Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-09-14
md Wills eyes beamed with pride and

'4here, little Mrs. Hathorne welcome
to your home And, first of all, tell me
candidly your opinion p
a flush of exquisite delight mantled the
young wife's face.
Pertect-more than perfect! The car
pet suits exactly; the pictures are selected
anu hung better than any one else would
have ever dreamed of. The furniture is
splendid. Oh, Will, don't deserve all
this =
Don't deserve it. You little darling
you! Why, that very minute was say
ing 10 myself, 1t is not half good enough
foT her.
Suspicious little tear-drops giittered on
Hattie's lashes, but she wasn't going to let
Will see even happy tears on their first
evening home.
~ Come, now, Will, show me the bed
rooms and the dining-room.'
Che nestled her hand in his arm, and
they went over the house-Hattie's admir-
alton being unbounded
And now, husband, while we eat our
inst supper-don't it taste good off our
-7shes, and en- our own table, in our
own house you must tell me how ever
you eontrlyed to make your boarded six
hundred dollars purchase so many elegant
things2'
she was pouring his chocolate as she
4 spoke, consequently did not see the flush
that reddened his face
You little innocent Do you for a
moment dream our furniture only cost six
huudred dollars?'
He strove to speak indiferently, even
playtully; but the sudden panied gravity
IN hattle's face made him regret, for the
first time, his imprudent transactions.
VIII, you haven't bought these articles
on eredit?'
Oh, the lost confidence in that calm, yet
eager question it cut to the quick.
Why not, dear? could not have had
your home in readiness under three months,
at soonest, had L waited until paid for
them. As it is, L have three months
time; we can easily save the amount by
then
lie spoke sanguinely, he was of bright,
hopeful disposition, and laughed across the
table to her
How much is it we have to pay, Will2'
Only four hundred dollars
Somehow the sum sounded great deal
larger, as he told it to his wife, than it had
when he had been repeating it to himself
and Hattie's reply, simple as it was, did
not tend to encourage him in the least.
Why, VIII
There was world of emotion in those
two words, and when will interpreted them
to mean a wounded confidence, unavailing
regret, and honest sorrow. he was not
wrong.
Hattie slipped her chocolate in dreamy
troubled way while Will leaned back il
his chair, wishing that Hattie would no,
LOOK quite so grave.
Directly she cleaned up, a smile on her
lips.
/ Well, VIII, we won't let it make a
cloud in our house. Wen pay it as fast
as gseean- - ......... d.. .,. ..,. ..
rapid that before Will Hathorne fairly
realized it. he found there remained but a
fortnight of the time in which he had fully
intended to lay away the remaining four
4 hundred on his furniture, on which the up
holsterer had taken, as security, a chattel
mortgage for the whole. VIII knew that
while Rosewood 4 Walnut were an oblg
ing firm, they were equally stringent wher
necessity demanded It. Consequently b,
knew that be would have to endure tn,
shame and disgrace, so it looked to MIN,
certainly the modification of foreclosure
His very cheeks tingled as he thought o.
it. not 50 much for himself as for Hattie
who had been so opposed TO it, yet had ac
cepted the mistake-he saw now what &
mistake it had been-so nobly, without
any murmuring, any reproaching.
: Several times Hattie had asked him how
, he was getting along as regarded the foul
: hundred dollars; and always in his light
merry way, he had told her:
'Fhat'il be all right, darling
: And 50 he had honestly intended
I: should but somehow or other, when h,
had an extra five or ten dollars, and they
were not very usual occurrences, there was
, a way for IL to 20 he had never thought OF
} Then, again, he had almost made up hi
mind that there would come wind-fall
l Perhaps he should make some money out
; side, some way; be hardly knew how, h,
confessed. But now, after dreaming away
the working time, he awoke to find himself
2 involved beyond the most sanguine hope o
relief
Poor VIII he buttoned up his over
coat that chilly spring evening and wen
down to Rosewood 4 Walnu1s; but al
his pursuaslons were of no avail. They
must have their money, or the forcclosur'
! would inevitably take place
Visions of his pretty home, with sof;
here chair there, gone from the place $
L gracefully filed by them now pictures o
] Hattie's distress and her grief, probabl,
n Indignation, thronged through his brain a
he walked home to tea
\ sozy room and dainty repast wer
t awaiting him; and Hattie, in dress o
e black, with bright blue ribbons at her fai
t throat and in her hair, was standing by th
t window watching for him.
Why, you are not i'll or hurt, Will
d You walk so slowly, and look so pale an
haggard What is the matter, Will?
t She was beside him in the hall. IL
a tried to smile, but he couldn't; and he re
t solved to have the worst over with, an
tell Hattie all.
I've bad news for you; can you hea
e it?'
:, Not about the folks 7?
y She looked pale and alarmed.
: Oh' no, pet, about no one it is con
!, cerning ourselves
lie pointed to the parlor, where the doc
n stood open, revealing the bright lamp glo,
h on the green plush suite.
e What, VIII, what? Tell me, please
;, She seemed a little bewildered.
;, Ny own true, prudent little treasure,
d have confession to make
Then he told her, keeping nothing back
s Her head was hidden on his shoulder. bu
:, Will 1llt the quivering of her figure.
Il y won't hate me, Hattie Pleas
forgive me, and Ill promise solemnly to b
q uuided in tho fnturo h., 49,, l:.: