Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-03-06
NJ OLIVER OPTIC.

The receipt of this sum induced him
% increase the luxuries of his house.
The parlor had to be newly furnished,
and the old parlor furniture placed in
the sitting room. They had everything
that was necessary for comfort or cred
liable appearance in the world.
"You look so very dull" continued
the husband as he rose from the break
fsst table.
Ellen looked at him with languid
smile, but made no reply.
"What ails you:"
81 was thinking how lonesome
should be here all day" replied she.
Lonesome Why don't you 60 out
and take the air? Walk down Wash
ington street, and around the common
it will revive your spirits.''
"lIow absurd you talk. Walk
around the common in the month Of
December! Why, should freeze to
death.''
s.Not so bad as that,' replied the
husband, chucking his wife under the
chin.
eco to the Atheneum and see the
pictures"
II couldn't do that every day, AND
you don't know how lonesome l am. "
"Can't you read ?"
81 don't want to read all the time,
then"
"But, Fred, 1 have been thinking of
something" and smile played upon
the pretty lips of the young wife.
''What, Ellen 20
II miss something in our house."
''Do you? 20
so, very much indeed"
"Well, Ellen, what is it?'
ga piano ; it would be so very nice
TO practice these long dreary days. |
should be as happy as a princess if |
only had piano."
Mrs Chester's father was in afluent
circumstances, and before she was mar
ricd she had been accustomed to many
luxuries which her husbands limited
means would not permit him to pro-
vide.
"But, Ellen, I cannot afford piano
The times have not been 80 hard for
ten years.
"You have got five hundred dollars il
the bank.''
"But | reserved that to pay a note
"Don't you expect to make enough
to pay it?'
''It is very doubtful; my business
hardly pays expenses.
''You will be able to pay that,
know" continued the petitioner.
"Well, my. dear, you shall have the
piano"
"You are dear husband. You will
get me one of Chickering's %
''Any kind you please, my dear"
And before dinner time the instru-
ment came home, and Mrs. Chester was
as happy as piano could make her,
albeit she had little idea of the signif-
canoe of 'three per cent. month, y
and protested notes.
CHAPTER III.
Men said the times would be better,
but the prophecy was vain. Merchants
failed, brokers failed, banks and insu-
rance companies failed. Business was
duller than it had been for the last
twenty years. Poor men lounged at
the corners of the streets, vainly waiting
for a job, while their wivos and children
shivered with the cold, and hungered
even for a crust Of bread. Ruin and
disease were the order Of the day, and
mon wondered what would be the end
of it all.
Fred Chestcr's business did not pay
his shop expenses, to say nothing Of
his household, and when that note fell
due he had not a dollar towards re-
dceming it. Ruin stared him in the
face and it was now his turn to look
sad.
-Four hundred dollars was a small
sum, yet he could not raise it. Even
three per cent. a month with "collat-
eral" would not procure it. Something
must be done. Some friend must get
him out of the scrape, or he would GER
tainly 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, blunt, honest, master mason,
had always looked kindly upon him, and
perhaps he would open his purse
strings.
The note was due on the following
day, and he decided to make the appli-
cation to Uncle Luke, as he was fami-
liarly called,
In the course of the afternoon, how
over, he happened to call at the store,
and Fred stated his position.
s'Eh?" said the blunt old mechanic,
81 thought things were going on swim
mingly with you"
$50 they were, but the times are so
deucedly hard that cannot make
enough to pay expenses" replied Fred,
with dolorous expression Of counte-
nance, 49,
MNhere's the two thousand dollars
yoa received from your fathers es-
ate Z" I
Il ~ sy1asps viii i>" 1