East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-03-07

week., SAID Adraln. sI.
THAT would scarcely help the matte
at all. At best, il would only make
difference in the amount of your indcbt
edness at the close of each year. 1t i
folly to think of it my young friend :
You can't afford to marry.
at has dark look, but there is NJ
holding up now" replied Adrian in
gloomy way. "NVe have mutually pledg
ed each other, and the day of our mar
riage has been appointed.
'I'm sorry for YOU" said the friend, a
bachelor Of forty, who, on an income OF
fifteen hundred dollars.a year, could sec
no possible chance for happy marriage
in the city o: New York, and preferred
celibacy to the embarrassments which h,
saw hundreds of his friends encounter in
their attempts to live in style out Of
all proportion to their resources. "Pnl
sorry for you" he repeated "but if you
will bend your neck to the yoke, you must
not complain Of the burden you will find
yourself compelled to bear"
Strange as it may appear, the young
clerk, Henry Adrian, had never before
looked this matter of income, expendi.
ture, aud style Of living, fairly in the
front. The actual aspect of the case
when clearly seen, threw his mind into a
state OF troubled bewildermcnt. He
went over and over again the calcula-
tion suggested by Mr.. Blair; book.
keeper IN the establishment where he was
employed, cutting off a little from one
proposed expenditure and another, but
not being able to get the cost Of living
down to the range of his salary, except
when the style was so far below that in
which his wife must move, that he turned
half sick from its contemplation. The
more steadily he looked at the truth, the
more heavily came the pressure OF its
stony weight upon his heart. To go
forward was little less than madness, yet
how could he hold back now?
Rosa sat alone, reading, in one Of her
uncle's parlors, waiting iur her lover.-
He was later than usual so late that her
book began to loose its interest, and at
last lay closed on her lap, while a shade
fell over her eXpectant face. n single
glance at Rosa's countenance revealed
the fact that she was girl of some char
acter. There was no soft, voluptuous
langour about her, but an erectncss OF
position as she sat; and frmncss Of
tone in all her features that indicated an
active mind and self-reiance.
An hour later than usual, Adrian came.
"Are you sick, lIeury!' asked Rosa
as she took his hand, aud fixed her eyes
Oh his sober face.
"Not sick, but troubled in mind, he
replied without evasion.
"Why are you troubled, Henry Aud
Rosa drew an arm tenderly around her
lover.
"Sit down, and | will tell you. The
tronble concerns us both, Rosa
The young girls face grew pale. They
sat down close together, holding each
others hands. But in Adrian's coun-
tenance there was a resolute expression,
such as we see in the countenance of a
man who has settled question of diff
cult solution.
"rhe day fixed for our marriage is
only two months distant, he said. The
tone in which he spoke chilled the heart
of Rosa. She did not answer, but kept
her gaze on his face.
"Rosa, we must reconsider this matter.
We have acted without rorethought.'
Her face became paler, her lips fel!
apart, her eyes had frightened express
sion.
~ love you, Rosa, tenderly, truly
My heart is not turning from you. |
would hasten, rather than retard, the day
of our marriage. But there are consid
erations beyond that day, which have
presented themselves, and demand sober
consideration. In a word, Rosa, can
not afford to marry. Ny income will not
Justify the step"
The frightened look went out Of Rosa's
eyes. ...
at was wrong in me ever to have
sought your love-
Her hand frightened on his, and she
sank closer to his side.
/ am clerk, with only thousand dol
laIs Ol -llCOUlc, anu uO lVL ScO iuuCli
beyond to hope for. Rosa, the furniture
of these parlors cost twice the amount Of
my salary. The rent Of the home in
which you now live is equal to what
receive in a year. / cannot take you
from all this elegance into third-class
boarding house, the best means will pro.
vide. No, no, Rosa, it would be unjust,
selfish, wrong, cruel. How blind in me
ever to have to have thought of so de.
grading the one | love"
The young man was strongly agitated
"And this is al that troubles you
Henry?" ,t'f
'Is it not enough? Can I look al the
two alternatives that present themselves
and not grow heart-sick? live marry
what is before us? Humiliation, depriv
alton, and all the ills that poverty brings
for you, and debt, trouble, and lifelong
embarrassment for me. Ii we separate
each taking different ways in life,-oll
Rosa, am not strong enough to choose
that aternativep
And his form tremblcd under the pres
sure of excitement. ....-r. ell.
"You love me, Henry" The voice oi
Rosa was calm, yet bnrdened with feeling
GAS my own life, darling. Have no
said so hundred tines q non