Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-07-11

ALL OW A N G Ed.
Nine o'clock, and brilliant Decem-
Der morning, with the sunshine tipping
the icicles with diamonds, and the can
AIRY in the window warbling as if he fan.
cicd himself in the very heart of the
tropics. Breakfast had been over some
fifteen or twenty minutes in the well or
ganized household of the Daters, the
fire of anthracite coal glowed and crack
led in the polished CRATE, and Mrs. Da-
ter's stand of monthly roses tossed their
crimson crests of bloom opposite, as if
they were fully determined to convict
the almanac of being in a fundamental
mistake about the weather.
"Nine O'clock-and high time l was
down at my Office" said Mr.. Dater to
himself as he glanced at the little bronze
clock upon its bracket between the win
dows.
1t was the delay of but few minutes
to exchange his embroidered slippers for
snugly fitting boots, and to hang away
the bright colored dressing gown, with
its crimson lining and wildly tinted
silk tassels--and Mr.. Dater was just pre-
pared to emerge into the street, when
there was rustic of soft draperies along
the hall, and tall, bright eyed woman,
carrying roscy baby in her arms, con-
| fronted him.
care you going down town so soon,
Edward?"
$50 soon, my dear? 1t is after nine
O'clock" and Mr.. Dater made a feint of
pulling off the baby's waXen pink nose,
and afteward displayingi it wedged tight
ly between the first and second fingers
of his hand.
Eyes, butt wanted to speak to you
before you went away this morning"
"Speak away, then, my love! Halo,
you STRIP Ito the baby; "have you no
respect for ourvenerable fathers whis-
kers ?n
Mrs. Dater hesitated and colored a
little as she played with the baby's blue
and white wOrsted sock. Mrs Dater
was a blonde, and the creeping shadows
of crimson were rather becoming to her
than otherwise.
edward" she said, hurriedly, as if
the subject were one she would fain get
over as soon as possible, ~ would like Il
little money to-day, if you could spare it
just as well as not"
"Money, Maria, money!" Mr.. Da-
ter tritles no longer with the growing
baby but stood up very straight, with
his eyebrows elevated and his eyes eX-
ceedingly wide open and unwinking.
81 believe you had your months allow
anCe as usual, MIS-. DuUer!"
eyes, but have had more than the
usual housekeeping expenses to meet
within the last few days." explains his
wife nervously. "The cook has raised
her wages from fourteen dollars to six
teen, and"
"Get q new cook, then !"
"BuJ Ellen is SO neat and economical;
1 really do not think / should be con-
sulting my best interests by making
change. Besides, the water-pipes have
been out of order, and the bill has come
in for the papering we. had done last
fall, and flour is good deal higher than
it was and"
81 see-I see, my dear" interrupted
Mr.. Dater, irritably; "yOu can spare
yourself any further details which may
conveniently serve to hide the simple
fact of extravaganza and bad manage
ment. There are always plenty of eX-
cuses for that sort of thing when one
wants them"
Mrs. Dater bit her lip and cOlored
crimson.
edward, you have no right to make
such an assertion as that. ] am neither
extravagant or n bad manager"
$50 you think, Maria, no doubt but
: here is direct evidence to the contrary
, staring you point-blank in the face
pont-blank! One hundred and fifty
dollars a month, Mrs. Dater, ought to be
sufficient for any family who don't dine
off gold plate or eat melted pearls""
zone hundred and fifty dollars II
month is only five dollars day, Ed
ward"
"Only five dollars day !" echoed her
husband, with eyes rolled up toward the
+ ceiling. "Only five dollars, Mrs. Da-
5 ter! Let me tell you five dollars ought
] to be great plenty if there is any sort
of economy practiced in its expenditure.
, do not spend five dollars day Mrs.
Dater.n
; 'How much do you spend, Edward ?"
1 Chow much do l spend? II don't
see what that has to do with the matter,
Mrs. Dater. One thing | am entirely
} convinced of, however: 1 could dis
charge all this family's expenditures for
five dollars day."
. "Under all circumstances"
s'Under all circumstances, Mrs. Da-
teri"
! Mrs. Dater smiled incredulously.
! 81 do not think you could, Edward"
! ~ know / could, Maria" said the
i husband, Dramatically. ~ don't think
! any thing about it,"
] "Then | wish you would Just try, for
! once" said Mrs. Dater, fairly out of pa
! thence. 81 am tired of this old Egyp-
i tian business of making bricks without
straw. / can not meet the expenses OF
i this establishment of seven persons for
five dollars a day, and there is no sort
= of use in wearing out my patience, my
+ temper, and my nervous system in try
= ing any farther. | have done my best,
It without much appreciation, as it APP
pears, and now it only remains for me
: to follow the example of the English
& Chancellor of the EXchequer when his
!. financial operations don't meet with APP