Year: 1879

matters still worse was, his stock in
trade was destroyed by fire three
days after; and having been too stin-
gy in his lifetime to pay for an insur-
ance policy, the poor children lost
everything excepting the roof that
sheltered them. But Laura was a
resolute, self-reliant young girl. and
proved herselfin every respect, equal
to the equivocal situation.


She put out small signboard, and
took in washing and ironing. Mag
gle, who was stout and healthy, assist-
ed her in her labors and Tommy, at
her suggestion, though he was but
years old, launched out manfulJy as a
newsboy.


With all hands thus occupied the
miser's children were soon living far
more comfortably than they had ev-
er done while their father was alive.
They were ahle to supply themselves
with more wholesome food, and in
sufficient quantity to appease their
hunger to clothe themselves better
and to appear better, and more well
to do generally.


Laura was very pretty and neat
and afa bic, and this secured her
plenty of work of the lightest and
most desirable desert ption, and the
young clerks and gentlemen of leis-
ure, who chiefly employed her, declared
that they could see their faces in their
shirt -bosoms after they had passed
through the artistic ordeal of her pol
ishing irons.


She was subject, of course, to 8 good
deal of annoyance from her genteei
patrons in the way Of hattery and
compliments, but she conducted her
self always with the stri,test pro-
prlety whenever they were present,
which soon won from them general
respect and friendship. Her pract;-
cal little head was too strong to be
turned from the prAlseworthy current
Of her purpose by any mans dattery.
But there vas one young man Who
had insensibly won his way into her
good graces-a clerk of 20.


Laura with her practical eye, could
read his pure and unselfsh nature at
glance and she liked him but she
understood life better than he, and
when he urged an early marriage
she reasoned


"You are Just in the beginning of
the struggle, she would say, "and
with talent and the good principles
you possess to recommend you, you
arc sure to rise, if you do not rush
blindly into responsibilities that are
sure to cramp you in the futue."


To these arguments Fred Allston
would always reply:


Now, Laura, darling, this may ap-
pear very rational to you, and might
to me, if [ did not feel that in your
great anxiety for my future success,
you are too apt to underrato my capa-
bility Of coping with the world. Now,
if we were married, / should feel con-
tent, and could struggle like lion to
place you in that more exalted social
position for which you are SO we'll fit-
ted. You can 90 right on with you-
washing and ironing Just the same, if
you choose to, until my salary ia in
creased, or get into a business on
ny own account and l can pound
out the clothes aad do ali the heavy
work for you when 7 am alone at the
office. You see, my darling, l can
calculate in my own fashion, if I am
not quite as wise and practical as
yourself"


To all this Laura would shake her
young head gravely, and maintain hsr
right to differ.


"If everything was sure of being
Just as you paintit, she would an
swor, negatively, ''the venture might
be safe enough, perhaps. But | ar1
endowed with greater degree of
caution than you, and can form
cooler estimate Of the after prohabii-
ties, in the event of my permitting
you to take this uncertain step.


Look, as an illustration, at Nancy
tuisome. SAe is only Il year older
than l, been married trifo over tUo
years, and has three babies--the fr-t
two being twins, and hardly able to
toddle alone. Instead Of being able
to assist Charley, as che did tor the
first feg- months after their msrr.-.ga,
she has to have . hired girl, and is