Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-25
SOBER BROOND THOUGHT.
~ T. s. ARqAUR

] AAI aAAlAAh AAt q AaNNAtA
" Yes sober IS q man en- trial for hia life.
Why, its a. long as Che moral law. There,
dear, clear Il up, and look Is If you had at
least one friend in the world. What money
lovers you men are" .ff-t ffl. !
" HsW much win il cost 2" inquired Mr.
Whitman, with another effort to look cheer
tul and acquiesoenL
About forty dollars" was answered, with
just little iallering in the lady's voice,
for she knew the amount would sound extray-
sgant
Forty dollars Why, Ada, do you think
am made Of mOney9h NJ. Whitman's
oountenance underwent remarkable change
Of expression. a7I-
+" declare Charles said his wife, little
/ impatiently, "you look at me as If were
an object Of fear instead Of affection. don't
think this is kind =, ~ou. I've only had
three silk dresses since we were married.
Amy Blight has had six or seven during the
same period, and every one Of hers cost more
than mine. know you think me extraya-
/ CANT but wish you had a wife like some
women could name. rather think you'd
find out the difference before long"
There, pet don't talk talk to me after
/ this fashion; III bring you the money at din
/ ner time, that Is. if-N
"No ifs nor butts, if you please. The SEN
/ tence is complete without them. Thank you,
dear. III 90 this afternoon and buy the six,
So don't forget to bring the moaey. l was
in At Silkskin's yesterday, and saw one Of
the sweetest patterns ever laid my eyes on.
Just suits my style and complexion. shall
be inconsolable if ifs gone. You won't dis
/ appoint me f' ai
And Mrs. Whitman laid her son, white
hand on the arm Of her husband, and smiled
with sweet persuasion in her face. 8. a-.. g.
go, no. You shall have the money said
AIR. Whitman, turning of from his wife, Rs
she thought little abruptly, and hurrying
from her presence. In his precipitation, be
bad forgotten the usual parting kiss.
"Thats the way it is GlWRysp said Mrs.
Whitman, her whole manner changing, IS
the sound Of the closing street door came jar
ring upon her eaTs "Just say money to
/ Charles, and at once there IS q cloud in the
sky"
She sat down, poutng and half angry,
"Forty dollars for q new dressP mentally
calculated the husband Of vain, pretty,
! thoughtess Mrs. Whitman, as be shut the
door after him. I" I prODised to settle
. AuQu NoQ4 NNlA AAAA AA-4ltl l---AntAh -lLlAN
dolars--but don't know where the money is
to come from. The coal is burnt up, and
more must be ordered. D, dearl I'm discour-
eyed. Every year fall behind. This win
ter did hope to get little in advance, but
It torty-d0llar silk dresses are to be the order
Of the day, there an end 10 that devoutly to
be wished for circumstance Debt-debtl
How have always shrunk from i'll but
steadily now it is closing its Briarian arms
around me, and my constructing chest labOrs
in respiration. Oh, if could but disentan-
gle myself now, while have the strength Of
early manhood, and the bonds that hold me
are weak If Ada could see as l see-if
could only make her understand rightly my
position. Alasi that is hopeless, fear"
And Mr.. Whitman hurried his steps be-
cause his heait beat quicker, and his thought
was unduly excited.
Not a long time after Mr. Whitman left
home, the city postmaster delivered a letter
to his address. His wife examined the writ
ing on the envslop, which was in a bold,
masculine hand, and said to herself as she
did So
al wonder who this can be from 2"
Something more than curiosity moved her.
! There intruded on her mind vague feeling
of disquiet, as if tie missiVe bore unpleasant
news for her husband. The stamp showed it
to be a city letter. A few times, Of late,
such letters had come to his address, and she
had noticed that he read them hurriedly,
thrust them without iemark into his pocket
and became silent and sober-faced.
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over and
over again in her hand in a thoughtful way,
and as she did SO, the image of her husband,
sober-isced and silent ts he had become for
most of the time of late, presented itself with
unusual vividness. Synathy stole into her
heart.
"Poor Charles !" said she as the feeling
increased; "Fm afraid something is going
wrong with him"
Placing the letter on the mantel-piece,
where he could see it when he came in, Mrs.
Whitman entered upon some household du-
ties, but strange impression as of weight
/ lay upon her heart--a sense ofimpending svil
/ Ia vague, troubled disturbance of her usual
inward self-satisfactiOn.
If the thought Of Mrs. Whitman occurred,
as was natural, to the elegant silk dress Of
which she was to become the owuer on that
day, she did not feel the proud satisfaction
her vain heart experienced little while Se-
/ AAAIs 10AAA0llAAAk VI Alo bleaAeI Ae-A AoAGAs
HIf / only knew what that letter contain
ed" she said, half an hour after it had come
in, her mind still feeling the pressure which
had come down upon it 50 strangely as it
seemed to her.
She went to the mantel-piese, took up the
letter, and examined the super-seription. It
gave her no light, Steadily it kept growing
upon her that its contents we're Of q nature
to trouble her husband.
"He's been little mysterious Of late" she
said to herself This idea affected her very
unpleasantly. HHe groTs more silent and
reseved, added, as thought under kind
of feVerish excitement became aotiV We in new
direction. ''More indrawn, as it were, and
less interested in what goes on around him.
His eoldness chills me at times, end bis irri
tation hurts me"
She drew a loug, deep sigh. Then, with
an almost startling Vividness, came before
her mind in contrast, her tender, loving, cheer.
full husband Of three years before, and hel
quiet, silent sober-fseed husband Of to-day
Something has gone wrong Wilh him Y
she said aloud as feeling grew stronger
t.What can it tbe7n
The letter was in her hand.
"This may give me light" And witt
careful fingers she opened tbe envelope, no
breaking the paper, 60 that she could seal i
again if she desired to do SO. There was
bill for sixty dollars, and a communication
from the person sending the bill He was
jeWeller. =.
HIf this bin is not settled at once" b
wrote, 's ] shall put the account IN suit I
has been standing for over year; and an
tired Of getting excuses instead Of my mo
ney." a..1 ID .i.-.
The bill was for q lady watch, which Mrs
Whitman had almost compelled her husband
to purchase
4" Not paid foEl Is it pOssiblefN exclaimed
The little woman in blank kastonishmenL Will
the blood mounted TO her forehead.
Then she sat down TO think. Light begal
to come into her mind. As she sat thu