Mrs. Day's Daughters

dow And Th

opened for "the widow and children of the late Willia

s written, in Mr. Boult's own round and clerkly hand, on the top of the list of subscribers ha

entitle him to head the list. A banker's name should have figured there, or the name of the M. P. for Brockenham, or Sir Francis Forcus's name. With such an influential person to lead the way it was argued that the

riend, and because he headed the list with his fifty pounds it was said that no one liked to outdo that donation. Sir Francis Forcus, in order to avoid hurting those sensitive fe

ten pounds, a few more for five pounds; there were numerous donations of

t ashamed by the paltriness of the amounts which were being amassed in her behalf. "Collected by a well-wisher,

e read! Though, why a gift of a shilling should have hurt her m

ubscription list was closed the sum collected on

tion of the sum. The list of subscribers hung in a conspicuous place in his shop. He never failed to call to it the attentio

reproach of a father and husband in prison, removed half the woeful load of misfortune from the case. That the children were mostly of an age to earn their own livings, their mother still fairly young and strong, were facts also remembered. Then the word began to be passed

e pounds being collected, what to do

George Boult in order to set before him a proposition, the result of the unanimous

cious that however helpless she felt she must by no means appear to be so. "It would not do

he was well on his way, poor boy, to exemplify the tru

money back to," Bessie agreed. "We may be able to wipe the rest off our minds in tim

herself alone. For in that unhappy household was a law, unwritten, unspoken, but bi

m," Mrs. Day reminded them. "The least we can do is to pay him t

d from her. The money he had raised was money for him to handle-for the benefit of Mrs. Day a

of a course which to his perceptions appeared desirable. Also, having mapped out his plan or set out on his chosen path he never after

pers when he had originally started in Brockenham, was now easily the first of its kind, not only in the town but in the county.

like business," h

eir desks. They lifted their heads from their quill-driving to look at the poor woman as she went by. She went with hanging head, her thick widow's veil over her face, the thought in her mind, "Perhaps among the poor

d been told that her heart, on the contrary, was filled with pride, and beating high with rebellion, and that it was just the want of humil

grief and shame and anxiety had made in her face. He was quick to notice, because, practical, hard-working, hard-headed widower as he was, he had an eye for female beauty, an

ll were pendulous, the healthily pale but brunette complexion was of a leaden pallor; in the darkened skin beneath the deep-

isfaction. He was one of those who firmly believed his friend's ruin lay at her door. William Day h

dred and forty-nine pounds and a few odd shillings I have raised for you, in a business which will yield a

ed Mrs. Day, gazi

ly at her with his lips set, his chin stuck o

ed faintly, at a loss f

ring, you know-or perhaps you don't know-it's been kept secret for business purposes. I am glad t

dee

rful luck, I consider-i

ll someone who is taking the shop

meant for a snort of contempt, and going from the table, placed himself upon the hearthrug, where he paused,

nd brought up his children out of it, and this with only antiquated methods. With new life put into the concern, and with altogether up-to-date ma

y asked in feeble protest

s. "What did you think you were going to do with the money

ht them one in the other. "I have been talking it over with my children, and we have decided, if you approve, to take a good-sized house by the sea, w

e longer, looked at it, put it out of sight behind his coat tails. "Ah no; that scheme won't do at all," he said, quite pleasantly. "I know these lodgings, and the miserable women who keep them, an

ess into her voice. "I do not really think I could keep a shop," she said. "Above all, a grocery shop

he asked he

ch we much wish to do; we should begin again where we-where our story-is not know

dopted a tone intended to show her he was not to be trifled with. "Understand at once, Mrs. Day, I will be no party to the money subscribed on the tacit understanding that it is to be properly invested for

, less well placed than he. As he had risen he had left them behind, for

securing for you this sum of money-many fortunes have been made with less. To begin with I did not have half the c

looking out from their dark-

verything before deciding. There are six bed-rooms and a living room of unusual size. This gives you the opportunity of taking a lodger. I have already spoken to my new bu

ied the broad strings of ribbon and crape of her widow's bonnet, and looked round anxiously for a window. There was none, the

"He would easily be able to spare you thirty shillings a week for b

. "The man who is to manage the shop would want

he shop?

been speaking of-

tle concern as it is, the business won't keep a man; you wi

of defending her children. "To that I could not consent," she sai

t her, ma'am. It

ers she tied her bonnet strings-the wide black strings that wanted p

must not feel that you are being hustled into this thing," he said. "The money is

Boult came forward wi

"If I had my time over again I would take up with the groshery line instead of the drap

sked, waiving, not without

not a big concern at present, of course, but the boy can learn the business there

the hand she unw

of explaining his kind interest in her affairs. "And ho

when he released her hand sh

wo of the principal streets. Standing on the opposite pavement Mrs. Day contemplated the grocer's shop from which Mr. Jonas Carr was retiring. His name in small white letters was painted on the black lintel of the

stretched dirty lace curtains. The windows on the higher floor were dirt

entered the shop. Mr. Carr, behind the counter, a toothless, unpleasant-looking

streaky if you p

reaky, and took it, half wrapp

t for yo

, and while he served her looked about at the

o sell tobacco and snuff," painted over the door! Imagine her-her!-behind the counter of that squalid little shop! Imagine Bessie, and her exq

astonishingly small waste

it