The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-07-03

1nE wIFE'S REVENGE.

isv THE wlFE's REVENGE. a74e.9T
NO strawberries! What in tho world is
the reason you didn't order some2' exclaim-
ed Edward Lester, 20 he entered his pleasant
homo in the suburbs Of Boston. sYou know,
Maria, | am very fond Of them, and you are
determined to punish me in some way il you
CAM : ass' = 5Eow 10 e1ss2t flei }67E q
Punish you, Edward? What do you talk
so for2' returned the wife, sweet little
woman, full Of beauty and grace.
'Youknow l like them very much added
the petulant husband. sha9j az7s"~ 1850 /.
But they taste too strongly of the money!
'Come, come, Maria, no more of Poor
Richards saws. lam heartily sick of them.'
'You would not havs mo psy sixty cents a
box for strawberries, would you?' T
'Why not p
1T is too much.' ~
mo it isn't.' f-4-a7.r7J .'.' ...9-.7.5 "A
'Yss, ! can. Isn't my salary fifteen hum
dred dollars year p see = .,i,.-..s T. .
Il do not think strawberries, at sixty cents
box, very profitable replied the pretty
wife, with q pleasant smile. a7
sPooh p sEaa a.heaas>s ssa -sas4a&S
The brute! Edward Lester did not deserve
such y beautiful, sweet tempered wife a.
Maria. What business bad he to fret at and
scold such lovely piece of womanhood rs
she was! 1t was wicked, and can hardly
keep my temper while record his wicked
| conduct. ........r .. .l...... =.
But Edward Lester, in spite Of his petu-
liant manner, was really an excellent fellow,
and loved the pretty little woman with ali
his soul, though it u true he had very sin.
gular way of showing it. He deserved q
thrashing for his hasty worcs, yet a. he
eventually learnt better, it is not worth while
to dwell too long upon the dark side of his
character. ,.lr- - .s.s..... .. .,.,.s-.~, -
| lie was n very smart salesman, and was
employed in large establishment in the
city, at salary Of fifteen hundred dollars.
For the first year after his marriage he had
boarded; but desiring to have the comforts
Of home in all their purity, the young couple
had decided to 60 to housekeeping.
Edward would have hired large house
at a rent of four hundred dollars q year, if
his wife had not persisted that such dwell
ing would wear her life out. . g.: ,.
| He then left the matter entirely to her,
and she found nice little cottage seven
miles from the city, ut rent of one hundred
and fifty. The husband liked it very we'll,
and Maria furnished it in very plain but
neat style.
They were at homo now, and for time
the novelty of the thing kept Edward in ex-
cellent humor; but he was . reckless fellow,
and had no idea whatever of the value of
money. He always spent salary and some
times little more. -.-ss.sy -
Edward was out of humor because he had
no strawberries, and when he sat down to
the table, the tea was too weak, the bread
tasted Of saleratus, and the butter was too
strong. lie snarled and growled, first Mt
Maria and then at Bridget, till the wife was
almost discouraged. But she did not yield
to the impulse Of the moment, and get out
Of temper. She kept smiling, however cut
ting and severe came the criticisms of her
husband. - ,s.e f. -- r. >,a. q ....,
After tea he was little mollified, for
there seemed nothing more to grumble at,
and even condescended to smile. ss-'s
Edward, want fifty dollars to morrow
said Maria. s-.- ..'.,. .,............ ......,.
This was rather remarkable request for
the careful little woman to make, for she
was very prudent in regard to her private
expenses. zlf .'....- - go. = s~ -
| Certainly, Maria, replied Edward, hope
20" are going to buy new silk
lie handed her the money and ilupcd she
would dress herself great deal better than
ever before, for he could afford it. ---..<-
lam going to spend as much money as !
cam she replied.
THAT is right, do,' added the reckless
husband. 1-.s ~ -t ~-1-..-
And Edward soon had reason to repent
this advice, for Maria now seemed to spend
all her spare time in asking him for money.
He was too reckless, too magnanimous to
deny her, or to suggest that she was exceed
ing the bounds of reason. ............
She was merciless in her drafts upon him,
and to supply her dcmands-for he had not
the courage to refuse her modest requests
he was obliged to curtail his own private
expenses. On several occasions he had been
obliged te borrow money to meet her requi-
sitions upon bis purse; and being an honest
man, he had to cut of many luxuries in Or
der to pay these loans.
What had got into Maria? She was ex-
travngant, and yet she did not seem to be
dressed much better, or his house to be sup
piled with many additional luxuries. But
he was too proud to complain.
He did hint, but she would not take
hint. .'
A year passed by, and there was no i'm
provement in the reckless woman. Forum
ately for him, his salary was raised to two
tho,isand, but it was scarcely done before
Maria demanded fifty dollar bill. 80
You spend more money than you used to,
Maria, he suggested.
'What is the use for mo to pinch myself,
if you spend all you get p smiled Maria SO
sweetly, he could not say another word. Il
want to have the good Of the money while it
is going, As we'll rs you.'
'All right, my DEAR he replied.
There was NO improvement in the woman,
and Edward had some doubts as to the con-
sequences, but what puzzled him most was
to know what became of the money:
Another year passed by, and the danger
of running in debt stared him in the face.
Maria, we are living too fast, l am afraid
he observed, In a melancholy mood.
Il am afraid we are; for yesterday you
brought home a pair Of chickens for which
you paid twenty cents pound, replied Ma.
| ria,' with her usual smile.
Poor, Maria, don't mean these little
things. We must have something to eat,
and While my salary is two thousand dollars
a year, l mean to live well.' .@
'Great trees from little accrns grow add
ed the wife. 2asF 49, @.@s @5Eaa. n -
Let US stop the bung hole arst, continued
Edward desperately. 'Would you believe
me, dear, that have given you six hundred
dollap year for the last two years?'
sWhat is six hundred dollars ! year for 4
lady? You were reading the other day that
d great many, ladies, in New York spend two
tHodsand dollars d year for dress alone.-
You certainly cannot complain Of six hum
dred.' So s,,l- "a -. .''r-eE ..
90 no, by no means. l don't mcan to
complain, replied Edward. =. .,..
q knew you didn't. Whatever spend,
goes for good cause.'
1stpposs So, bat don't care ahything
about it, only that ! ain getting little short.
There is DR.. Smiths bill of sixty dollars; l
don't see how can pay it,
''Let it rest then. lie will never ask you
for it, "s 3~'t5
'But don't lihe that why Of doing things:
! don't want to get in debt. l will 80 ard
SEQ him., 20 .s, ls~,so > Aassasss-& .-asTz rst
And he did 70 and see him. >, The doctor
was rich man, and offered to take Ed