The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-07-12
OUT OF THE WRONG
POCKET.

Mr.. Taggard frowned as he OBJ
served the pile Of bills by his plate,
placed there by his prudent, eco.
nomical wife Notwithstanding an
anxious futter of the heart, in an,
ticipation of the scene that inva.
riably followed. lie actually groan.
ed as hc read the sum total.
"There must be some mistake,
Mary" he said, pushing back his
plate with a desperate air "it is
utterly impossible for us to have
used all these things in one month -
"The bills are correct, John"
was the respon 30 :" looked them
over myself"
"Then, one thing is certain, pro.
visions are wasted-thrown ont of
the window as it were-or stolen
Jane has relatives in the place, and
L have not the least doubt that she
supports them entirely out cf what
she steals !"
Mrs. Taggard's temper was evil
IDENTIFY rising; there were two round
crimson spots upon her cheeks, and
she tapped her foot noiselessly up.
on the floor.
am neither wasteful nor OK.
ttravagant, John and rs for Jane,
l know her to be perfectly honest
and trustworthy"
" 1t is evident that there is a
leak somewhere, Mary; and it is
your duty, as q wife, to find ont
where it is and stop it. Our bills
:are perfectly enormous, and if this
sort # thing goes OH much long
cr. | shall be bankrupt"
Mrs. Taggard remained silent,
trying to choke down the indig.
mnt feeling that struggled for ut.
terance.
You will have to order some
COAL" she said at last; tive have
hardly sufficient for the day"
Is there any more, Mrs. Tag.
gard e. inqui:c ed Mr.. Taggard iron
ically.
Yes: neither myself nor the
children are decently or comforta.
bly clothed !; all need an entirely
new outfit"
"Go on, madam. As I am a
man of unlimited means, if you
have any other wants, l hope you
won't be at all backward about
mentioning them"
81 don't intend to be-" was the
quies but spirited reply. "I
wouldn't do for another what I do
for you, for double my board and
clothing. Both tho parlcr and sit
ting room need refurnishing eve.
rything looks so faded and shabby
that II am ashamed to have any one
call. And the stairs need recar.
peting, the blinds and gate repair
cd, and the fences painted"
THAT can't be all, Mrs. Tag
gard !; arc you sure that there isn't
something else?"
Il don't think of anything lust
now, Mr.. Taggard, though if there
should be few dollars over and
above what these will cost, they
won't come amiss. ] should like
10 have little change in my pock
CT, if only for the novelty Of the
thing; you needn't fear its being
wasted"
Mr.. Taggard was evidently not
little astonished at this sudden
outbreak in his usually quiet and
patient wife, but who. like most
women Of that stamp, had consid.
cradle spirit when it was aroused. !.
Now that you are through,
Mrs. 1aggard, perhaps you will
let me say word. Here ia all tho
money l can spare you this month,
80 you can make the, most of it."
Laying roll of bills on the ta-
BILE, Mr.. Taggard walked to tho
door; rcEarking just before he
closed it, that l,c should leave town
.en the next train, to be absent
about q week.
The rcvery into which Mrs. Tag
gard fell, as she listened to the
sound Of his retreating steps, was
far from being q pleasant one
Aside from her natural vexaiion,
she felt grievcd and saddencd by
the change that had come over her
once kind, indulgcnt husband.--
Ills mind seemed to be entirely
hlled with the greed Of gain, to de.
sire to amass money not for the
sake OF the.good that it might ena.
Dle him to enjoy, or confer, but
Tor the mere pleasure Of boarding
1T. And this miserly feeling grew
upon him daily, until he seemed
to grudge his family the common
comforts OF life. And yet Mrs.
Iaggard knew that he was not on.
py IN receipt Of a comfortable in.
como from his business, but l,e laid
6y . surplus, yearly, ever since
their marriage.
She taxed her ingenuity to save
III every DOsaibla wov h,t ,,,l,o,,