The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-09-28
QUIZ MoFPo--ssHaUA1 RIcHFg RoaA1,b.,,
WILLIE S G: .TRID loRNING, SEPTEMBER 2s 1855

aWhat shalIwe do e. said both Mr. and
Mrs. Dexter when no money could be bor-
rowed. They did not know; they only felt
snything, anything but coming down.
What would nlltheir fashionable friends say.
and how they would be avoided !--tlist was
what they dreaded more than any priyation
they would have to endure.
They could devise no plan of action but
in their effort to keep up yeti u little longer
there came q season of dodging and hiding,
Of promising and postponing, Of evasion and
of almost secret starvation. They grew thin
ard haggard their fine clothes looked like
| fine rags, or nearly so, and the pinch ofpen-
ury showed so plainly in their faces that any
further attempt at concealment was hope
less.
Poor Mrs. Dexter looked like little white
paper woman, with a kind of smile painted
on her lips, for You might see plainly enough
it did not spring from her heart; and il
seemed that breath Of wind would drift her
away as easily as the froth from milk pail.
Half a dozen scantily red fires were burn
ing in the house, when Mrs. Dexter seated
herself by one Of them in mute and hopeless
despair. Night fell, and the heavy curtains
made it doubiy night within the ROOM
The door opened stealthily, and her husband
like snow-drift, still and cold, came to. her
side.
"My dear wife," he said, presently, II
would not mind this terrible calamity but
for YOU" His,yoice faltered, and he put his
arm about her neck with tenderness of
manner that she was not at all used to,
though he had always been kind and indul
gent. Her heart had never stirred as it then
did when she heard him say "Here is a thou
sand dollars, my dear" There actually
came faint color to her cheek, and real
smile to the lip where the false one had
been so long The happiness of that mo-
ment was worth all the lost fortune. AMY
good noble husband" she said @you must
not suffer on my account. / am equal to
any fortune so long as you love me !" and
the hands she laid on his forehead were like
Unpleasant healing dew, and her kiss on his
cheek made him richer than ne had ever
| been. sssts' -
/ The shell Of a fortune in which they had
been living was broken, and they saw, for the
1 trst time that there was a great world, out
side oft. The anticipated misery Of coming
down iessened wonderfully when they stood
up and faced it. 5 (
! All tue fine furniture was sold, the French
cooks dismissed, dressing maids and cham
i ber-maids were sen away. Mrs. Dexter her.
self took charge Of the baby, and half the
house was let. One servant and small car
riage were all the luxuries they reserved for
| themselves. s-.s,.s a ~.
ALI day after the coming down., Mr.. Dex.
ter kept out ofthe house he could not bear
to see his wife deprived of the elegances to
which she had been used; he could not bear
to see her tears--to hear, perhaps, her re-
proaches
| With slow and heavy step he approach-
q ed his home, like him who
"Lingering raised bis latch at eve,
\ Though tired in heart and limb
4 Who loved no other place, and yet srsz.
II Home was no home to him"
! Two or three times he passed and repass-
ed his own door without courage 10 enter /:
but seeing one of his former friends ap.
preaching, he choose the least of two evils,
and went in. Along the dark hall and up
the stairs he groped his way; opened the
door of.his wife's chamber, approached the
bed, and, parting The curtains, passed his
hand softly along it, for he expected to find
his wife i'll and weeping; he bad found her
so many time, in consequence of the fail
ing of new dress or not to come home at
certain hour. She was not there, however.
aud, half afraid that she had gone home to
her mother, he descended 10 the little back
room which was now parlor, sitting room,
and all. Feeling for the latch of the door.
he groaped audibIy, and as by magic, the
door flew open, and his wife stood beside
| him, smiling and bright cheek, and with
| s.,esk sweet words of weleone ~ be hal new
er heard her speak till then. The baby sat
growing his gladness In the cradle, and the
a. .ssre threw its bright gIeam over the pretty
china g. the table--all neat and orderly,
even tastefuIly arranged and as Mr.. Dexter
looked arou.:1, he felt all the pride and hap
piness Of young husband on coming into
his own house for the INST time ;.
To the plain, but good ana sufficient sup
per both did ample justice the husband had
not eaton the accustomed luncheon that day,
and the wife had been busy and earned
what she seldom had besors--an appetite.
The next day came q new tsiai--some
triiipg articles must be bought, and Mr..
Dexter must drive The small open carriage
himself S. s -
II will wear my morning. dress and vcil,'
said Mrs. Dexter, for she saw that her bus-
II ~ VI L.