The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-11-06

and forty dollars already noted, tw,
hundred for new. dresses, laces, jewelry
ETC., for Mrs. Drayton and her eldes
daughters, and the cost of wines, con
fectionery, and more solid refreshment
for party of over seventy, and W,
have sum in excess of one Thousand
dollars, every cent of which was in tht
line of waste and extravaganza, as viii
appear.
"Don't ask me to get anything" wal
the almost impatient answer of Mr..
Drayton to his wife, on the morning
that proceeded the grand party. She
had asked him to stop at the florists
and order some boquets.
"Father is as crusty and ill.natured
as he can be-" said Efie, after he bad
gone out.
"He didn't like this party," answered
Mrs. Drayton; sand am almost sorry
now, that ever attempted to give it
"It's just like him, l never saw sucl
man."
Mrs. Drayton did not rebuke hel
daughter for this remark.
In the mean time, staggering men
tally under burden that he felt was
crushing him down, Mr.. Drayton re
paired to his store, to meet, and, il
possible, overcome in the days strife
with advancing misfortune for, after
fifteen years of an active and intelli
gent business life, he found himself OF
the verge of ruin, and the cause was
excessive expenditure in living, by
which a constant drain had been made
on his profits, thus depriving him OF
needed capital and the advantages it
always gives merchant. During the
whole of these fifteen years, one thous.
and dollars a year may fairly be SET
down to the charge of extravagan'
living, that amount having been ex
pended to crafty the pride and vanit,
of his wife, in dress, style, entertain
ments, and the hundreds of uncon
sidered thing that waste mans sub
stance for naught. We do not who'll,
exonerate Mr.. Drayton. He knew.
better than his wife, that he was living
too extensively all this time, and il
was, therefore, his duty to order his
household differently. But he was 8
weak man on his side, and yielded for
the sake of giving pleasure. He saw
that his wife's heart was set on livin.
like her neighbors, most of whom were
better off than they were; and so he
complied, cosented, or acqniesced in
silence, when be knew that things were
going all wrong. And now an unen
viable crisis was advancing upon him.
One thousand dollars of the fifteen
Thousand wasted in fifteen years, would
have saved Mr.. Drayton on that day
for lack of it, his paper want to pro
test, and, at four o'clock, he took hi,
way homeward, stricken down in the
prime of his manhood, and conscious
that the blow, falling as it had done OF
IL spirit exhausted by long endurance
had hurt him beyond the lcech's skill
The elegant carpet had been laid
the curtains hung, and the new broca.
telle furniture arranged in the parlor
Mrs. Drayt ton had closed all the shutters.
and lighted the gas in order to see and
admire the effect.
"Splendid i'-had just fallen from
her lips, when the rattle of her hus.
bands key was heard in the latch, and
n moment afterward, Mr. Drayton
stood, pale and bewildered, in the par
lor door. Though confounded by what
he saw, he comprehended the scene.
"Now don't be angry!" said Mrs.
Drayton, crossing the room quickly.
"But what's the matter, Henry? Are
you sick ?" Her voice changed from a
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 you, Harry?"
"Oh father!" The children drew
frightened aronnd him.
For a little while he sat shrinking in
the chair; then rising, he looked steadi
", but not angryly at his wife and said +:
"Jane-this is all wrong; and it is
hard Tor me 70 believe it of you. But
| will not hurt any one, now, by my
reproaches. You will have enough OF
them born in your thoughts. There
can he no party here tonight. / am
ruined merchant, fallen under q
weight too heavy to be borne. Send
notification to all that were invited
the reason will, in most cases be under
stood" a7e
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