Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-01-31
Nv T. >. Anruua.

must nave IT. thatic-, sahd tue hahusoHe
little wife Of Mr.. Whitman. "so. don't put on
that sober face"
"Did put on a sober faee'" asked tho hus.
band, with an attempt to smile that was anything
but n success,
"Ycs. as sober as n man on trial for his life
why its as long as the moral law. There dear,
clear It up, aud look "a IL you had at lea, one
friend in the worti What money lovers you
men are"
GLOW much will 1t cost" inquired Mr.. Whit.
man. There was another effort to look cheerful
aud acquicscent.
about forty dolw, - ". ,asy-rel, VT ua
q lite faltering intlg la iicsy acs To- .hs "
the sum would soupi,s'ry a..
"forty dollars. Why, Ada, 10 YOU TANK am
made OF money!" Mr. Whitm,n's co untenancc
underwent, a remarkable change ofcxpression.
II decsrc. Charles" said his wife. a little i'm
Of fear instead Of affection. | don't think this
kind OF you.
ave only had three silk dresses since We were
married, while Amy Blight has had six or seven
during the same period, and ever, one of hers
cost more than mine know you think me ex.
travagant, but wish YOU had a wife like some
women could name. ! rather think you'd find
out the difference before long
"'rhere, there, pet, don't talk TO me after this
fashion. I'll bring You the money at dinner
time, that j., if"
"No IFS nor butts, If YOU please. The sentence
is complete without them. Thank YOU dear.
I'll go this afternoon and buy the silk. So don't
iail to bring the money. | was in Mt Silkskin's
Yesterday, and saw one of the sweetest patterns
ever laid my eyes Just suits my style aud
complexion. shall be inconsoablc if it's gone.
You won't disappoint me-"
And Mrs. Whitman laid her soft, white hand
on the arm of her husband, and smiled with
sweet persusaion in her face.
80 no, YOU shall have tho money" said Mr..
Whitman, turning of from his wife, as she
thought a little abruptly, and hurrying from her
presence In his precipitation he had forgotten
the usual parting kiss.
That's the way it is always" said Mrs. Whit
of the closing street door came jarring upon her
ears. "Just say money TO Charles, and there is
ut once cloud in the sky
She sat down poutng, aud more than half
angry.
"Forty dollars for new dress" mentally
calculated the husband Of vain, pretty thought
less Mrs. Whitman, a. he shut the door after
him. 81 promised to pay Thomson's coal bill
oday-thirty- three dollars-but don't know
where .he money is to come from. The coal is
burned up and more must be ordered. q, dear,
am discouraged. Every year fall behind.
This winter did hope to get little in advance.
but if forty dollar silk dresses are the order of
the day, there's an end to that dcvoutly to be
wished for circumstance. Debt, debt. How
have always shrunk from it; but steadily now, it
10 closing its briarlan arms around me, and my
constructing chest labors in respiration. ., if |
could but discntaagle myself now, while have
the strength of early manhood, and the bonds
that hold me are weak. If Ada could see as
see--if could only make her understand rightly
my position. But alas. alas. that is hopeless,
fear
And Mr.. Whitman hurried his steps because
his heart beat quicker and his thoughts were
unduly excited.
Not long after Mr. Whitman left home, the
city postmaster delivered a letter to his address
His wife examined the writing OH the envelope,
which was IN a bold, masculine hand, and said
10 herself:
IL wonder who this can be from
Something more than curiosity moved her.
There intru Ged on her mind vague feeling oil
dsquiet, rs if the mssive bore unpleasant news
city letter. \ few times, of late, such letters
have come To his address. and she hal noticed
that he read them hurricd.y, thrust them into his
pocket and became silent and sober faced.
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over and over
again in her hand, in thoughtful 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. presented itself with unusual
vividness. Sympathy stole into her heart
Poor Charles she said. as the feeling in
creased, "Im afraid something is going wrong
with him.
Placing the letter on the mantle piece. where
he could see it when he came IN, Mrs. Whitman
entered upon some household duties, but q
strnnee impression, as Of a weight. lay upon ter
heart-a sense Of impending esil--a vague
troubled disturbance Of her usual inward self
satisfaction.
II the thought Of Mrs. Whitman REQUIRED, as
was natural TO the elegant silk dress of which she
was TO become the owner OH that day, she did not
feel the proud satisfaction her vain heart expert
enced little while before Something of is
beauty had faded.
"If only knew what that letter contained
she said, half an hour after il had come in, her
mind still feeling the pressure which had come
dowL upon it, so strangely, as it seemed to her
She went to the nantel- piece, took mp the let
ter, and examined the subscription. 1t gave heT
no light. Steadily it kept growing upon her that
its contents were Of nature to trouble heI
husband.
"He's been little mysterious of late" she
said TO herself This idea affected her un-
pleasantly. :" He grows more silent aud
reserved" she added, as thought, under kind
of fcverish excitement, became active in new
direction. more indrawn, IS it were, and les.
interested in what goes on around him. His
coldness chills me at times, an. his irritation
hurts me-
She drew long sigh. Then. with an alaaos
startling vividness, came before her mind in con
trast, ter tender, loving, cheerful husband o
II