p.

not keep them. I do not think any body
outside of us knows how poor we are
and have been always. Neither of us
are good managers, I look back now
and see we might have saved enough
to keep up old age. We have never
borrowed, and are only behind hand
from time to time with our bills -
But always I have to practice self-
denial in those small things that
fret the soul more than grand things.
Lorrys profession is an expensive
one, unless he acts in N.Y. This
season he took no engagements -
because he was writing two plays. He
has dramatized a play for Mansfield,
and is doing one for Mrs Maddern Fiske-
Tess - to be acted in March -
When Lorry is prosperous we are
easier. Mean time our old boy with
one dim eye reads and writes eter-
nally, earns our bread and never
has any money to spend on himself