Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1855-02-14

here alone all day, replied she,
Lonesome Why don't yea goout then
and take the air7 Walk down Washington
street, round the Common Ii will revive
your spirits
How absurd you talk Walk round the
Coinmon IN the month Of December Why |
should freeze to death.
Not so bad as that replied the young
husband, chucking his wife under the chin.
Go to the Atheunum, then, and see the
pictures H Ne
Il eoulin't do that every day and You
don't know how lonesome | ann a' Y
Cant YOU read z
Il don't want to read all the time
sRead part Of the time, then.'
But, Fred, have been thinking Of sonle-
thing, and Smile played upon the pretty
| lips of the young Wife. s IN.
sWhat, Ellen2'
II miss something in our house
DO YOU
20, very much, indeed
I well, Ellen, what is it 2
"a piano. 1t would be SO nice to prac-
tee these long lreary days. ] should be as
happy as a princess if | only had a piano.
Mrs. Chcster's father was in afiluent cir
cumstances, aud before her marriage she had
been accustomed to many luxuries, which
/ her husbands limited means would not per-
NIT him to provide.
sBut, Ellen, l cannot afford a piano.
The times have not been so hard before for
ten years
you have five hundred dollars in the
bank
'But have reserved that to pay a note.
Don't you expect to make enough to pay
lit.
1T is very doubtful my business hardly
| pays expenses
You will be able to pay that, ! know,
continued the eloquent petitioner.
well, well, my dear you shall have the
piano
you are dear husband You viii get
me one of Chickering's
ANY kind you please, my DEAR
And before dinner time the instrument
came home, and Mrs. Chester was as happy
as piano could possibly make her, albeit
she had little idea of the significance of sthree
per cent. month"; and protested notes
CHAPTER II.
Men said times would be better, but the
prophecy was vain. Merchants fsiled, bro
kers failed, banks and insurance sonpanie;
failed Business was daller than it had
been before for twenty years. Poor mer
loanged at the corners of the streets, vainly
waiting for job, while their wives and chill
dren shivered with the cold, and hungeret
for even a crust of bread. Ruin and disas
ter were the order of the day, and men won
dered where would be the end Of il all.
Fred. Chesters business did not pay hi
shop expenses, to say nothing Of his house
hold, and when that dreaded note fell due
: ne had not dollar towards redeeniug it,
Ruin stared him in the face, and it was nov
his turn to look sad.
Five hundred dollars was small sum ye
he could not raise it. Even 'threc per cent
per month, without collateral would 20
procure it. Something must lie done Som
friend must get him out Of tue scrape, or b
must certainly fail His wife's father wa
wealthy, but he had married his daughte
against bis wishes, and there WAS no hopes
that quarter. But Eiens uncle, blum
honest master mason, had always locke
kindly upon him, and perhaps be would opc
t his purse strings.
The note was due on the following da,
d and he decided to make the application
= Uucle Luke, as be was falpiliaFly called. ]
: the course Of the forenoon, however, be hap
S pcned to call at the store and Fred state
$ his position
I Eth? said the blunt old mechanic
t thought things were going on swifnmingl
/ with you.
s so they were but the times are so deuced
: ly hard that | cannot make enough to pa
: expenses replied Fred, With dolOrous OK
preston of couptenauce.
: Where's the two thousand dollars you re
: coived from your fathers estate ?
5 q paid my debts with it,
$ But didn't you tell me that you didn
0 owe above three thousand dollars 2
: q paid off fifteen bundled
: 'And the rest
o We'll, that went in various ways
/ And your stock is mortgagedr
Yes, for one thousand
You have done good business 2
4 Yes, till these hard times came o..