The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
THE MIFE,S LLoMANCE.

Nillicent Haughton when she was mar
ried to Radcliffe Gates. She was only
a district school teacher, at so much
per month, without home or parents.
He was a wealthy banker, VINO seemed
to have nothing on earth to do out 20
indulge his whims and caprices to their
utmost bent, and the world in general
announced its diction that Mllly Haugh-
ton "Had done uncommonly well tor
herself"
But Milly did not look happy upon
that golden July morning, with the
sunshine streaming through the or1el
window of the great breakfast room at
Gates Place, and scattering little drops
of gold and crimson and glowing pur-
pie on the. mossy ground of the stone
colored carpet.
She was dressed in loose white cam
brio wrapper, looped and buttoned
with blue, and 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 -shppered
foot that patted the velvet ottoman be-
meath was as perfect and taperlng as
sculptor could have wished 1t.
Mr. Gates, from his side of the dam
ask-draped table, eyed her with the
complacent gaze of proprietorship. She
was his wife. He liked her to look
well, just as he wanted his horses prop
erly groomed and his conservatorles
kept in order; and he troubled himself
very little about the shadow on her
brow.
.'I'm in earnest, Radcliffe p she said
with emphasis.
$50 [ supposed, Mrs. Gates" said
the husband, leisurely folding his paper
"a sign that the news within was thor
oEghly exhausted SO I supposed.
But it isn't at all worth while to allow
yourself to get excited When say q
thing, Mrs. Gates, I generally mean 1t.
And 1 repeat-if you need money for
anv necessary purpose, shall be most
willing and happy to accommodate
you
NIilGcent bit her full, red lower lip.
and drummeds patiently on the table
with hdaen restless fingers. "And
am to q Ae neekly imploring you for
every fve-cent piece happen to want. =
' Yes. Mrs. Gates-f you prefer to
put the matter in that light"
81 Radcliffe" she coaxed, suddenly
changing her tone, t' do give me an al
lowance-I don't care how small Don't
subject me to the humiliation of plead
ing for little money half dozen times
day. You Are rich. -
Benedict '' and that's the way 1 made
my fortune, by looking personally after
every penny, and mean to keep it up.
'sBut think how I was mortified yes
terday, when Mrs. Armour came to ask
me if I could subscribe fifty cents
toward buying q hand-carriage for our
washerwoman's lame child-only fifty
cents-and had to say, must ask
my husband to. give me the money when
he fxyI Is-fnr 7 ha6
not even fifty cents of my own"
''All very right-a1 very proper r
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 penni-
less -
''That rests entirely between them
and their husbands, Mrs. Gates. -
g viii not endure it, cried M1lly,
starting to her feet, with cheeks dyed
scarlet and Indignantly gEttering eyes.
Mr.. Gates leaned back in his chair
with complaceney.
g a0iH have money II said Milly de-
family.
"How are you going to get it, my
dear % retorteds her spouse, with an ag-
gravating smile playing around the
corners of his mouth. "You have
nothing of your own-absolutely moth
ing. The money is all mine, and l
mean to keep it 70
pocket handkerchief around and around.
She was not prepared with ain impudent
answer.
And new. Mrs. Gates said the
banker, after moment or two of over
whelming silence, eff you'll be good
enough to sew button on my glove, I'll
go down town. / have already wasted
too much time"
So the verbal passage alarms ended,
and Milly felt that, SO far, she was
worsted.
She watched Mr.. Gates drive off in
elegant open barouche, drawn by
To long tailed chestnut horses, all
a-glitter with plated harness, and turned
away, almost wishing that she was
Milicent Haughton once again, be-
hind her desk in the little red school
house.
She looked around at the inlaid fur
niture, Aubusson carpets and satin
window draperies, and thought, with a
passionate pang, how little all this
ayailed her.
"It is so provoking of Radcliffe !" she
nqurmured. "I've half q mind to go
out to service, or dressmakfng, or some
thing-for I must have money of my
own, and viii -
just then a servant knocked at the
door with basket and note. -
g An old lady in Shaker bonnet and
a one-horse wagon left it, said e.tl1e
girl with a scarcely disguised litter.
'tshe wouldn't come in, although in
vited her.
Mrs. Gates opened the note. It ran
IN stiff, old-fashioned caligraphy, rs if
the pen were an unwonted implement in
the writer's hand.
DEAR MmLY The strawberries In
the south medder lot are just ripe.
were little gal SO Penelope picked q
lot and We make bold to send them to
You, for the sake of old times, and aunt
Aknlnta is going to the city to-mor-