Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-07-07

II do think, John, you might let ME
have little more money ~
Victoria Hale was sitting at the break
fast-table, pout upon her cherry lips, an
omincus wrinkle between her brows. She.
looked very pretty, in her morning dress Of:
fiuted white lawn, with breakfast-cap Of
swiss muslin and rose-colored ribbons that
were particularly becoming to. her olive
skin, and large, yelvety black eyes.
Her husband, slowly slipping his coffee
at the other side of the table, was quite as
handsome and distinguished-lo looking in his
way. John Hale was chief book-keep'sr
and cashier in large firm in Wood stree t,
and had scarcely been married three
months as yet. Already, however, the
bloom and charm of welded life had been
dissipated in some degree. He had begun
to discover that his divinity was not all
divine.
"More money, Victoria ~ he repeated
with scarcely perceptible knitting of the
brows. 'sAreyou not growing unreasonable?
Do not keep you literally supplied with
all that have to spare 90
''But it's SO notifying to go shopping
with Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. bennington,
and have to stand by while they are pur-
chasing the sweetest things at such bar
gains!''
Don't go shopping with them, then
that's'my advice"
"You would shut me urt, then, from all
amusement and society ?''
Nonsense, Victoria You know better
than that! Here are your prettily furnish
ed house, your garden, your little conser-
yatory. to amuse you!''
"I'm tired of them all, - said the pretty
bride. zone cannot be ccntented with the
same thing forever"
"If you wanted a perpetual change, a
continued whirl Of excitement, you should
have married a rich man,
Don't be cross john" said Victoria,
coaxingly. "But you know all our neigh
bors about here are toIerably well off and
l don't want to be left behind. I shall be
mortified to death if can't have croquet
party in july"
Il have no especial objection to that,''
said her husband. 81 suppose it need not
necessarily be expensive ?''
mot SO very, said Victoria. ssOf course
we must have band, and the sweets and
ices from the confectioner's.
"Wouldn't your piano, and a little home
made cake and 1ce-cream do?''
''What non sense, John! do you suppose
could ask our stylish neigh5ors to such a
twopenny sort of affair as that 20
s'They would know that it was as good
as we could Afford"
"And need a lace parasol terribly.
And oh John, I had forgotten about Mrs.
Lacey's cream-cclored ponies''
Il hope, for goodness sake she don't
want you to buy them ?''
''No, of course not. But she says Imay
use them while she's atScarborough. Isn't
it kind of her ?"
81 dare say it's very kind" said John
Hale, ruefully; ''but do you chance to
know how much a pair of ponies costs in
the keeping-to say nothing of the expense
of the groom ?''.
"Oh, If YOU'RE going to stoop to such
petty considerations as that
'"Well. we'll, use them if you like. dare
say we shall manage somehow
"And the croquet party Only thirty
or forty people-justt to pay our social debts.
It's so shabby to be behind-hand in such
things"
eff you will be as economical as YOU can
about it,
'sAnd the parasol? And the summer
silk that is such a bargain at Peter Rob-
inson' s-''
eyes, yes, yes Only remember, Vic,
that there is limit to our funds"
Mrs. Hale was satisfied with the grrdg-
ing assent SO reluctantly screwed out Of
her husband.
She gave'the croquet party, and had the
satisfaction of hearing on all sides that it
was the most elegantly gotten up little af-
fair of the season in Holloway Road. She
whirled down to the parks, and along the
Bayswater Road, with the cream-colored
ponies. She bought the lavender silk, with
a ''love,' of a lace shawl to wear with it
paid Madame Fringe Furbelow four gum.
cas- to make up, and had it ruined by 9
glass OF lemonade the first time she evel
wore it. She accepted an invitation tt
visit Yarmouth with q ,,or+,, ~ ...--