Litchfield enquirer., 1861-03-14
SOBER SECOND THOUGHT.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

l little wife of MT. Whitman. 'So, don't put on that sober face.' sl--
 Did l put on sober facet? asked the bus. band, with an attempt te smile that was any thing but success. Irs
 Yes, sober as man on trial for his life- Why, it's as long as the neral 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.' -r....s .
 How much would it cost 9 inquired Nr Whitman, with another effort to look cheerful and acquiescent.
 l About forty dollars was answered, with just little faltering in the ladys voice, for she knew the amount would sound extravagant Forty dollars Why, Ada, do you think l am made of money?' Mr. Whitman's counten- ance under went remarkable change of expres- sion.
 T declare Charles said his wife. little impa- tiently, you look at me as if were an object of fear instead of affection. I don't think this is kind of you. I've only had three silk dresses six or seven during the same period, and every one of hers cost more than mine. know you think me extravagant, but wish you had wife like some women 1 could name. I rather think you'd find out the difference before long,
 'There, pet, don't talk to me after this fashion I'll bring you the money at dinner time, that is, | if-'
 No ifs nor buts, if you please. The sentence IS complete without them. Thank you dear- ] Il go this afternoon and buy the silk So don't forget to bring the money. was in at Silkskin' s yesterday, and saw one of the sweetest patterns l ever laid my eyes on. Just suits my style and complexion. l shall be inconsolablc 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 sweetest persuasions in her face.
 @. no, You shall have the money said Mr. Whitman, turning off from his wife, as she thought little abruptly, and hurrying from her presence. In his precipitation, he had forgotten the usual parting kiss.
 man, her whole manner changing as the sound of the closing street door came jaring upon her ears. Just say money to Charles, and at once there is cloud in the sky
 She sat down, pouting and half angry.
 Forty dollars for a new dress ? mentally e]acuated the husband of vain, pretty thought less Mrs. Whitman, as he shut the door after him. T promised to settle Ihompson's coal bill today-tllirty three dollars-bnt don't know where the money is to come from. The coal is burnt up, and more must be ordered. o. dear Tn, I'm discouraged: Every year I fall behnd- This winter,l did hope to get little in advance, but if forty dollar silk dresses are to be the or der of the day, there's all end to that devoutly to be wished for circumstance. Debt, debt !- How l have always shrunk from it but steadily now it is closing it's Brarian arms around me, and my constructing chest labors in respiration. Oh, if could but dsentangle myself now, while 1 have the strength of early manhood, and the bonds that hold me are weak. If Ada could see as l see-if l could only make her understand rightly my position. Alas that is hopeless, l fear
 And Mir. Whitman hurried his steps because his heart beat quicker, and his thought was un duly excited.
 | Not d long time after Mr. Whitman left home the city postmaster delivered letter to his ad- dress. His wife examined the writing on the envelope, which was a bold masculine hand, and said to herself as she did so- I wonder who this can be from? Something more than curosiy moved her. There intluded on her mind vague feeling of disquiet as if the missive bore unpleasant news to her husband. The stamp showed it to be a city letter. A few times, of late, such letters had come to his address, end she had noticed that he read them hurriediy, thrust them without remark 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 yivid= ness. Sympathy stole into her heart.
 'Poor Charles said she, as the feeling in creased, I'm afraid something is going wrorg 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 a strange impression as of weight lay upon her heart-a sense of impending eyil-a vague troubled disturbance of her usual inward self-sa- tisfaction.
 If the thought of Mrs. Whitman recurred as was natural, to the elegant silk dress of which she was to become the owner on that day, she did not feel the proud satisfaction her vain heart experienced little while before. Something of its beauty had faded.
 If l only know what that letter contained, she said, half an hour after it had come in her mind stillfeeling the pressure which had come down upon it so strangely, as it seemed to her.
 She went to the mantle-pece, took up the let ter, and examined the superscription. It gave her no light Steadily it kept growing upon her that it's contents were of nature to trouble her husband
 He's been little mysterious of late,' she said to herself. This idea affected her very un. pleasantly. He grows more silent and reserv ed,' she added, as thought, under kind of fever ish excitement, became active in new direction More indrawn, as it were, and less interested in what goes on around him. His coldness chillE me at times, and his irritation hurts me-
 She drew long deep sigh. Then with ar almost startling vividness, came before her mind in contrast, her tender, loving, cheerful husband of three years before, and her quiet, silent, sober faced husband of to-day.
 Something has gone wrong with himv she said aloud, as feeling grew stronger. What car it bel?
 Il The letter was in her hand
 'This may give me light And with carefu fingers, she opened the envelope, not even break ing the paper, so that she could seal it again i she desired to do so. There was bill for sixty dollars, and communication from the persoI sending the bill. He was a jeweler } If this bill is not settled at once,' he wrote l shall put the amount in suit It has beer standing for over year; and am tired of get } ting excuses instead of money The bill was for lady's watch, which Mrs Whitman had almost compelled her husband E purchase.
 Notpaid for! Is itpossiblea ? exclaimad th' little woman in back astoniahment, while tn blood mounted to her forehead. 7 Then she sat down to think. Light began t come into her mind. As she sat thus thinking seeond letter for her husband came in frol E the pennypost. She opened it without hesits ! ! tion. Another bill and another dunning lette l. E Not paid Ia if nosaihle 9' She reDeated tn