The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-10-09
LITTLE THINGS.
Yah. Brown, how are you 2n

q
tdo, my good ellow"
j, Such were the eXclamations with
which two neighbors greeted each other,
as they met, one evening about sundown,
on their way home from business. After
u few inquiries about each others lami-
lies, tor both were married men, and the
stereotyed complaints respecting the
hard times, OF which merchants COM
plain as proVerbially as farmers do Of
bad crops, Brown said to his friend:
Suppose we try few oysters, Jones.
PYe found place where they keep cap
ital ones. You don't have supper quite
lyetp
mo there's plenty of time. Pll go
with pleasure"
SO the two busbanls turned aside into
a saloon, where, in the course of an
hours chat, they managed to spend half
a doller each, partly in oysters, partly
in brandy and water, ITO make the oys-
Euers," as they said, "digest."
Meantime Mrs. Jones, the younger Of
the two wives, sat wondering why beG
husband did not come home. She had
been into the kitchen, two or three times,
to see that supper was ready and being
Kept hot, for Mr.. Jones was Que of those
men who neither like to walt for q meal
nor eat cold one. AT last. full an hour
| alter his usual time, the husband made
his appearance.
fake up SUPPER" cried Mrs. Jones,
lrunning to the kitchen door. "lps Mr..
Jones; I'll let him in myself," and as she
!spoke she breaLhlessly hurried to admit
| her husband.
"Suppers ON the table, JONES'" she
said, as she chung to him. "PVe made
Iyour favorlte cake, and hope it will turn
out well. Only Pm afraid i1s halt spoilt
by the delay. But l suppose business
Kept you, aud SO 1t can't be helped"
Ihe husband did not contradict his
vile; but when he come 70 try The cake
ue pushed it away.
"Isn't 1t rightW said the wife, the tears
coming into ner eyes.
Yes it will do," answered Mr.. Jones,
"only iHs not quite up to the thing; and
besides Pm not hungry"
Poor lady! She iancied that these
last words were said in order to spare
her feelings, and that the reason her
husban did not eat was because the
cake was bad. Her afternoons happi-
ness had consisted in thinking how
agreeably her husband would He sur
prised at this little delicacy. But this
was all destroyed now. She had no ap-
petite herself to eat, and reDlly fancied
Jhe cake tasted fiat; in Short it was as
much as she could 90 to command her
feelings.
Her husband saw aud partially under
stood her emotion. A single word from
him could have explained all, and he
| knew it; but he was ashamed, at first.
to say tlat he mad been lettering on his
way home; and afterward it was too
late. AT last he became angry at his
wife for being hurt, as men strangely
will when themselves in fault. 1t was a
miserable eVeulng for poor Mrs. Jones.
Meantime Mr.. Brown had also reached
his home. His wife also was waiting for
him.
"Where have you been, my dear" she
said. elbow late you are! But come,
don't lose moment, suppers waiting,
and l want you to take me to the con-
cert tonight"
And as she spoke she led the way
| brlskly to the suppet-room.
"a coucert?'
| "Yes, my DEAR" answered the wife,
| turning cheer ully around, "and IYG
promised Sister Jane to meet her there,
| If We don't hurry all the best seats will
be filled before we arrive"
"Really, my love-" stammered Mr..
Brown, as he took his seat and began TO
meet his wile's eyes, "I'm afraid"
| He stopped. Mrs. Browns face fell.
| She knew from his manner what
w tto SOlIlIH6s IIhD S1C fClllulSu IOl OucC
| on a remOnstrance.
"lHs only % cents piece" she said,
and SUI ely we can afford that. l don't
! 90 anywhere, as you know. l feel as if
l could enjoy this concert"
Thus urged, Mr.. Brown would, per.
haps, have gone, If he had not already
| spent half dollar himself. But that
settled the affair. One extravaganza,
as he reasoned, was sufficient. He dld
not, however, tell his Vile why he per-
sisted in his refusal.
| "pd go--ln minute-if | could affor
it, my love-" lie siammered; "but 90
cents here and 81 cen 8 ynere soon run up
we may live yet to see the day when
| we'll want even that sum-"
MIR. Brown, like many others, was
always ready to preach, but slow to
practice. Scarcely day passed that he
did not spend something in an unneces-
sary lunch; but lie never thought of cur.
failing this Item of foolish expense. 1t
was invariably his wife's comfort and
recreation that were made to suffer un-
der the plea OF economy.
Mrs. Brown sighed. She had bean
M lrried long enough to know that ex-
pos tulation was useless with a husband.
at least with Mr. Brown. But the lis.
appointment was greater than she
thought it wise to show.
Her husband, however, saw her feel
ings; was YeXed; and sat, tor the rest
Of the evening, silent and suIky. This
did not add 10 the happiness OF his vile.
SO that the hours wore away gloomiiy
enough.
There are great many husbands like
| Mr.. Brown, and quite as many, we sus
peet. like Mr.. Jones. In a thousand
ways, indeed, wives suffer from the sci.
hshness OF those who have sworn ssto
love and cherish' them but alas! forget
to keep their vows, at least i'll little
things.
The Shakspeareau Drama Under Diff
| Eoulties.
| From the Virginia (NeE1 Evening Cbronicle I