The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-01-29

comfort or creditable appearance IN
the world.
"You look very dull" continued
the husband as he rose from the
I breakfast table.
Ellen looked at him with Q Ian.
guid smile, but made no reply.
What ails you2"
III was thinking how lonesome
should be here all day." replied she
, "Lonesomei Why don't you &c
out and take the air? Walk dowr
Washington street, and around the
common it will revive your spirits. y
How absurd yon talki Wall
around the common in tho month o.
Decemberl Why,I should freeze sc
death"
mot 80 bad as that" replied the
young husband chucking his wife
under the chin.
go to the Athenaeum and see
the pictures"
"l couldn't do that every day and
you don't know how lonesome
am"
Cant you readl"
81 don't want to read all the
time"
Read part Of the time, then"
"But, Fred, have been thinking
Of something" and a smile played on
the pretty lips of the young wife.
"What, Ellenl"
81 miss something in our house. "
} "Do youp"
70, very much. indeed"
"a piano; it would be so very
nice to practice these long dreary
days. I should be as happy as a
princess If only had piano."
Mrs. Chester's father was in afflu-
ent circumstances, and before she
was married she had been accustom.
ed many luxuries which her hus.
bands limited means would not
permit him to provide.
But Ellen. | cannot afford q
piano. The times have not been so
hard for ten years"
"You have got five hundred dol.
lars in the bank"
"But | reserved that to pay a
note"
Don't you expect to make enough
to pay iii"
at is very doubtful; my business
hardly pays expenses"
"You will be able to Fay that,
know" continued the petitioner.
"Well, my dear, you shall have
the piano"
You are dear husband! You
will get me one at Chickering's"
Amy Kluu yUu pieaso, iny fSa,.
| And before dinner time the instru.
ment came home, and Mrs. Chester
was as happy as piano conld make
her, albeit she had little idea of the
significance of "three per cent. a
month" and protested notes.
CHAPTER II.
+ Men said that times woull be bet
ter, but the prophecy was vain
Merchants failed, brokers failed
banks and insurance companies fail.
, ed. Business was duller than it had
been for tho last twenty years. Poor
men lounsed at the corners OF the
streets, vainly waiting for job,
while their wives and children shiv.
. cred with cold, and hungered even
] for crust OF bread. Ruin and dis,
ease were the order of the day, and
men wondered what would be The
end OF it all.
D., Fred Chester's business did no,
| pay his shop expenses, to say moth
{ ing OF his household, and when thai
note fell due he had not a dollar to,
wards redeeming it. Ruin stared
him in the lace and it was now hii
e turn to look sad.
Five hundred dollars was small
=, sum. yet he could not raise it. Even
:, three per cent. a month with "col.
l lateral" would not procure it. Some.
thing must be done. Some friend
, must get him out of the scrape, or he
would certainly fail. His wife's
father was wealthy, but he married
his daughter against his wishes, and
there was no hope in that quarter
But Ellen's uncle, 3 blunt, homes,
master.mason, had always looked
kindly upon him, and perhaps he
would open his purse.strings.
The note was due on the follow
ing day, and he decided to make the
application to Uncle LIKE as he wa;
familliarly called.
In the course of the afternoon
4 however. he happened to call at the
). store, and Fred stated his position
"Eh?" said the blunt old mechanic
'"I thought things were going on
a smilingly with you"
/ $50 they were, but the times ore
: 80 deucedly hard that Icannot make
n enough to pay expenseuses," replied
Q Fred with dolorous expression o
q countenance.
;. "Where are the two thousand dol
8 lars You received from your father
q estatep'
"Ipaid my debts with it,"
n Sand the rest2"
/. swell, that went in vAriou
O ways"
]. "And your stock is all mortgag
9 edp
: "Yes, for one thousand"
!. "You have done a good bust
q ness2"
"Yes."
Q swell, well, am in q hurry jus
\ now, but l will 60, by and by, ant
dine with You, and will talk il over,
= snd Uncle Lake want ont of IN,