The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-05-05


"But tell me, Anson, have you laid up
as much during the past year as you ex-
pected to ~
Why, as for that matter, hven't
laid up much of anything. The fact is,
Linnie, you have drawn rather harder on
me than l expected"
But haven't spent any more money
for trivial affairs and amusements than
you have, Anson, and l don't think /
have so much"
81 didn't mean to blame you, mydear.
only mentioned the circumstance 10 ex-
plain why 1 hadn't laid up anything
But never mind, there's time enough yet,
and besides, we've Enjoyed ourselves. l
think after this fishing excursion isover,
however, [ shall begin to dock my ezpen-
ses little, for [ must lay up little ,ome-
thing the next year."
I'VE certainly have every cha1ce to
save money" returned Linnie, " fr the
shop and house are ours without rent and
we are free from debt"
Anson Kimball started at that lat re-
mark, and turned his face toward the
window, but his wife did not appear to
notice his emotion.
"You know, Anson," continued Mrs.
Kimball, "that you promised me l should
have five dollars when you went OF an
other excursion, and [ shall cert;inly
hold you to that promise"
"Of course that's fair" returned the
young man, but do you need it ntw ~
Yes"
"What are you going to do with j :"
/" You won't be offended :"
"No."
"Then, to tell you the truth, l owe q
little sum-"
The young man looked earnestly at
his wife, and though he evidently wihed
to say something about her running in
debt, yet, for reasons best known to linn
self, he kept quiet, and handed overthe
FIVE dollars.
Arson Joined his old shop-mates on
other excursion, and when he returned he
thought some about beginning to GU off
some of his unnecessary expenses, but he
introduced no new system of operations.
Two or three times did he refrain fom
indulging some petty appetite, but he soon
settled back into the old track, and the
small bits of money slipped away as fast
as ever.
"Three years had passed away snce
the young couple were married, andfeW
could have wished for more social ON
fort than they had enjoyed during the
greater part of that time. Fo a
month or two, however, the young nan
had been gradually growing more s@er
and thoughtful, until at length he had be-
come really sad and down-hearted-
His wife endeavored to cheer him up,
though she was unable to learn the Cause
of his detection.
One evening, Just before dusk, Linnielaw
two men pass her window and enter ler
husbands shop. One of them she knew to
be the Sheriff, and the circumstance tpu-
bled her not little. She waited half an
hour for her husband to come to supper,
but he did not appear, and her sufferilgs
began to be acute. A thousand conbc-
lures fitted through her mind, but they
brought her no consolation, and at length
she determined to 90 to the shop door
and see if she could not over-hear some
thing of what was passing, feeling that
such course would at least be pardols-
BILE.
Linnie stole out from the front deer
and went towards the shop. She placed
her ear to the key-hole and listened, hut
she could only hear an indistinct hum Of
of voices, among which was that of Ter
husband. The latter was evidently sup
plicating, for his tones were earnest and
impassioned. Soon there was more
ment Of feet towards the door, and LIN
ME hastened back to the house, and ere
long her husband entered. He looksd
pale and troubled, and with nervous
movement of his face, as though he would
have concealed the grief that bore him
down, he took his seat at the table.
Poor Linnie watched her companion
with an anxiety almost agonizing, but sle
spoke not a word until after Anson had
sat back from the table. The food Ie-
mained almost untouched upon his plate
when he moved away, and he would have
left the house had not his wife stopped
him.
Husband" said she, in soft, gentle
tone, at the same time laying her hard
upon his arm and gazing imploringly in
to his face, "what is it that troubles youl"
Nothing, Linnie," half fretfully re-
turned he, as he made motion as if to
his wife's hand from his arm.
There is something, Anson--I know
there is Come, do not keep it from me-"
There is nothing that you need know"
"But wife need know all that can af
feet her husband thus. What is it, An
SOM"
at is nothing but my own business, and
a wife need not know all that"
This answer was harsh, and the tears
gushing to Linnie's eyes.
"My dear husband, !" she said in tender
accents, "to whom, o, to whom, should