The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-04-10


ever in his partial ewes, and his heart ached
more for her than himself for be knew she
would suffer keenly in the crisis he was
dreadnr so much. If the children had been
SHARED US. he SAID, mentally, thinking OF .wG
little graves in Greenwood, they would have
been a comfort to her But he kept hi:
thoughts to himself and said, instead:
will YOU attend Mrs. Austin S party, Alice :
.On the GOTH Yes The uneasy light lef
Alice Sheltons eyes, for since he was not an
pry with her she did not care to pry into hi:
Secrets. And yet if he could only Contide il
her. she would feel so relieved win yol
go, Mark
4 think not A curious smile parted hi:
lips
Why in u tone Of surprise
4 shall be otherwise engaged
Nonsense, Mark. You must not be such q
slave to business. Few men are as prosper
Gus in the world
\ have been prosperous drcamily, but
he never finished the sentence
And the panic never affected you in the
least innoccntly remarked Mrs. Shelton, WHO
knew as much about the subtle workings OF
the financial world as she did about the
mythical inhabitants OF the moon
Mr.. Shelton jumped up slightly flushed ID
the face.
What idiots women are was the compll'
mcntary exclamation that met his VIE ears
as he went hurriedly from the room needless
of her excited: Mark, -
But Mark was out in the cold, sunllt street
before the little woman had recovered IRON
her establishment his white even teeth Clinch
ed tightly together as he hurried down to the
dim, dusty Office, where so many arduous du
ties demanded his attention.
Many of his business friends who met or
passed HIM on the street looked curiously at
his downcastface for his mind was too much
occupied to take any interest in passing oc
currences. He heard nothing, saw nothing,
bnt the blue dumb hands of street beggars
who seemed TO bcsct his path every few rods
for his characteristic charity was well known
and few were the hands who did not close on
the coveted penny.
For Mark was a good man, humane, char
liable and generous in all things, and until a
year back the world had gone well with him
But the panic swamped dozens of his debt.
ors; his business was dead in financial
sense; and his creditors were clamorous for
bills he could not meet He had never been
careless, unwisc or extravagant in filling or
discharging contracts and his business diff.
cultcs had come upon HIM so swiftly and i'm
perceptlbly that the blow fell heavier, than il
he had been expecting some such Catastrophe.
But Alice Shelton knew nothing of this.
The mental turmoil going on in her huS.
bands breast never found vent in dissatis-
fled word or look and until the previous day
he had kept his face and manner free from
all traces of anxiety. But the constant ex.
citcmcnt and worry had been too hard for him,
and the dunning of a creditor, who demand
cd the punctual payment Of note for tour
that fell due on the 2lst of Deem
Der, together with the other unforeseen debts,
had so upset him that he could not cover his
distress with the mask of carelessness
he had worn for weeks past
His greatest trouble was for Alice. Never
very strong-anG he had often moderated her
had endeavored TO surround her
with every comfort and had carefully kept
all harrassng business details and cares from
her ears. He had given her money without
stint, and he supposed she spent it like ather
women, for she was always well dressed and
his house was model of order and good
taste. Be that as it may, he never thought OF
tracing the cause of his failure to home eX.
travagance. For no woman was more thor.
oughly economical, without being misery,
than Mrs, Shelton. Her party toilets were al
ways in exceptional taste, and her dress for
Mrs. Aus'in's party was not designed for any
unusual display of elegance, although the
gathering was to be one of unusual briiiancy
The night Of the goth came-a dark, stor-
my December night the air filled with snow
1akcs and the sky gray and overcast with
heavy clouds,
Its going to be terrible night, Mark,
Nr'. Shelton said 10 her husband, who sat be-
fore the library fire evidently absorbed IN the
contents of the evening paper. i have
thought once or twice since | commenced
dressing that would not go out tonight
Go by all means, Alice, the carriage is
close her husband replied, glancing up at
the trim little figure arrayed in dark silk, re-
with pale blush roses in her pur
plish hair, and at the white throat, halfveiled
with flmv lace He smiled bitterly as he
saw her going out in hei happy, childlke in
nocence as she might never 80 again among
people who had no sympathy for failing mer.
chants, and who would not give his wife o
thought II she were not rich In this world 5
goods,
i wish you would go, said she beseeching.
ly, lingering at the moor to adjust her cloak
MIR. Austin will be expecting you
Mr. Shelton smiled thinking, perhaps of
the forbldding face Ola man OF whom he had
begged lone Oh that aitern0oA, whose curt,
Cannot spare dollar, sir, rang in his ears
yet. He arose from his seat by the fire, and
going over 10 his wiie's side fastened the
warm wraps closer about her throat.
BE careful Of yourself little woman, he
sad, with forced attempt at gaycty: and
enjoy yourself, for it is utterly impossible for
me to go
lie accompanied her TO the carriage and
IA he closed the door on the placid little face
he inwardly mathematical the weakness
thrt prompted him to Withhold the story Of his
difficulties from her when she daily ran the
IRISH OF hearing it from lips less liable to soft
en- its details. Yet lie still hoped that the
morrow would bring some chance of redeem
ing his lost credit although his efforts t.
raise the $4,000, due on the 2lst were uGsuc
cessful. lie was almost worn out with ply
steal and mental labor, yet he put on his ha
and overcoat and dragged YEARLY down town
through the fastfalling snow aud muTky
darkness to spend the dreary hours Of his
wiie's absence pouring over lcdgers in his
counting room.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Mark Shelton, not quite