Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-03-30
sober second Thought.
N 7. 3. ARTHUR.

I must have it Charles said the hand
some little wife of Mr.. Whitman, so don'S
put on that sober face.
Did put on a sober face p asked the
husband, with an attempt to smile that was
anything but success.
Yes, sober as man on trial for his life.
Why ipSas long as the moral law. There,
dear clear it up, and look as if you had at
least one friend in the world What money
lovers you men are
How much will il cost p inquired Mr..
Whitman. There was another effort to
look cheerful and acqniescent.
About forty dollars was answered, with
just little faitering in the lady's voice, for
she knew the sum would sound extravagant.
Forty dollars | Why, Ada, do you
think ! am made of money! Mr.. Whit
mans countenance underwent remarkable
change of expression.
1 declare, Charles said his wife little
impatientiy, you look at me as if I were
an object of fear instead of affection. l
don't think this is kind of you. I've only
had three silk dresses since We were mar
red, while Amy Blight has had six or seven
during the same period, and every one of
hers cost more than mine. know you
count me extrnvagant, bnt I wish you had
wife like some women could name.
rather think you'd find out the difference
before long,
There, there don't talk to me after this
fashion III bring you the money at din.
ner time, that is, if
No ifs nor butts If you please. The sen.
tence is complete without them. Thank
you dear I'll go this afternoon and buy
the silk. So don't fail to bring the money.
| was in Silkins yesterday and saw one of
the sweetest patterns ! ever laid my eyes
on. just suits my style aud complexion.
l shall be unconsolable if its gone. You
won't disappoint meP f
And Mrs. Whitman laid her soft white
hand on the arm of her husband, and smil
ed with sweet persuasion in her face.
'Oh, no. You shall have the money!
said Mr.. Whitman, turning off from bis
wife, as she thought little abruptly, and
hurrying from her presence In his precipi.
tation he forgot the usual parting kiss.
That's the way it is always said Mrs
W. her whole manner changing, as the
sound of tie closing street door came iarr.
ing upon her ear. Just say money to
Charles, and at once there's cloud in the
sky I
She sat down pouting and half angry.
Forty dollars for a new dress = mentally
calculated the husband of vain. pretty
thoughtleSs Mrs. Whitman as she shut the
door after him. 4 promised TO settle
ThompSon's coal bill to.day-thirty.tb
dolars-but don't know where the money
is to come from. The coal is burnt up. and
more must be ordered. Oh dear I'm dis. |
couraged every year fall behind hand
This winter did hope TO get little in nd. |
vance, but it orty.doIlar dresses are the or
der of the day, there's an end to that de-
voatedIy to be wished for circumstance
Debt-Debt How have always shrunk
from it ; but stealthily, now, it is closing
its Brarian arms around me, and nv con. |
strictng chest labors in respiration. Oh |
if could but disentangle myself now
now, while have the strength of nv early |
manhood aud the bonds that hold me are |
weak. If Ada could see as | see-if T
could only make her understand rightly NV
position. Alas that is hopeless fearI
And Mr.. Whitman hurried his steps. be.
cause his heart beat quicker, and his thot's
were unduly excited.
Not long time after Mr. Whitman left
home, the city postmaster delivered letter
to his address. His wife examined the wri.
ting on the envelope, which was in a bold
masculine hand, and said to herself as she
did so:
L wonder who this can be from p
Something more than curiosity moved
her. There intruded on her mind vague
feeling of disquiet as If the missive bore
unpleasant news for her husband. The
stamp showed it to be city letter A few
times, of late, such letters had come to his
and she had noticed that he read
them hurriedly, thrust them without re.
mark into his pocket, and became silent
and soher.faced. "
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over
and over again in her hand, in thought
ful way, and as she did so, the image of her
husband, sober faced and silent as he had
become for most Of the time of late, pre-
Sented itself with unusual vividness. Sym
pathy stole into her heart.
Poor Charles she said, as the feeling
increased i am afraid something is going
very wrong with him. Id !. ---..-
Placing the letter on the mantel-piece,
so he could see It when he came in, Mrs.
Whitman entered upon some household du.
ties, bat strange impression, as II weight
lay ppon her heaFt--s vague troubled 5is