The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-04-06
SIZE RIBljHE.
Official City and County Paper.
FIGURES WON'T LIE.

tired fingers showed 70 signs OF Wearl-
ness but turned the hem of sheet me-
chanically, then proceeded to haste it
for sewing.
belle viii be three years old?" he
said interro gatively.
ssIhree, James," replied Mary uitk-
out the trace Of bright smile lighting
up her pretty, young face James gave a
few more whiGs at his nearly consumed
cigar, but did not seem to enjoy it much
A listener would have pronunced Mary
cold, unioYing wife that the genial pres
senee Of her handsome husband. or the
return Of her baby's birthday failed to
please her.
Lockers on and listeners OF do not
always look into the depths Of the heart
to see what trials and struggles are there.
so In this Snstance Another woman
whose life is all sunshine would have
pronounced Mary Carroll heartless.
Poor thing She had too much heart
for this worlds trials. Her-wedding day
was blissful one, her husband the ideal
of manly perfection. His love unaccom-
panied by wealth was more to her than
all the treasures Of the earth. But q
cloud arose to dim the brightness of her
sky. She soon made the discovery that
her husband was human. That the love
of wine and possibly of something strong
er,ffiled his heart, as well as the love
of his wife. lie was not what the world
calls an Incorporate man-one glass does
not constitute a drunkard who should
she fear?
At the end Of three years he took atleast
two glasses a day what had she to hope
for in the years to come?
Il wish, May, was able to make
Belle present every birthday in her
life, but you know ii is all can do to
get along as it isl
Il know it James," meekly replied
the wife.
James was i'll at ease. Something in
Mary manner disturbed him.
"What makes you look so solemn and
quiet Mary? Why not sympathize with
me and say you know / have hard time
to get along, and that Bette can do with
ont presents better than we can afford to
make them? Fox gave me the wood
bill this morning, and Jones wants to
know when the grocery bill will be paid.
I don't like to bother you with these
!. things, only want you to understand
that as nuch as I love our little girl, [
cant afford TO make her presents.
''Mary' color came and went. Tears
stole into her violet eyes and her heart
beat quick aud fast Her trembling fin
gers guided the needle unsteadily and
her stitches were long and irregular
Three long years she had brooded alone
over her husbands weakness without
word of reproof, and much as she dread
ed to speak, she knew that her time had
come
81 wish, dear James, [ could econo-
mise IN something and save money to
buy our darling present. 1t SEEMS cruel
to neglect her 50 soon
81 know nothing you could be more
prudent in, and you know I am as econo
mical as possible, don't you?"
TWAS very hard for the lips that had
uttered only loving words OF praise, to
say no; but strength not hers came to
her aid and with sweet, sad smile, the
wife uttered her first rebuke.
mo James. I am grieved to say that
I feel that in some things you are too
exiravagant. 1t must be a sign of ig-
noranee for know if you realized it
you would never wrong your wife and
child"
James started from his seat. His
eyes fshed and his cheeks paled.-
For Heavens sake, Mary, are you era
zy?'
mot crazy, James, but too clearhead-
ed for our happiness" After the shock
had passed and he was prepared to listen
she went on in a clear, concise manner,
lad before him the cause of her bitter
words; during the last year you have
drank at least two glasses of liquor a
day, haven't you p
Why, yes, suppose so. What of
that. Only ten cents a glass, that can
not ruin man;
Three hundred and sixty-fye days,
which, multiplied by the twenty cents.
amount to seventy-three dollars. Three
cigars day which you know is below
your average Of smoking, viii amount
to as much more, which makes one
hundred and foriy-six dollars Fifty
dollars would pay our coal aud grocery
bills now due, and leave a balance of
ninety six dollars for baby, you and me.
You know too, the time spent in drink
ing and smoking, is worse than wasted.
Tor tobacco and liquor poison the system.
destroy the health, soften the brain,
weaken the nerves, and bring ruin to
thousands of happy homes There is q
lack OF tenderness in your tones to Belle
and me when your nerves are excited by
by drink. | forgive you freely, but the
sting is left in my heart.
Mary $ efforts overeame her and she
burst into passionate ft Of weeping.
The strong man trembled. Am blind?
Is it possible | have wrongod my dear
est treasures?
They mingled their tears. and talked
TIL late hour, laying plans for the fu
ture; and james beeged forgiYeness Of