Middletown transcript., 1875-04-10

"i~u '"S Shsi Sy wv ""N 81" ~
this brooding cloud of evil from the
domestic sky.
x 4 X *
As their married life began, SO
went on in the new home for near
three years. The house expenses wei
carefully kept down by Margaret, wi
made one servant answer where man
Of her other friends kept two, and ono
in three months, or oftener in six, 8
the days went on, the accounts wer
settled by the husband, cheerful
enough at first. but by and by wit
sighs and shakes of the head, whic
Margaret seemed not to notice, and 4
which she certainly never spoke.
During the last Of the three years
Harry's handsome face began to wea
lsok Of anxious care. Not a cent, s
far. had been laid aside to pay off th
mortgage on their home, and the chanc
Of success seemed less than ever to hin
now, because, like all others in bust
ness, he began to see time approach
ing which would ':try mems souls"
The evening reading was gradually
laid aside, and during the summer
months of the third year Harry began
to sit brooding after tea in his arm.
chair, before the empty hearth, till
Margaret. without appearing to notice
his depression, came to him and in
duced him to accompany her on walk.
At such times he strede along beside
her silent and sad, and returning to his
home buried himself in the columns Of
the Bankers Day Book till it was time
to 90 to bed.
And all this time the true wife held
her peace. She noticed everything
'he guessed more; but, till the ice was
broken by him, it was not her place to
speak
So it went on till that dreadful
autumn season Of crash after crash, ruin
lfter ruin, old and long established
houses topping into the gulf, and
carrying thousand minor ones with
hem in their fall. Men looked at each
'ther with pale faces. asking, "Who
will 60 next?" and all through the
ountry, wave after wave, the wide
preading stream of desolation rolled.
During that one last hideous week Of
uspense, Harry Graham came and
rent between his store and his home,
aging nothing, suffering everything.
IN Saturday evening he went out.
lone. for a stroll after tea. But in
alf an hour he was back again, having
,ads up bis mind in that brief time to
I'll Margaret all.
He found her in the parlor. She sat
eside the window. bending over
nall package in her lap. At his sud-
en- entrance she started and bid the
ackage in her pocket. blushing so
iolently that at any other time he
ould have noticed and wondered at it
But now his mind was full of his own
oubles, and be had no leisure to notice
ifes.
He went straight up to bis wife and
ok both her hands.
Margaret" said he. II an a ruin
man. This panic"
And then he broke down and burst
to tears. He fell upon his knees be-
de her chair.
Oh, Margaret, be sobbed, II thought
could give you pleasant home!
nd now we shall be beggars!"
Margaret put her arms around him,
awing his face down upon her breast.
When he was calmsr, she kissed him
ID asked him to sit down beside her
ID tell her ALL
She listened mutely.
"And if the panic ends. and these
untry customers pay all that they owe
u, can you 60 on, Harry ?" she
ked.
Eyes that is, l need not close the
op nor 60 through bankruptcy. But
en-, the panic may not end; I see no
,ns of it at present.
"Panics always do end" said Mar
ret, hopefully.
but in the meantime, Margaret,
lat are we to do? All the bills for
months past have come pouring in
on me, and | cannot meet them. /
I'd Sadler wants the mortgage money
this house. He has dunned me for !
all the time since it fell due, and
ely he has threatened to foreclose.
" he says he will do it. We shall 9
e our home and other people will {
fer because l cannot pay these bills.
rave strained every nerve to do it, 9
t it is all in vain. / wish I was dead s
4 out Of the worry Of it ALL"
"Oh. Harry" cried bis wife, re-
"Do you want to die s
leave me ?" ]
&c They would not worry you for the q
ney, my darling, as they do me-
ID yet l cannot blame them" said he,
hsn~ sTko- IL |