The Young Wife CHAPTER 12.
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During the next six or seven weeks, Mrs. Baillie and her daughters found it impossible to provide comfortably for their boarders, on sixteen dollars a week, all that remained to them while Mr. Lawton's board-money went to repay him for the advance he had made.
But one temporary resource remained to them, and that was to continue selling, now that they had commenced, articles for which they had no immediate use. Accordingly, a handsome silver tea service was disposed of, and by this means they were able to keep up the ordinary expenses of the house. But time hurried on with unusual celerity, it seemed to them, for it brought the next quarter-day long before they were prepared for it.
"And now what shall we do?" was the anxious and troubled question of Mrs. Baillie.
"Something else will have to be sold," was the sad, reluctant response of Anna.
"But what that something else is to be, I am sure I cannot tell," Mrs. Baillie said. "At the sacrifice we have to make, it takes a great many things, to sell for two hundred and fifty dollars. I cannot see where all this is to end."
"It must end at last, mother, in scattering everything that we have," Anna replied, sadly. "I have been sorry many times that we ever undertook to keep a boarding-house."
"I don't know, Anna, anything else that we can do," Mrs. Baillie remarked, in a troubled and anxious voice.
"I have been thinking about that for some days," Anna said; "and I have pretty well made up my mind, that if you and Josephine can get along without my assistance at night, that I will learn some trade."
"But it will take you so long, Anna."
"By paying down fifty dollars, I can go to Madame Laclerc's, and have the privilege of working at the millinery business with her for six months. In that time, I know that I can learn it well; for I shall have strong incentives."
"But we have not fifty dollars to pay her, Anna, even if I could feel like giving my consent to your taxing your health so severely."
"As to that, mother, if it meet your approbation, I will sell my gold watch. The tax on my health cannot be greater than it now is."
"But the rent, Anna! Where is that to come from?"
"I have some jewelry, mother, with a handsome gold chain that cost forty dollars."
"And there is my watch and chain, and all my jewelry, also, mother," said Josephine, who was present at the interview. "Take them, and welcome; they are of no use to me."
Both the mother and elder sister had felt anxious to spare Josephine every possible sacrifice. And had, therefore, conversed but little of their doubts, and fears, and difficulties in her presence. The selling of Anna's piano was the first intimation she had received of the extremity to which they were reduced. She felt touched at the apparent cheerfulness with which her sister bore this sacrifice of a favorite instrument, and had often pondered in her mind, since that occurrence, over some means by which she could more effectually aid in the maintenance of the family. An opportunity now offered, and she came promptly and cheerfully forward.
"I do not wish to take your few little things, Josephine," her mother replied to her offer.
"O no, take them. We must manage in some way."
"Haven't you sold your piano, and haven't you just offered to sell all your jewelry?" Josephine asked, in an earnest tone. "Let me, likewise, do all that I can. I am sure that I am willing."
The kind, self-sacrificing interest of her children, affected Mrs. Baillie to tears.
"May our Father in Heaven bless you both, my children!" she said, fervently.
There was a brief pause, and in that pause, were entwined new chords around the hearts of that tried family, drawing them closer, and uniting them by ties of tenderer affection.
Anna was the first to break silence.
"If you feel thus, sister, we cannot refuse your aid. Are you willing, then, to take upon yourself additional cares and additional labors, while I endeavor to learn a trade at which we may, hereafter, be able to secure a more certain return for our efforts?"
"How could I be otherwise than willing, Anna?"
"Then, if we can get enough money to pay this quarter's rent, and mother does not object, I will begin at Mrs. Laclerc's at once. Will you consent, mother?"
"If you think that your health will bear up under it, I cannot say no, my child."
The two gold watches, or rather three, for Mrs. Baillie's was added to the number; three gold chains, and various articles of jewelry, with a pair of silver fruit baskets, and a silver platter, were sold to a regular dealer in those articles, and the sum of three hundred dollars obtained. With two hundred and fifty, the second quarter's rent was paid, on its being called for, and the other fifty were paid to Mrs. Laclerc, on entering Anna at her millinery establishment, for the purpose of learning the art and mystery of bonnet making and trimming.
This sale included nearly everything superfluous that was owned by the mother and daughters. Beyond that resource, there was nothing left to fall back upon.
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