Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-06-05

V10<]S~N>~STo~
THET0RN POCKET
ny JANE WEAVER.

last table, II wish you would mono
my overcoat pocket. The day IL
pleasant, so that can leave the coat
off without Inconvenience"
"Vcry we'll, my love" was the re-
ply, and moment after the front
door closed on the husband, who do
parted TO the store, whore he filed
the place of responsible clerk.
Mrs. Huston rose TO attend TO her
domestic affairs, and occupied in them
soon forgot the torn coat pocket.
About noon she had finished her wcrk,
and having a spare hour before din
ner, sat down and took up late
novel. In this way she continued to
overlook tho torn pocket until the
meal was over, and her husband had
again loft tho house, when going to
look for the overcoat, she found that
Mr.. Huston adputit on, the weather
having grown colder.
"Ol well, il will do tonight, said
the wife. III suppose he will scold
when ho finds ] forgot it; but it can't
be helped now"
The truth was, Mrs. Huston what
is called "a good, easy woman" that
is, she never intentionally harmed
any one, but was only thoughtless
and forgetful; her sins were those OF
omission. So she found no difficulty
in dismissing all uncomfortable
thoughts concerning the torn pocket,
and rcsuming her novel, was soon
deep in the miserics of the heroine.
About dusk there camo violent
ring at the bell 1t was n magnetic
ring, as il were, and expressed an
ger, or great tribulation, ifnot both.
1t made the somewhat srvous Mrs
Huston start with little shrek.
She stopped reading, and listened.
Directly the servant opened the
door, and the step of her husband
was herd, but heavier and quicker
than usual. Herheart unaccountably
began to beat faster "Ol dear" she
cried to herself, "what can be the
natter"
She was not long left in doubt.
Her husband came at once in the sit
ting g-room, emotions ofrage and suf-
fcring alternating pcrceptibly in his
face. Frightened at demeanor so
unusual, the wife looked up, her lips
parted in terror, and unable even TO
welcome him as usual.
"See what you have donel' cried
Mr. Huston, passionately taking off
his overcoat, turning the torn pocket
inside out, and throwing the garment
into his hearers lap; "you have ruin
ed me with your negligencc!
'What, what have | doDc?" gasped
his wife at last, as he sternly regard
cd her. HAS anything happened?''
Anything happened Didn't i
tell you l was ruined? I've lost five
hundred dollars, and been discharged
because | lost it; and all because yon
didn't mend my pocket. Nor is it
the first time as you know that you
have neglected to do what you ought.
You arc always forgetting. / often
told you, you would rue it some
day.
but how did it happen? Can moth
ing be donc?' timidly said the wife,
after while.
How did it happen? In the most
natural way possible. | had anote
10 pay for the firm, and as the bank
lay in this part ofthe town, | brought
the money up to dinner, and, ON 60
ing out, put it into my overcoat
pocket, supposing you had mended
thcrent. When | reached the bank
the money was gone. 1t was then
nearly three o'clock Almostfranti
came back to within few steps OF
the door, hoping TO find the money
on the pavement. 1t was madness,
as might have known but ] looked
again and again, asking everybody |
met. AT last / went back to the
store But the news had preceded
mo- The notary had already been
there TO protest the note, and my
employers would not hear a word OF
excuse, was dichargcd on the
spot.
As he ceased speaking he threw
himselfo on q chair by the table, and
buried his face in his hands. His dis
charge was, indeed, "a terrible blow.
Without fortune, or anything but his
character to depend on, he saw, in
his loss of place, and the consequent
refusal of his employers to recon-
mend him, future full of disasters
And all for what? All because his
wife could not remember the simplest
duty. ae ~ 4a.ar
No wonder, in this hour of trouble
that he turned away from her, and
buried his face in his hands. No
wonder he felt angrily toward her,
the author OF this evil.
For while Mrs. Huston knew not
what TO do The tears ran down her
checks, but she feared TO approach
her husband. "IIe will drive me
away she said to herself "But
have deserved it all, / have deserved
il all"
At last she ventured TO approach
him, and at last he was induced 10
listen. With many tears she promis
ed never 10 be neglectful again
(which she would never forget"
Nor has she forgotten it. Years
have passed, and the Illusions are
now comparatively well off; fo,. after
u while, Mr.. Huston obtained another
situation, and finally became n part
ner in the house. %
But 10 this day, when the wife sees
either OF her daughters negligent
she calls the offendcrt TO her, and tells
as warming, the story of the tori
lpocket. e
DD~The New York Day Book, 1
prominent Democratic Organ con
tains the query. "Can an opponent o
slavery be Democrat2n
IL goes on TO argue the question Til