The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-08-31
SOBER SECOND THOUGHT.

81 must have it, Charles" said the
handsome little wife of Mr. Whitman.
$50 don't put on that sober face
s'Did put on sober face?" asked
the husband, with an attempt to smile
that was anything but success.
eyes, as a man on trial for his life
Why, it's as long as the moral law.
There, dear, clear it up, and look as
though you had at least one friend in
the world. What money-lovers you men
are l'
GLOW much will it cost ?" inquired
Mr.. Whitman. There was another effort
to look cheerful and acquiescent.
"AbouG forty dollars" was answered,
with just little faltering in the lady's
voice, for she knew the sum would
sound extravagant.
"Forty dollars Why, Ada, do You
think 1 am made of money!" Mr. Whit
mans countenance underwent remark
able change of expression.
81 declare, Charles" said his wife, a
little impatiently, ''you look at me as if
I were an object of fear instead of affec-
ton. I don't think this is kind of you.
I've only had three silk dresses since we
were married, while Amy Blight had six
or seven during the same period, and
every one of hers cost moro than mine.
/ know you think me extravaganza, but L
wish you had a wife like some women I
could name. / rather think you'd find
out the difference before long"
'.There, there, pet, don't talk to me
in this fashion I'll bring You the mon
ey at dinner time, that is, if
"No ifs nor butts, if you please. The
anpo x-ithnut than,
Thank you, dear I'll go this afternoon
and buy the silk. So dors't fail to bring
the money. / was in at Silkskin's yes
terday, and saw one of the sweetest pat
terms [ ever laid my eyes on. Just suits
my style and complexion. I shall be in
consolable if it's gone. You won't dis
appoint me %
And Mrs. Whitman laid her soft,
white hand on the arm of her husband,
and smiled with sweet persuasion in her
face.
go, no. You shall have the money!
said Mr.. Whitman. turning off from his
wife, as she thought, little abruptly,
and hurrying from her presence. In his
precipitation he had forgotten the usual
parting kiss.
'sThat's the way it is alwaysl'' said
Mrs. Whitman, her whole manner chang
ing, as the sound of the closing street
door came Earring upon her ears. ''Just
say money to Charles, and at once there
is a cloud in the sky"
She sat down, pouting and half angry.
ssForty dollars for a new dress J" men
tally calculated the husband of vain,
pretty, thoughtless Mrs. Whitman, as
he shut the door after him. 81 promis-
ed to settle Thompson's coal bill to-day
thirty three dollars-but don't know
where the money is to come from. The
coal is burnt up and more must be or
dered. O, dear I'm discouraged. Ev-
cry year I fall behindhand. This winter,
did hope to get little i'll advance, but
if forty dollar silk dresses are the order
of the day, there's an end to that devout-
ly to be wished for circumstance. Debt
debt How I have always shrunk
from it but steadily, now, it is closing
its Briarian arms around me, and my
constructing chest labors in respiration.
Oh, if L could but disentangle myself
now, while have the strength of early
manhood, and the bonds that hold me
are weak. If A la could see as I see-if
! could only make her understand right
Iy nay position Alas that is hopeless,
fear"
beoause his heart beat quicker, and his
thought wis unduly excited.
Not long time after Mr. Whitman
left home, the city postmaster delivered
n letter to his address. His wife exam
ined the writing on the envelope, which
WAS i'll bold, masculine hand, and said
to herself, as she did so
81 wonder who this can be from 2'
Something more than curiosity moved
her. There intrudea on her mind vague
feeling of disquiet, as If the missive bore
unpleasant news for her husband. The
stamp showed it to be city letter. A
fow times, of late. such letters had come
to his address, and she noticed that he
read them hurriedly, thrust them with
out remark into his pocket, and became
silent and sober faced.
Mrs. Whitman turned The letter over
and over again in her hand, in thought
fql way, and as she did 50, the image of
her husband, sQher-faced and silent as
he had become for most Of the time, of
late, presented itself with unusual vivid
ness. sympathy stole into her heart.
''Poor Charles :" she said, as tho feel
ing increased ''I'm afraid something is
going wrong with him.
Placing the letter on the mantel- piece
where he could see it when he came in,
Mrs. Whitman entered upon some house
hould duties, but strange impression,
as of weight, lay upon her heart-a
sense of impending evil-a vague, trou
bled disturbance of her usual inward
self-satisfaction.
If the thought of Mrs. Whitman re-
Cured. as was natural, 10 the elegant
silk dress of which she was to become
the owner on that day, she did not feel
the proud satisfaction her vain heart ex
perienced little while before. Some
thing of its beauty had faded.
eff / only knew what the letter con-
tained," she said, half an hour after it
had come in, her mind still feeling the
pressure which had come down upon it
so strangely, as it seemed to her.
She went to the mantel-piece, took up
tho letter, and examined the superscrip-
ton. 1t gave her no light. Steadily it
kept growing upon her that its contents
were of a nature to trouble her husband.
''He's been little mysterious of late,
he sad to herself. This idea affected