The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-07-14

things. She must have given up read
ing and music and all that, and To what
end? just 10 add few more dollars
10 your already large income. Now 4
think that is the worst kind OF stingi-
ness, since il defrauds the mind and soul
to no purpose whatever
Sand think il is a wife's duty to
please her husband" Frank exclaimed,
more annoyed than his wife could guess,
for her random thrust had come close
To the truth. "Mother devoted her
life to her family, and if it had not been
for the economy you despise, | might
not have had so much money for vast
ing now"
But poor Nellie, much too fond of her
husband to find quarreling any thing
but misery, was fairly vanauished by
this time, and retired in tears, leaving the
inglorious victor to draw checks for the
bills, and to soothe his disturbed con-
science by resolving to buy his wife
new pair of bracelets that very day
SO the thing had been going on, some
times better, sometimes worse-Nelle
fairly disheartened AT the malign inilu-
ence that her mother-in-law, though so
far distant, seemed TO exercise over her
life; Frank utterly perplexed by the
storm that followed every allusion 10
his mothers ways, every quotation OF
her maxims.
Man-like, he never dreamed of the
pain he was inflicting, or OF the injustice
of his constant comparisons; and so,
never imagining that he could be to
blame, he attributed all the dissensions
that we're fast imbittering their lives to
Nellie's temper.
"Strange, she always seemed so ami
able and gentle at home. that she should
prove so capricious and irritable now,h
he said TO himself on more than one oc-
casion; and he was fast settling into the
belief that he was model husband,
with most perversely tempered wife,
when a fortunate accident showed him
the truth so forcibly that he was fain to
accept the lesson.
The first anniversary OK their mar
riage was close ut hand, and Nellie had
planned pleasant surprise for her hus-
band in the shape of a dinner party
composed of six of his most particular
friends.
Every thing was succeeding finely.
The invitations were all accepted and
the guests pledged to secrecy, the menu
was Of the daintiest, and her new din
ner dress, reserved for this occasion,
unusually becoming, when, on the very
morning of the eventful day, Frank
pulled letter out Of his overcoat pocket
as he was leaving the house, saying at
the same time,
"There, Nellie, forgot TO tell you
last night, but mother wrote yesterday
to say you may expect her this after
noon. The fact is, invited her to
spend our wedding anniversary with us;
but wouldn't tell you before, thinking
TO give you pleasant surprise. Now
| you can have a room in readiness, as
she will arrive about 4 o'clock, and
will meet her at the boat and bring her
up here. Goodbye, little woman
and Frank departed, serenely uncon-
scious of the vexation and dismay he
left behind.
Poor Nellie thrust the unwelcome let
ter into her pocket without reading,
and then hurrying to her bedroom,
| locked the door and sat down to have
a good cry.
Such an unlooked-for addition to her
carefully planned dinner party! such a
provoking contretemps rs the arrival Of
: this dreaded mother-in-law on this par
: ticular day. it was really too much,
, and for while her tears flowed unre-
: STRANGELY.
i Nellie had never seen Mrs. Chester
until her wedding day, and even then
she had found little to please her in the
} tall, angular, prim-mannered woman
: who offered such decided contrast to
: her handsome, lively sos, with his ge-
NAL temper and ready wit.
Frank had done his best on this occa-
/ sion to be cordial for both, but, though
: he was much too happy TO see IT, the
e two ladies had been as frigid as their
/ relationship allowed them to be, and
Z the year that had passed had not
). brought them nearer together.
! All this and more passed though poor
i Nellie's mind before she wiped away
her tears and began to think Of all thai
vet remained TO be done, and of the i'm
2 possibility Of appearing al her dinner
2 table with red eyes.
Z This last reflection helped her to con
r troll herself. She summoned her cham
n ber-maid, and gave the necessary di
e rections for preparing a room for hel
u guest, and then busted herself in attend
!. ing to the details of the evening festiv
a ity, until at last she sat down to he
solitary lunch with comparative cheer
y fulness.
4 "At least" she said TO herself, :"
will not let this day be marred by an,
r i'll temper. / will try, for Franks sake
Is TO welcome his mother, and no matte
k how she may criticise, will be anna
e ble.r
sr But another and far graver sorrow
"a awaited the poor little woman, for jus
., as she rose from the table TELEGRAM