The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-10-14
coxaUERrSe A HUSBAND.


Millicent Haughton when she was
married to Radcliffe Gates. She
was only district school teacher, at
SO much a month, without home or
parents. He was wealthy banker,
who seemed to have nothing on earth
to do but to indulge his whims and
caprices TO their uttermost bent, and
the would in general announced Its
diction that Milly Haughton "had
done uncommonly well for herself. !"
But Milly did not look happy upon
that golden July morning, with the
sunshine streaming through the oriel
win dow of the great breakfast room
at Gates Place, and scattering little
drops of gold and crimson and glow
ing purple on the messy ground of
the stone colored carpet.
She was dressed in loose cambric
wrapper, loOped, and buttoned with
blue, and a single pearl arrow upheld
the shining masses of lovely auburn
hair. Her eyes were deep, liquid,
hazel; her completing as soft and
radient as the dimpled side of an
early peach and the little kid-slip-
pered foot that patted the velvet OF
toman beneath was as perfect and as
tapering as a sculptor could have
wished it.
Mr.. Gates, from his side Of the
damask-draped table, eyed her with
compliment gaze of proprietorship.
She was his wife. He liked her to
look we'll Just as he wantad his horses
properly groomed and his conserva-
torys kept in order; and he troubled
himself very little about the shadow
on her brow.
"fm in earnest, Radcliffe ~ she
said with emphasis.
$50 supposed, Mrs. Gates" said
the husband, leisurely folding his
paper-a sign that the news within
were thoroughly exhausted-"so |
supposed. But it isn't at all worth
while to allow yourself to get excit-
ed. When / say thing, Mrs. Gates,
| generally mean it. And repeat
if you need money for any sensible
or necessary purpose, shall be most
willing and happy to accommodate
you"
Millicent bit her full red lower lip
and drummed impatiently en- the
table with her ten restless fingers.
"And | am to come meekly implor-
ing you for every five cent piece ]
happen to want?"
"Yes, Mrs. Gates--if you prefer to
put the matter in that light"
Radcliffe" she cOaxed, suddenly
changing her tone, "do give me an
allowance don't care how little !
Don't subject me TO the humiliation
of pleading for a little money half
dozen times day. You are
rich"
Exactly, my dear" nodded this
Benedict; "and that's the way l made
my fortune, by looking personally af-
ter every penny, and | mean to keep
it up.n
But think how / was mortified
Yesterday, when Mrs. Armour came
to ask me if l could subscribe fifty
cents towards buying a hand car
riage for our washwoman' lame
child-only Fifty cents-and l had
to say, Il must ask my husband to
give me money when be returns from
the cityl' for l 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
"0ther ladies are not kept penni-
less !"
THAT rests entirely between them
and their husbands, Mrs. Gates"
"I 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.
81 will have money" J" said Milly
de6antly.
"How are you going to get it, my
dear ?" retorted her spouse with an
aggravating smile playing around
the corners of his mouth.-"You
have nothing Of your own-absolute-
ly aothing The money is all mine
and mean to keep it!n
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 a moment Of two of
overwhelming silence, ''if you'll be
good enough to stitch that button on
my glove, III go down town. | have
already wasted too much time"
So the verbal passage-at-arms end
ed, nd Milly felt that. so far, she was
wersted.
She watched Mr.. Gates drive of
in an elegant open barouche, drawn
by two long-taiIed chestnut horses,
all glitter with plated harness, and
turned away, almost wishing that
she was Milicent Haughton once
againe, behind her desk in the little
red school house.
She looked around at the inlaid