The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-05-07
LOUIS O. CowAN, Editor & Proprietor.
MISo,EMnAXE@TSo
THE wIFE'S REVENGE;
1T OLIVER OPTIC.
CHAPTER ..
Tn. I,.p.v,d.., Husband.

GU EsuWaFu IftokCts ~ uC Nutcstt ptSec-
ant home in the suburbs Of Boston. You
know, Maria, sm very fond Of them, and
you are determined to punish me IN some
way IL you cam -..--......... ..
punish you, Edward? What do you
talk 90 for p returned the wife, sweet liz.
tie woman, full Of beauty and grace.
'You know like them very much added
the petulant husband. .s- r. b
But they taste too strongly Of the money
Gone, come, Maria, no more Of poo!
Richards saws. am heartily sick OF them
sYou would not have me pay sixty cents
q box for strawberries, would your
why not
III Is too much
NO, il ISN'T
you cannot afford it,
Yes, l can. Isn't my salary 6aeen hun
died dollars year? ...
Il do not think strawberries, at sixty cents
box, are very profitable replied the pretty
wife, with pleasant smile.
'Poohr
The brute! Edward LISTER did not de-
serve such beautiful, swcet.tempered wife
as Maria. What business had he to fret
at, and scold such lovely piece Of woman
kind as she was! IL was wicked, aud
can hardly keep my temper while ! record
his wicked conduct.
But Edward Lester, in spite Of his pet.
ulant manner, was really an excellent fel-
low, and loved the pretty little woman with
all his soul, though II 10 true he had very
singular way Of showing II. He deserved a
,hrsshing for his hasty words, yet ss he
eventually learned better, 1t 10 not worth
while to dwell too long upon the dark side
Of his character.
He was very smart salesman, and was
employed in q large establishment in the
city, ut a salary OF fifteen hundred dollars.
For the first year after his marriage he had
boarded, but desiring to have the comforts
Of home in oil their purity, the young couple
had decided to 70 to housekeeping.
Edward would have hired a large house
at q rent of four hundred dollars year, II
his wife had not persisted that such DWELL
ing would wear her life out. He then left
the matter entirely to her, and she found
nice little cottage seven miles from the city,
at q rent Of one hundred and fifty. The
husband liked i, very we'll, and Maria fur
nished il in very plain but neat style.
They were at home now, and Tor time
the novelty Of the thing kept Edward in
excellent humor but he was q reckless iel-
low, and had no idea whatever Of the value
Of money. He always spent all his salary,
aud sometimes little more.
Edward was out OF humor because he
had no strawberries, and when he sat down
10 the table, the tea was too weak, the bread
tasted Of saleratus, and the butter was
strong. He snarled and growled, first at
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 criticism Of her
husband.
Amer tea he was little molli6ed, for
there seemed to be nothing more to grum-
BILE at, and even condcscended to smile.
Edward, l want tifly dollars Tomorrow
said Maria.
This was rather remarkable request for
the careful little woman to make, for she
was very prudent in regard to her private
expenses. :,
Certainly, Maria, replied Edward. u
hope you are going to buy new silk
Il am
He handed her the money, and hoped she
would dress herself great deal better than
ever before, for he could afford Il.
am going to spend as much money as
I can she replied.
THAT is right, Maria, do added the reck
less husband. .....I ....
And Edward soon had reason to repent
this advice, for Maria now seemed to spend
ell her spare time In asking him for money
He was too reckless, too magnanimous u
deny her, OF TO suggest that she was ex'
ceeding the bounds Of reason. ..y.,.
She was mereiless in her drafts upon him
and to supply her demands, for he had moi
the courage to refuse her modest requests
he vas obliged to curtail bis own private
expenses. On several occasions, he had
been obliged to borrow money to meet bel
requisitions upon his purse; and being AZ
honest man, he had to cut of many lux
uries in order to pay these loans.
What had got into Maria? She wsi
ex,r.yagant, and yet she did not seem u
be dressed much better, or his house to b
supplied with many additional luxuries:-
But he was too PROUD to complain. III
did hint, but she would not take hint.
A year passed by, and there was no im
proyement in the reckless woman. For
tunately for him, his salary was raised Il
two thousand, but Il was scarcely done
before Maria demanded fifty dollar bill.
you spend more money than you used
to spend, Maria he suggested.
'what is the use for me to pinch my
self, il you spend oil you get' smile'
Maria, 50 sweetly, he could not say an
other word. i went to have the good o
the money while it 10 going, as well a
you
IAN right, my DEAR he replied.
There was no Improvement IN the wo
man, and Edward had some doubts a. Il
the consequences, but what puzzled HIN
most was to know what became Of th'
money.
eHArrER 10. ......
Another year passed BY, and the DANCE
Of running in debt stared him in the face.
MARIA. we are living to, fast, ] sm afraid
be observed, in melancholy mood.
Il sm afraid We are for yesterday 20
brought home pair Of chickens for ~hic
you paid twenty cents = pound rePiie
Maria, With her usual smile.
Pooh, Mara, l don't mean these littl
thinys. We must have something to ca
and while my salary 10 tvo thousand dollar
. year, ! mean to live we'll 80
.Gre., trees from little scous gro"
added the wife.
!, lie, us stop the hung hole nut,' continue
|. Edward desperately. .would you believ'
q my dear. that have given you sn hundre
. dollars yea- for the last two yean'
4 What is six hundred dollars year for