Year: 1875

want to take with you next week,
which I might have hemmed ifI had
only had them. But you see l had
designed them for this afternoon, and
30 did not 60 out to buy them till to-
day. And now ! suppose the mend,
ing must lie over till next week, and
then there will be two baskets full.
And so it goes. Iwish sometimes the
days we're forty-eight, instead of
twenty-four hours long"


"Well, don't, l am sure" said her
husband, good-humoredIy, "for get
tired enough now, and doubt, Sarah,
if either you or I would find any more
time than we do now"


''Well, one thing is certain, I never
shall find time, as the days are now,
to do what | want to do"


"But you say that Mrs. Merton
does"


eyes, but she is an exception to all
the rest of my acquaintance"


"An honorable one y


"Yes, an honorable one. / wish
there were more with her faculty."


"Perhaps, there would be, were her
example followed"


II understand you, and perhaps
some day will heed the hint" but here
her farther reply was prevented BY a
request from his head clerk to see her
husband alone on urgent business,


All this time while Mrs. Nelson
had been bewailing the want of time
she had sat with her hands lying idly
in her lap. To be sure, she was wait
ing for Bridget to bring the baby to
be undressed, but she might have ca
silly have finished hemming the last
cravat in those precious moments, and
there it lay on her workstand, and her
thimble and thread both with it. But
she never thought of taking it, not
she. She never thought it worth
while to attempt doing anything while
waiting to do some other duty that
must soon have to be performed,
And thus in losing those moments,
she lost the evenings chance TO finish
the hem; for when baby did come
she was cross and squally, and would
not let her lay him in his crib until
near nine O'Clock, and then she was
so tired and nervous, "she couldn't,
she said "set 4 stitch to save hel
life"


1t happened one day, in the follow.
ing week, after a morning OF rather
more furry and worry than usual, that
she went to the centre table to hun,
for misplaced memorandum. Ir
her search for it, her glance casually
fell upon the borrowed novel, and
with that glance the foregoing con
versation rushed forcibly over hel
memory


II declare said she, 81 have half a
mind to run over to Mrs. Mertons
this afternoon, and cross-question hel
till I learn her secret. Such life as
l am leading is unbearable. l can't
stand it any longer. If she can find
time l know ! can, if | only know
how"


And true to her resolution, fol
though seemingly hasty, it had fol
some time been maturing in her mind
almost unwittingly she found herself
at an early hour in her friends parlol
her bonnet and shawl thrown aside
and herself, work bag in hand, snugly
ensconced in low rocker beside hel
little workstand.


"You have not finished your collar
then 2" she observed to Mrs. Merton,
after awhile, by way of leading the
conversation in the desired channel.
20 yes, indeed" answered her host
ess, tossing her head to the one side
gaily, with a pretty affection Of pride
Didn't you notice how becoming it
was p


Sand commencing another Sc
soon"


"Only basting on the pattern Sc
as to have it ready for some odd mo
ment."


"But how can you bear to spent
so much time in embroidery. Why
not purchase it at orce 1t is so much
cheaper in the end"


"For the wealthy, it is, l grant
and for those not very wealthy, ifthei
eyesight is poor, or if lacking in tast'
and needle skill. But / find it cheap
) er to do it myself. My husbands sal
ary does not allow us many luxuries
3 ,,,J +bo e,,,,u ,,,, ,ro cop coop1 fn