The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-07-07
Let us.suu, IN briefly the cost Of tbis party

Let us.sum up briefly the cost Of this party,
to the givingof which Mr.. Drayton had opposed
many arguments, not the least earnest Of them
being, I'VE can't afford it, Add to the six
hundred and forty dollars already noted, two
hundred for new dresses, laces. jewelry, etc,
for Mrs. Drayton and her two oldest daugh-
tiers, and the cost of wines, confectionery, and
more solid refreshments for a party of over
seventy. and we have a sum in excess of one
thousand dollars. every cent of which was in
the line of waste and extravaganza, as will APP
pear.
"Don't ask me to get anything" was the al
most impatient answer of Mr. Drayton to his
wife ON the morning that preceded the grand
party. She had asked him to stop at the flor
lists and order some boquets.
"Father is as crusty and il-natured as he
can be-" said Efiie after he had gone out.
HE don't like this party" answered Mrs.
Drayten; "and I'm almost sorry, now, that
ever attempted to give it.
Its just like him. l never saw such a
man."
Mrs. Drayton did not rebuke her daughter
for this remark.
In the meantime, staggering mentally, under
burden that he felt was crushing him down
Mr.. Drayton repaired to his store to meet, and
If possible, overcome, in the days strife, adj
vancing misfortune; for, after fifteen years of
an active and intelligent business life, he found
himself on the verge of ruin, and the cause
was, excessive expenditure in living, by which
a constant drain had been make on his profits,
thus depriving him of needed capital, and the
advantages it always gives merchant. Dur
ing the whole of these fifteen years, one thous-
and dollars year may be fairly set down to
the charge of extravagant living: that amount
having been expended to crafty the pride and
vanity of his wife, in dress, style, entertain
ments, and the hundreds of unconsdered
things that waste mans substance for naught.
We do not wholly exonerate Mr.. Drayton.
He knew, better than his wife, that he was
living too extensively all this time, and it was
therefore his duty to order his household diff
erently But he was weak man on this side,
and yielded for the sake of giving pleasure
He saw that his wifes heart was set on living
like her neighbors, most of whom we're better
off than they were; and SO he complied, con-
sented, and acquiesccd in silence, when he
knew that things were going all wrong. And
now an inevitable crisis was advancing upon
him.
One thousand dollars, of the fifteen thousand
wasted in fifteen years, would have saved Mr..
Drayton on thatdAK; for lack of it his paper
went to profess q four o'clock he took
his way homeward, stricken down in the prime
of his manhood, and conscious that the blow,
falling as il had done. on a spirit exhausted by
longendurance, hadhurt him beyondthe leech's
skill
The elegant carpet had been laid, the cur
tains hung, and the new brocatele furniture
arranged in the parlor. Mrs. Drayton had
closed all the shutters, and lighted the gas, in
order to see and admire the effect.
Splendid r'-had just fallen from her lips,
when the rattle of her husbands keys was
heard in the latch, and moment afterward
Mr.. Drayton stood, pale and bewildered, in the
parlor door. Though coniounded by what he
saw, he comprehended the scene.
"Now don't be angrym said Mrs. Drayton,
crossing the room quickly. But, what's the
matter, Henry? Are you sick?" Her voice
changed from tone of depreciation to one of
anxiety.
yes" was the low, family uttered response
and Mr.. Drayton sat down like one whose
strength had suddenly departed.
"What ails ycu, Harry? ?"
'-Oh, father." The children drew, frightened,
around him.
For little while he sat shrinking in the
chair; then rising he looked steadily, but not
angrily, at his wife. and said,
"Jane-this is all wrong; and it is hard for
me to believe it of you. But / will not hurt
any one, now, by reproaches. You will have
enough of them born in your own thoughts.
There can be no party here tonight. | am a
ruined merchant, fallen under weight too
heavy TO be borne. Send notification to all
that were invited: the reason will, in most cas-
es, be understood"
Saying this, Mr. Drayton went with uncer-
tain steps from the room. and, ascending to
one of the chambers, threw himself on bed,
from WHICH he never arose. Soon afterward
servant started in haste for the family physi-
clan, who. when he came, found white-faced
man rapidly sinking under an exhausting flow
of blood from the lungs. Tears were vain;
care was vain; love was vain. The overtask-
ed and overburdened man had fallen, halfway,
on his frutless journey toward worldly COM
petence-iallen to rise no more; and when he
left his family nurtured. until then By pride,
on the lap of luxury, he left them poor and
helpless, IN a world that remembered all their
social ambition, vain love of show, and ex-
travagance, as so much against them, instead
OF SO much in their favor
Widowed and poorw was the pitying an
swer made TO an inquiry about Mrs. Drayton,
year after her husband died.
And she lived so handsomely during Mr..
Drayton's lifetime. What a sad changed,
Yes, it Is sad. All! If she and her chill
dren had now the hundreds and hundreds of
dollars that were wasted in entertainments, ex-
pensive dressing, and social display, Ellie and
Ellen would not be far from home trying to
earn, as teachers, something with which to
help their mother support aud educate their
younger sisters and brothers; and Mrs. Dray-
ton would not be that toilng slave, the poorly
paid keeper of a second-rate boarding house.
Willful waste makes woeful want. says the
proyerb: and every day we find its truth ex-
emplified; yet who takes warning? This year
we see wife tricked out in jewels, silks, and
laces. like queen, fnging to the public gaze.
rs the hummng-birdor butterfly. all her wealth
and beauty. Next year, missing her from the
street and opera, we ask, What of Mrs-?'
and the low-voiced, plying answer comes,
Widowed, and poorr And still there is bet
ter promise for the widow, struggling for exis-
tence, than for the vain, extravagant wife.
smothering her true womanhood in a false
ambition to seem weaker, prouder and more
extravagant than her neighbors. The trial
may be severe, the journey hard; but, at the
end, is truer peace. But why make msfor-
tune necessity? Why not, wisely and tenn
perately use the good gifts Of God, building,
herewith, temples for the indwelling of inn
mortal virtues, instead of piling up vain-glori-
Gus towers, on sandy foundations, that are sure
to fall ?'