Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-24

lnpTc WcTt W Civ
Millicent Haughton when she was mar
ried to Radcliffe Gates. She was only a
district school-teacher, at so much a
month, without home or parents. He
was a wealthy banker, who seemed to
have nothing on earth to do but to in
dulge his whims and caprices to their ut
termost bent, and the world in general
announced its diction that Milly Haugh-
ton had done uncommonly we'll for her
self"
But Milly did not look happy upon
that golden July morning, with the sun
shine streaming through the oriel win
dow of the great breakfast room at
Gates Place and scattering little drops
of gold and crimson and glowing purple
on the messy ground of the stone-colored
carpet.
she was dressed in a loose white cam
brio wrapper, looped and buttoned with
blue, and a single pearl arrow upheld
the shining masses of her lovely auburn
hair. Her eyes were deep, liquid, hazel !;
her complexion as soft and radiant as the
dimpled side of an early peach; and the
little kid-slippered foot that patted the
velvet ottoman beneath was as perfect
and tapering as a sculptor could have
wished it.
Mr.. Gates, from his side of the damask-
draped table, eyed her with the compla-
cent gaze of proprietorship. She was his
wife. He liked her to look well just as
he wanted his horses properly groomed
and his Conservatives kept in order
and he troubled himself very little about
the shadow on her brow.
"Pm in earnest, Radcliffe" she said,
with emphasis.
$50 / supposed, Mrs. Gates" said the
husband, leisurely folding his paper--a
sign that the news within was thorough
ly exhausted" so supposed But it
isn't at all worth while 10 allow yourself
to get excited. When say thing, Mrs.
Gates, generally mean it. And l re-
peat--if you need money for any sensi-
bic and necessary purpose, l shall be
most willing and happy to accommodate
you"
Millicent bit her full, red, lower lip and
drummed impatiently on the table with
her ten restless fingers. "And l am to
fve-cent piece | happen to want?"
"Yes, Mrs. Gates, il you prefer to put
the matter in that light"
Radcliffe" she coaxel, suddenly
changing her tone, "do give me an allow
ance-I don't care how little! Don't sub
ject me to the humiliation of pleading
for little money half dozen times a
day. You are rich"
Exactly, my dear" nodded this Bene-
dict; /" and that's the way | made my
fortune, by looking personally after every
penny, and mean to keep 1t up"
"But think how was mortified yes
terday, when Mrs. Armour came to ask
me if could subscribe fifty cents to-
ward buying hand-carriage for our
washerwoman's lame child-only fifty
cents-and / had to say, must ask my
husband to give me money when he re-
turns from the cityp-for had not even
fifty cents of my own"
"All very right--all very proper!" said
Mr.. Gates, playing with the huge rope of
gold that hung across his chest in the
guise of watch chain.
"Other ladies are not kept penniless"
"That rests entirely between them and
their husbands, Mrs. Gates.
81 will not endure it," cried Milly,
starting to her feet with cheeks dyed
scarlet and Indignantly glittering eyes.
Mr.. Gates leaned back in his chair with
provoking complacency.
q 1iU have money" said Milly, de-
family.
How are you going to get it, my
deary' retorted her spouse, with an ag-
gravating smile playing around the cor
ners of his mouth You have nothing
OF your own-absolutely nothing. The
money is all mine, and | mean to keep
itw
Milly sat down again, twisting her
pocket handkerchief around and around.
She was not prepared with an immediate
answer
And now, Mrs. Gates" said the
banker, after moment or two OF over
whelming silence, If you'll be good
enough to stitch that button on my glove,
I'll 60 down town. have already wasted
too much time"
So the verbal passage-at-arms ended,
and Milly felt that, SO far, she was
worsted
She watched Mr.. Gates drive off in an
elegant open barouche, drawn by two
long-tailed chestnut horses, all glitter
with plated harness, and turned away, al
most wishing that she was Millicent
Haughton once again, behind her desk in
the little red schoolhouse.
She looked around at the inlaid furni-
ture, Anbusson carpets and satin window
draperies, and thought, with passionate
pang, how little all this availed her.