The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-03-25
s.@ So sfESE,. SEM Vol .-Wrzo1n Nc 469.

:
Efie had anticipated. 4 SET of half dozen
I,rocate!ie chairs. at ten dollars each, sofa to
iiatch at seventy-five, three reception chairs
ut FIVE dollars each, land asrnalf sofa at forty
dollars, were ordered to be sent on athe day
lie curtains were to go up, ~ ar -ao
Mis-. Drayton returned home in, a soberer
mood than when she went out. Her husband
had not consented, . with anything like pleas-
arg, to the expenditures of a. hundred dollars
Tor carpets; and now, as she mentally addict
up the price of carpets, curtains and furni-
are. the startling aggregate Of six hundred
and forty dollars looked her rebukingly in
tae face Mrs. Drayton was as,unusuallyaquiet
Tor all the rest of that day; for she ooaldnet
help thinking forward, with a vague feeling
Of anxiety to the time when her husband
would know what had been done fPurpose-
l. she had directed that the curtains be put
up, and the furniture sent home on the day
ct the party; and her hope was, that in the
oxhilartion and SOCIAL delight of the occa-
? on, her husbands displeasure, if any were
|. t.l +, would be absorbed. iisza 20 TTs ,isa .2'
l But something more than parlor adorn-
nlents were to grace the occasion These
made only a part of the expense. There
must be new dresses, and some costly, if not
Snowy ornaments, ,beftting the hostess and
tnsr daughters, who were considerably vexed
and annoyed at the perSersity of Mr., Dray-,
toirin refusing to order suit of clothes from
sibs tailor D. i'EsIss7 s7f9-f' q siy % f'z-' -2i
p Let us sum. up, briefly. the cost of this
lHsTty, to the giving. of which Mr. Draytont
hld opposed many arguments not the least
earnest of them being, i" We can't afford it.'''.
Aid to the six hundred and forty dollars al
i. j
sjaces, jewelry, ETC., for Mrs. Drayton and her
owo oldest daughters, and the cost of wines,
orufectionerv, and more solid refreshments
4 for a party of over seventy, and sc have a
sun in excess of ono thousand dollars, every
eant OF which was in the line of waste and
/ * travagance, as will appear. F,-s
Don't ask me 70 get any hing,n was the,
Utmost impatient answer f Mr.. Drayton to
his wife, on nthe morning that preceded the
grand party. She had asked him to stop at
1.-THE forSl's and order some bouquets. 15' g..
Father is as crusty and ill-natured as he
can be,,' said Effie after be had gone out. =.
''H He don't like this party answered Mrs.
prayton; g and am almost. sorry, now, that
Fever attempted to give it, 4 80;
/ & It's just like him." ! never saw. such
man. -- -
Mrs. Drayton did not rebuke her daughter
luf this remark. - st' t-=.
Ia the meantime, staggering mentally un-
lider burden that he felt was crushing him
down, Mr. Drayton repaired to his store, to
~ aet, and if possible, overcome, in. the days
strife with advancing misfortune for, after
Hf-een years of active and intelligent busf-
/ 7ass-life. he fouud himself on the verge of
Brain, ,antEfhe cause was, excessive expenditure
il,- wing, by which constant drain had been
made on his profits, thus depriving him of
uehded capital, and the advantages it always
. es il merchant During the, whole oftliese
?! H.- cen years, one thousand dollars wear may
I ftirlv he set down to the charge of eXtrava-
. Gift living; the amount having been expend-
70 crafty the pride and vanity of This wife,
IN dress, style, entertainment and the hume
I tlrad unconsidered things that waste a mans
/ Substance for naught We do not wholly ex-
! o'ierate Mr. Draytofi. He knew, better than
/ MS wife, that he was living too extensively
M this time, and it was, therefore, his duty,
ID order the household differently Butt he
! was a weak man on this side, and yiehled for
tie sake of giving pleasure He saw that his
WIfe's heart was set on living like her neigh
/ bors, most of whom-were better off than they
we're; and so he complied. consented OF. ac-
/ squiesced in silence when he knew that things
/ wege going all wrong. And now an inevita-
] al CIiSIS Wits dOtNdHClUS upon III
One Thousand dollars, of the fifteen thou
sdad wasted in fifteen years, would have1saved
I 3rS! Drlyton on that day; for lack of j, his
paper went to protest, and at four O'Clock, he
taak his way homeward, stricken down in
/ the prime of his manhood, and conscious that
/ tn blow, falling as it had done on spirit ex-
hausted by long endurance, had hurt him be-
! voAd the leeche's skill. sers. stIt.
The elegant carpet had been laid, the cur
ta;ns hung and the new brocatelle furniture
arranged in the parlor. Mrs. Drayton had
I closed all the shutters, and lighted the gas III
I order to see and admire. the effect ii 90 -
,-', Splendid !'-had Just fallen from her
/ lips, when the rattle of her husbands key
was heard in the latch, and, a moment after
4 ward, Mr.. Drayton stood, palesand bewilder-
ed in the parlor door. Though eonfounded
| by what he saw, he compreheLaed the scene.
az Now don't be angry !'' said Mrs. Drayton,
crossing the room quickly. :" Bnt what's the
2! matter, Henry2 Are you sick ?'' Her voice
t changed from tone Of depreciation to one Of
auNiety. ..,.. -...,..r . ~
Yes" was the low, family uttered re-
whose strength had suddenly departed.
:. What ails you, Harry Pr 'a,ls'=tF .-
/ q Oh, father y Tie children drew, fright
] euei around him. @ E
For a little while he sat shrinking in. the
chair then rising, he looked steadily, but
nos angry, at his wife, and said:
h +" Jane-this is all wrong; and it is hare
Inr me to believe it of you But will noi
hart any one, now by reproaches. You will
I have enough of them born in your owr
thoughts. There can be no party here to-
nighs. l am ruined merchant, fallen under
Il weight too heavy to be borne. Send no.
tjfcation to all that were invited ;the reason
will, in most cases, be understood.''
Saying this, Mr.. Drayton went with uncer-
tain steps from the room, and, ascending to
zone of the chambers, threw himself on bed
from which he never arose. Soon afterward
servant started in haste for the family ply
STEFAN, who when he came, found a white
i ftced man rapidly sinking under an exhaust
Ing flow of blood from the lungs. Tears
We're vain; care was vain; love was Tain.-
I The overtasked and overblTdened man hao
{ fallan halfway, on his fruitless journey to-
ward worldly rnpetence-fallen to rise nc
+. more; and when he left his family, nurtnred
!, un-il them by pride, onthes lap of luxury, he
l5fs them poor and helpless, in a world thai
, remembered all their social ambition, vail
!, love of show, and extravaganza, as SO much
;ginst them, instead Of so much in their ia
/ Vofycst t-at .75s'sl' S. i.-' 40 'i''
T" Widowed. and ;poor!' was the pityins
/ answer made to an inquiry about Mrs. Dray'
tor. year after her husband died. n --...s..s
i-e :. And she lived so handsomely during Mr.
Dr,yton's lifetime What1a change'g'
=. Yes it is sad Ahl if. she and her chill
drei had now, the hundreds Of dollars tha
, were wasted in entertainments, expensive
i dressing, and Social display, Effie and Ellel
r would not be far from home, trying to earn
I-as -eachers, something with which to he'll