Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-08-20

up on the morning Of e day on whi'
the party was 10 be pi5cn.
"ShalI we call a Fhiie,s?" said Eff
as mother and ds1ekter emerged {
. the street
> 1--WE can't go any further in this
rection." was the answer, 10 a TOT
from which all life had departed.
"Why Dot?"
Mrs. Drayton shook her head, close
her lips tightly.
"Why not?" replied Efis.
Because we have gone far enough
Your father didn't say we might %
the curtains. and I don't know whs
he'll think OF il I'm almost sorry
ordered them. He'll be angry whe
the bill comes in."
~ s.IL- .uil's soon be over" returne,
EHie, lightly. "Fsther's anger ism
very terrible at any time. I'm DO
=. afraid OF it." s.
"The curtains and the carpet mus
SUFFICE" said Mrs. Drayton firmly.
"Aryhow." persevered Effie. 1--WE cal
dron in at Whites as we go up street
and look at his furniture. We needn'
buy. you know"
So they dropped in. and it turned out
as Effie bad anticipated. A set Of half
dozen broeatelle chairs. at ten dollars
each, a sofa to match at seventy five,
three reception chairs at forty dollars.
were ordered to be sent on the day the
curtains were to 60 up.
Mrs. Drayton returned home in a
soberer mood than when she went out.
Her husband had not consented with
anything Ike pleasure to the expendi-
ture of hundred dollars for carpets;
and now. as she mentally added up
the price of carpets. curtains aud fur
niture, the startling aggregate of six
hundred and forty dollars looked her
rebukingiy in the face!' Mrs. Dravton
was unusually quiet for all the res. of
the dayi for she could not help think
ing forward, with vague feeling Of
anxiety, TO the time when her husband
would know what had been DONE
Purposely she had directed that the
curtains be put up. and the fnrnrt nre
sent home on the day Of the party;
and her hope was. that in the exilera-
ton and social delight of the occasion,
her husbands displpasure, if any we're
felt. would be absorbed.
But something more than parlor
adornments was to grace the occasion.
These made only part Of the expense.
There must be new dresses. and some
costly. il not snowy, ornament. bp6t-
ting the hostess and her daughters,
who we're considerably vexed snd an
noyed at the perversity Of Mr.. Dray-
ton in refusing to order suit Of clothes
from his tailor.
Let US sum up, briefly. the cost of
this party. to the giving OF which Mr..
DraytOn opposed many arguments,
not the least earnest OF them being,
1--WE can't afford it." Add to the six
hundred and forty dollars already no.
ted. two hundred for new dresses.
laces. jrwelry, etc, for Mrs. Drayton
and her two oldest daughters, and the
cost Of wines, confectionery, and murp
solid refreshments for party OF over
seventy. and we have sum in excrss
Of one thousan1 dollars. every cent OF
which was in the line Of waste and ex-
as will appear.
Don't ask me get anything" was
the almost impatient answer Of Mr..
Dravton to his wife, on the morning
that preceded the grand party. She
had asked him to stop at the florists
and order some boquets.
Father is as crus'y and ill.natured
as he can be-" said Efie, after he had
gone out.
"He don't like this party" answred
Mrs. Drayton; land am almost sorry,
now, that I attempted to give it."
at is just like him. / never saw
such a man."
Mrs. Drayton did not rebuke her
daughter for this remark.
In the meantime, 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 active and intelligent
business life. he found himself on
the verge of ruin, and the cause was
excessive expenditure in living. BY
which constant drain had been made
on his profits, thus depriving him of
needed capital, and the advantages il
always gives merchant. During the
whole Of these fifteen years one thou
sand year may fairly b. set down in
charge Of exlrayagant living; the
amount having been expended TO graft
fy the pride and vanity of his wife, in
dress, style, entertainment and the hun
dred unconsidered things that waste a
mans substance for naught. We do
not wholly exhon-rate Mr. Dravton.-
he knew better than his wife, that he
WAS living too expensive all this time,
and it was therefore, his duly to order
the household difftrenlly. But he was
q weak man on this side, and Welded
for the sake of giving pleasure He
saw that his wife's heart was set on
living like her neighbors, most of
whom were better off than they were:
and so he complied, consented or ac-
quiesord in silence, when he knew that
things were going all wrong. And
now an inevitable crisis was adva ncina