough from current expenses to
keep the old stock paid for, while, for
the new one, she was always many
hundred dollars in debt.


The knowledge of her hopeless in
debtedness told fearfully upon her
spirits. 1t was all in vain that she
urged her brother Jim, now quite tall
boy, to find some good situation where
he might support himself


The boy chad as good n thing as he
wanted at home;" besides, he was grow
Ing indolent and dissolute in his habits.
He had been expelled from the public
schools for playing truant, and his idle
ness gave his sisters deep concern.
Henry never visited the new estab-
lishment when Annie was at home. The
adroit insinuations OF Mrs. Hastings
against the reputation of his sister, and
her own indignation when he men
toned his suspicious against her char
acter at their last interview, had suf-
feed to estrange them utterly.


But Henry Lee was no ordinary boy.
He improved diligently every moment
of his time at school, and was especially
expert in essay-writing. The boy
seemed to develop political knowledge
by sort of spontaneous growth, and his
literary productions gradually found
their way as leaders in the columns of
the Every Morning Gazette.


The editor of this paper was fossil Of
the old school, and the public, noting
the fresh originality of the new produc-
tions, made so many favorable COM
ments that the publisher was induced to
make liberal offer of an editorial place
to the chore boy of Hastings senior
The boy unhesitatingly accepted an in
cognito position at a salary which ena-
bled him to obtain board and lodging at
an elegant uptown residence, where he
could pursue his studies unmolested, or
write up his brilliant editorials at his
leisure.


The gayest parties, picnics and festi-
walls in the city delighted now to do him
honor. The best and broadest oppor-
tunity for culture arose and met him.
No obstacles were in his path hence
forth.


Reader, we beg your pardon-there
was one serious annoyance that contin-
ually confronted the mental vision Of
Henry Lee.


People knew that the pretty milliner
with the faultless taste, damaged repu-
tation and dependent family was the
sister Of the rising politician. To keep
this ambitious girl from becoming so
conspicuous as to ever render the public
coupling OF their names possible was his
pet ambition.


"Strong- minded women" had become
common in the land, and it had even
been limited that a society of these un-
sexed monstrosities was about to be Or
ganized in Portsmouth.


Common sense might have turned the
very young mans solicitude into chan
nels Of effort TO secure honorable en-
ployment for his kind and impulsive
but inconsiderate and idle brother
James; but, 1t being mans business to
protect woman only, it was not strange
that he forgot his brother.


"Oh, dearu said Annie, wearily to

herself, as the dreaded "agent" came
around for the regular rent, due on the
first day Of the month, "I do wish
Henry would take one of the upper
rooms and get his board with us. He
might just as well share his lot with the
family as not, and the money he pays
for board and lodging up town would
pay half of our rent"


But Henry Lee made no such over
ture. Possibly it did not occur to him.
Yet he was kind and pleasant with
Fannie and Sue when he met them,
and occasionally sent paper of sugar
plums to Tot. What more could be ex-
pected of very young and ambitious
man who was striving TO get on in the
world?


ITO be continued