10 THE LAST PENNY.

 

all the regard: he entertained for his family
—indulging his beer and tobacco as usual,
and thus consuming, weekly, a portion of
their little income that would have brought
to his children many a comfort. No one
but himself had any luxuries. Not even
for Lizzy’s weak appetite were dainties pro-
cured. It was as much as the mother could
do, out of the weekly pittance she received,
to get enough coarse food for the table, and
cover the nakedness of her family.

To supply the pipe and mug of Claire,
from two to three shillings a week were re-
quired. This sum he usually retained out
of his earnings, and gave the balance, whe-
ther large or small, to his frugal wife. No
matter what his income happened to be,
the amount necessary to obtain these ar-
ticles was rigidly deducted, and as certain-
ly expended. Without his beer, Claire
really imagined that he would not have
strength sufficient to go through with his
weekly toil—how his wife managed to get
along without even her regular cup of good