The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-06
SOBER SECOND THOUGHT
A STORY FOR TBE TisEs.


dear clear it mp, and look at least as if you
had one friend in the world. What money
lovers you men arey'
"How much will IL cost" inquired Mr..
whitman. There was another effort 10 look
cheerful and acquiescent.
about forty dollars"
Forty dollars Why, Ada, do you thlnk
am made of money? MIR. Whitman's connte-
nance under went remarkable change OF ex-
preston. 80,
i,npatiently ''you look AT me as If We're 40
object of affection. don't think TINS Is KIND
of YOU I've only had three silk dresses since
we were married, while Amy Blight has had
six or seven during the same period, ana
every one of hers cost more than niue. L
know you think me extrayagant, but wish
YOU had wife like women L could name. L
rather think you would hnu out the uiHerehce
before long. +"
fashion I'll bring you the money thinner
time; that is, if
.sNo IFS nor bnts, if you please. The sem
tence is com plete without them. Thank you,
dear III go this afternoon and buy my
silk So don't fail to bring the money was
In ut Siiksin's yesterday, and saw one OF the
sweetest patterns ever laid my eyes on. Just
suits my style and complexion. Ishali be ia
consolidate if it's gone. You won disappoiht
me p
And Mrs Whitman laid her soft, white
hand on the arm of he- husband, and smiled
with sweet persuasion III her face.
"Oh, no. You shall have the money" said |
Mr. Whitman, turning off from his wife, rs |
she thought, Il little abruptly, and hurrying |
from her presence. In his precipitation he |
had forgotten his usual parting kiss.
That's the way it is always " said Mrs. |
Whitman as the sound of the closing street |
door came Earring on her ears " just say |
money 10 Charles, and at once there is a cloud |
in the sky
she sat down, pouting and half angry.
Forty dollars for a new dress ~ men tally |
calculated the husband of vain, pretty, |
thouehtlcss Mrs. Whitman, he shut the |
door after him. - l promised to settle Thomp |
sons coal bill TO day, thirty three dollars, but
don t know where the money is to come from.
The coal is burnt up, aud more must be or
dered q, dear I'm discouraged Every
year / fall behind hand. This winter / did
hope to get a little in advance but if forty
dollar silk dresses are TO be the order OF the
day there's an end to that devoutly- to- be-
wished for circumstance. Debt, debt! How
have always shrunk from it but steadily,
now it is closing its Briarian arms around
me- and my constructing chest labors in respi
ration on, if L could but Olsen tangle myself
now, while / have the strength OF my early
manhood and the bonds that hold me are
aweak If Ada could see as see-if l could
only make her understand rightly my posi-
ton. Alas that is hopeless, fear
And Mr.. Whitman hurried his steps be-
cause his heart beat quicker, and his thought
was uuduly excited.
Not Il long time after Mr.. Whitman left
home the city pCstmas ter delivered u letter
10 his address. His wife examined the wri-
ting on the envelope, which was in bold
masculine hand, and said to herself, as she
did So
81 wonder who this can be from -
Something more than curiosity moved her.
There intruded on her mind n vague feeling
of DISC uiet ude, as If the missiye bore I'M
pleasant news for her husband. The stamp
showed it to be a city letter. few times OF
late such letters had come to his address, and
sic had noticed that he read them hurriedly,
thrust them without remark in To his pocket
and became silent and sober faced.
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over and
over again iii her hand in thoughtful way,
and us she did so, the image of her husband,
sober faced and silent, as he had become for
most of the time of late, presented itself with
unusual yividness. sympathy stole into her
heart.
"Poor Charles - she said, as the feeling
increased, II am afraid something is going
wrong with him
Placing the letter on the mantelpiece where
he couId see it when he came in, Mrs. Whit
man entered upon some household duties, but
a strange impression, of weight, lay upon
her heart sense of impending evil--a vague,
troubled, disturbance OF her usual inward
self -sa isfac ton.
II the thought OF Mrs. Whitman required
was natural, to the elegant silk dress OF
which she was to become the owner on thai
day, she did not feel the proud satisfac tion
her vain heart experienced little while be
fore. Something OF IT'S beauty had faded.
eff only knew what that letter contain
ed - she said, half an hour after II had come
in, her mind still feeling the pressure whiel
had come down upon it SO strangely, as i
seemed TO her.
letter and examined the supeIscription. l
gave her no light. Steadily it kept CROWNS
npon her that its contents We're OF q natur
to trouble her husband.
He's been II little mysteriou of iate,'' sh
said TO herself. This idea Affected heI Yer,
uupleasantiy. "He grows more silent and re
served" she added, rs thought under kim
of feverish excitement became ac tive in n ney
direction. "More indrawn, as it We're, an
less interested in what goes on around him
His GOODNESS chilis me al times and his irriIa
ton hurts me-
She drew long deep sigh. Then with a
almost startling yividness came before he
mind in contrast her tender, loving, cheerfr
husband of three years before. and her quie
silent, sober faced husband OF to day.
Something has gone wrong with him I!
she said aloud, as feeling grew stronger
what can it be Y'
The letter was in her hand.
This may give me light" And with carefl
fingers she opened the envelope, not breakr
the paper, SO that she could seal it again
she desired so to do. There was bill II
sixty dollars, and a communication from u
person sending the bill He was Il jeweler. I
"If this is not settled at once" he wrote
al shall put the account IN suit. 1t has bee
standing for over a year; and am tired
getting excuses instead OF money"
The bill was for a lady's watch which Mr.
Whitman had almost compelled her husbal
..Not paid for Is it possible ~ exelaims
the little woman in blank 3 constituent, VIII
the blood mounted TO her Jrehead
Then she SAT down to ak. Light began
come into her mind. As she sat thus thin
ing, a second letter for her husband came
from the penny post man. She opened
without hesitation. Ano Their bill, and anoth
duaning letter.
''Not paid Is it possible ~ She repeats
the ejaculation. 1t was bill OF twenty fl
dollars Tor CATERS and slippers, which b
been standing for three or four months.
This VIII never do ~ said the awakenif
Vile" never, no. neyerH' And she thru
the two letters into her poke. in a resoiu
way. From that hour un til the return Of h
husband at dinner time Mrs. Whitman did
unusual amount of thinking for her lit
brain, She saw, the moment he en- tered IN
the morning cloud had not passed from
brow.
Here is the money for that new dress -
said. taking small rcil of bills from his Y,
pocket, ana handing them TO Ada as he n.
IN. he did not kiss her, nor smile i'm ths :
bright way. But his voice was calm ii ,
cheertui. "A KISS and a smile Just then woy
nave been more precious 10 the young W
Than hundred silk dresses. She took
THANK you, dear. 1t is kind of you to
gard my wishes
Something in Ada's voice and man,
caused Mr. Whitman TO lift his eyes, viii
look OF inquiry 10 her face. But she turn
away, SO that he could not read its ex pressi
he was grayer and more silent than usu
and eat with scarcely an appearance OF ap
tite.
"Come home early DEAR said Mrs. WI
man. as she walked to the door with her b
band after dinner
'Are you anxious TO have me admire y,
new silk dress 7" he replied, with O fam
fort 10 smile.
Eyes; IL will be something splendid p
answered.
lie turned of from her quickly, and lief.
house. few moments she stood, witt
thoughtful face, her mind indrawn, and
whole manner com pleteIy changed She W