The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-07-12
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THE WIFE's SUSPICION.
BY FRANCES NJ. CHESEBRO.

Rachel, do you know where Harry
spends his evenings :" said Aunt Eliza,
to Mrs, Lane, as they sat alone one
night, around the work table.
Mrs. Lane bit her lips, and slight
shade of irritation passed over her fea-
lures, and without raising her eyes from
her embroidery, said,
II am sure Harry spends his evenings
to some good purpose. lie has great
many friends in the city"
Friends; indeed have yet to
learn that a mans wife is not his friend.
Friends A! Rachel, you talk like sim
pleton."
Rachel kept her eyes bent on the
work, but Aunt Eliza saw the crimson
blush that stole over her checks, and
she very well knew that her words had
stung her most bitterly. She went on
Rachel, how much salary does
Harry have? :"
"Twelve hundred year." was the
reply.
What does Harry do with his mon
cy;"
He supports his family said Ra-
chel, whose annoyance increased every
moment.
You don't make me believe that it
takes twelve hundred year to support
this family. Let me make little cal
culation of our expenses. First is the
house rent, three hundred dollars for a
half of this building, dear as gold too,
not worth one cent over two hundred /;
no convenences about the house.
"I am, sure" interrupted Mrs. Lane,
eve live very comfortably bere," striv-
ing to appear quite Indifferent to the
cutting remarks of Aunt Eliza.
swell, we won't talk about that now
| grant that the house is tolerably good, !,
but monstrous high rent notwithstand-
ing. Three hundred for the rent, and
seven dollars a week covers all the
family expenses of living
q cannot believe it," said Mrs.
Lane. " Fuel is great item, and pro-
visions are extremely high"
Yes, Rachel, but you see that l
keep an eye to the outgoes and incomes
and | have it all here in my pocket, in
black and white, all figured out. Seven
dollars a week supports us. No COM
pany to speak of, no parties, and only
the parlor stove and the kitchen range
to feed with fuel l know just to a
cypher how much the coal has cost us
the past year"
"There are other expenses besides
the housekeeping" said Mrs. Lane.
What prayi Did not your fathers
Christmas present last winter, keep you
in clothing for year, and we have
done all the sewing of the family not
one dollar has been paid out for help
since l came into the house"
"But Harry's clothing"
"Pshaw! Harry has not half worn
out his Wedding suit yet. III pledge
my word he has not spent twenty-five
dollars on clothing for year. Seven
dollars week for fifty two weeks. Call
it three hundred and seventy five dol
lars, it is little short of that this added
to the rent, would make some less than
seven hundred (; then there is FIVE hund-
red Of his salary left. Now, Rachel,
what upon earth does Harry do with
his money! gone, too, from home three
and four nights out of the seven. Child,
are you blind, that you don't see this
for yourself"
Racbel's quiet manner of listening to
this harangue, was most provoking to
Aunt Eliza, and exasperated her beyond
all patience She stopped a moment to
catch breath, then added,
81 say, Rachel, does your husband
make you a confident in his business
affairs"
Mrs Lane oould have said &C No -