Ragged Lady, Part 1

as he opened the door she said, "I do wish you would take some of that heat-tonic of mine, Albe't, that the docta left for me in Boston. You'll find it in the

ell-boy; I do hate to be out of it. I guess you been up and out long ago. They did make that polonaise of mine too tight after all I said, and I've been thinkin' how

ureau box, and uncorked a bottle f

thing, as fah's I can make out. When I had that spell in Thomasville spring before last, I believe I should have been over it

er. He put back the bottle

lbow and looked over at him. "Show

showed her with his thumb nail a

he sank down in bed again with the air of having used a final

, with his thumb on the cork, and rocked it back and forth on his kn

oman al

The one whe'e we

e I want to risk anything with her. It would be a ca'e," said Mrs. Lander with a sigh, "and I guess I do

ess-makin'," said

n't been

nod

nything to her ab

did," sa

a: you can go right straight and take back everything you said. I don't want the child, and I won't have her. I've got care enough to worry me now, I should think; and we sho

last night. Wouldn't h

f I did? Must I die befo'e you can find out that there is such a thing as talkin', and such anotha thing as doin'?

going to say to the pooa thin

nything myself," answered the little m

"I'm not goin' nea' them again; and if yo

t the gul come and see you about some sewing

k about havin' her c

N

and didn't you say

What do you want I s

to

down in the pa

sed her features and her ideas to receive her visitor. Both, from long habit rather than from any cause or reason, were of a querulous cast, and her ordinary tone was a snuffle expressive of deep-seated affliction. She was at once plaintive and voluable, and in moments of excitement her need of freeing her mind was so great that she took herself into her own confidence, and found a more sympathetic listener than when she talked to her husband. As she now whisked about her room in her bed-gown with an activity not predicable of her age and shape, and finally plunged under the covering and drew it up to her chin with one hand while she pressed it out decorously over her person with the other, she kept up a rapid flow of lamentation and conjecture. "I do

ough the parlors and the piazzas, and then wen

guess she's round in my wife's room, Mr. Landa. She always likes to see

"I guess my wife ain't

out, in a minute or s

ived each of his wife's disappointments from it. He did not philosophize his situation, but accepted it as in an order of Providence which it would be useless for him to oppose; though there were moments when he permitted himself to feel a modest doubt of its justice. He was aware that when he had a house of his own he was master in it, after a fashion, and that as long as he was in business he was in some sort of authority. He perceived that now he was a slave to the wishes of a mistress who did not know what she wanted, and that he was never farther from pleasing her than when he tried to do what she asked. He could not have told how all initiative had been taken from him, and he had fallen into the mere follower of a woman guided only by her whims, who had no object in life except to deprive it of all

aiter, but he had now got a senior, who was working his way through college, to take charge of the dining-room, and had put in the office a youth of a year's experience as under clerk at a city hotel. But he meant to relinquish no more aut

woman now," she added, as the girl stood up in her slender, graceful height. "You look as pretty as a pink in

res of the enlarged house-keeping. In the dining-room there were some of the waitresses who had been there the summer before, and recognitions of more or less dignity passed between them and Clementina. The place was now shut against guests, and the head-waiter was having it put in order for the one o'clock dinner. As they came near him, Mrs. Atwell introduced him

out. "I don't know but he worries almost too much. That'll wear off when he gets things runnin' to suit him. He's

ame in to ask him something, and Mrs. Atwell said, "I want to introduce you to Miss Claxon, Mr. Fane," the clerk smi

ich she said had been prepared for her so that folks need not keep running to her in her private room where she wanted to be alone with her children, when she was the

ow," said Clem

gh for your age, but not seein' you in long dresses before, I didn't rea

in her mind, and Mrs. Atwell laughed too, in sympathy, though she did not know what at till Clementina said, "Why, Mrs. Atwell, nea'ly the whole family wo'ked on this dress. Jim drew the patt

d Mrs. Atwell. "But I guess you ah' the one that keeps 'em str

nd of sewing tha

d help me. I tuned my foot, here, two-three weeks back, and I feel it, times, and I should like some one to do about half my steppin' for m

I don't like to say an

anda w

st summa to my husband: she's got judgment. Well, what's wanted?" Mrs. Atwell spoke to her husb

to keep Clementina fro

re on the front piaz

just like me? Why didn't you tell me sooner,