The Union and journal., 1861-12-27
Five hundred dollars, eh, Nellier


well, dear, you must let me dream over
Il. ! really didn't know receptions were
such expensive affairs. Five hundred dollars
for an evenings entertainment; and the
prospect Of hard winter, and so much suf.
fering among the poor Well, I'll tell you
in the morning. IL ] can make up my mind
that it is right, you shall have the party
The rest Of the evening was little con-
strained. The young wife, seeing that her
husband did not care to talk about tho recep-
ton any more just then, struggled bravcly to
avoid the subject, and inasmuch ms 1t held
possession Of all her thoughts, was ratheran
companion. ... rr
That night, after his wife was quietly
asleep beside him, John Stirling spent an
hour Of not untroubled thought. Unlike
Nellie, he had been brought up in quiet
country home, where five hundred dollars
would have been thought by no means in
adequate provision for the support the whole
family during an entire year. Was itright,
could it DO right, to spend it oil upon one
evenings entertainmcnt?-for tho sake too,
Of people who would be in no wise benefit
ted ;hcrcby-whosc choicest pleasures were
50 common that they had already palled up
on their senses. Bot then, as his wife had
suggested, they had been out 50 much
would not this drawing back from a return
of ciyilitics look very mean?-and John
Stirling shrank, with all the pride of sem
sitivo man, from the least imputation Of
meanness. They were not rich. True, his
capital was his own, and his business was
good, but he had not felt that ho could af-
ford to spend more than three thousand a
year on home expenses, and here was five
hundred extra, upon which he had not count
ed, coming at once. Surely he could not
dare, for such q cause, to stint his contribu-
tions for the relief Of the suferingH Could
he afford it without?
Nellie, the indulgcd child Of wealthy pa
rents, knew nothingot such anxious thoughts;
she only heard of their result in the morn
ing. Before ho gave her his good.by kiss,
he said, in tone little moro sober than he
meant IL should be:
well, dear, you shall have your party
You can begin making your arrangements at
once. Here is hundred dollars for the fem
mime adornments will pay Smith and the
music afterward.'
That was all. John Stirling had a sunny,
unselfish temper, and when he had made up
his mind to grant his wife the indulgence she
craved, it would not have been like him to
spoil her pleasure by indications Of dissatis,
faction.
Still, as have hinted, her intuitions were
strong, and her nature sensitive and impress
sible, and she had certain sense Of having
persuaded her husband somewhat against his
wishes that rather disinclined her to COM
mence her preparations. 1t was nearly ii
O'Clock before she dressed herself for her
shopping expedition. Sho was just tying the
strings of her elegant fall hat when she heard
ring at the door, and presently q servant
came in with tho information that little
child, who had brought home some sewing,
wanted to see her.
Mrs. Stirling was mothcrly by instinct and
her heart warmed ut once to the shy little
creature who came timidly in. It was agirl
not more than seven years old-quitc too
young, Mrs. Stirling thought, to be trusted
alone in the streets but then she herself had
been brought up under the successive rule Of
nursery.maid and governcss.
She took the bundle from the child's hand,
and said, with the same bright, kind smile
that had wiled John Strings bachelor heart
away:
Where did you come from, and how did
you find the way here alone, you poor little
thing? .......
Sister Anne sent Inc, ma a'am. She had
done your embroidery, and she thought II
she could get the money for it, to pay Mr..
jenkins, maybe he would lot us stay in tho
room till she got little BETTER
'She is sick, then?'
.Yes'm. She didn't feel we'll enough to
come. 1t has been hard getting along all
summer, for tho ladies she works for were
most all out of town, and some Of them ow-
ing her; and | s'pose the worry and the not
having much to eat did it, ma'am.'
Mrs. Stirling leaned toward the little crea-
ture, and looked ut her more closely. Could
it be hunger, she thought, that made those
blue ewes look 40 large, and the skin 30 trans
parcnt' Was this little thing actually suf-
fering for bread, and she going to spend five
hundred dollars in one evening. ieasting those
who never felt q want Of even dainties? She
knew now what thoughts had been in her
husbands mind when ho spoke Of the suffer
ing among the poor. Sho said, pleasantly,
We'll, child, you must have some lunch
con, and then I will so with you to see your
sister. had better speak to her about the
work. .., ri -..1f rr.ruH ...
isn't il right' Can't you pay herr The
child gave start Of alarm, and spoke with
the premature womanliness and thcnatural
apprehension Of misfortune which are among