The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-03-29
READY MONEY,

"So you are going to be married, Kate?
Well, hope you have made Il wise
choice"
go yes, uncle" replied lightly; "I
know ! have. Henry is to make me per-
fcctly happy"
What has he got?" was the next
pleasant observation that fell from Uncle
Jocelyn's lips.
"Got? uncle! don't know what you
mean," | answered, growing rosy red at
the unexpected inquiry.
What are his means? What does he
intend to settle upon you?"
{" He has his business" promptly in
terrupted my mother.
And he is 50 clever, he is sure to get
on" ! added, in my eagerness to assure
Uncle Jocelyn it was all right as regarded
my future.
"That will depend great deal upon
you, Kate" he replied gravely. " The
wife has more to do in making or marring
her husband than is generally suspected.
A careless, extravagant bad wife is the
greatest curse u man can have good
one is the greatest blessing"
"Yes, uncle o yes" assented, glanc-
ing towards my mother, who was smiling
somewhat scornfully, | tancied, at his
opinions.
"Take care of his pence and his pounds
will take care of themselves" continued
uncle "and beware of ever getting into
debt, Kate it's the easiest thing to get
into and the hardest thing to get out of.
Take my advice; live well within your
means and always pay ready money"
yes, uncle; O yes" | responded. 81
am sure you are right and Henry is so
prudent, he is certain to have the same
ideas
"Well, keep them before your mind.
Don't despise IN old mans counsel buy
nothing that you can't afford, and always
pay ready money" =,
| remember that conversation so well
with Uncle Jocelyn, some few weeks be-
fore my marriage; at the time 1t did not
strike me so forcibly as afterwards, for
my mind was too filled with other and to
me more interesting matters.
Uncle ,Jocclyn was an old man, and
the amount of his fortune had always
been wrapped in some obscurity but nc
lived comfortably, and possessed small
property in Berkshire, upon which he
had built a pretty and substantial house
where | had spent many happy days
He had always shown a special affection
for me, no doubt owing to the fact OF my
being the daughter of his only brother
who had died when was quite an infant
leaving me to the sole guardianship o
my mother. Unfortunately for me, Their
haG never been any love lost betweel
the latter and Uncle Jocelyn; the cool
ness had rather increased than diminished
as years went by; and when invitation
were sent for lis to visit Conington, whicl
was the name of my uncle's place, m.
mother invariably refused for herself
and only with great persuasion permitted
me 70 go.
How / enjoyed these visits. How
sweet were the hay-iields and clover
scented meadows! How cool and frcsI
the marble.slabbed dairy, with its row
of brimming basins of frothy golde
cream How fragrant was the old
fashioned garden, with its long grass
walks and great big dewy roses, and tn
old cedar.tree SO shady, onder whic
Uncle Jocelyn would sit of an afternoo
smoking, listening apparently quite sati
fed with my childish conversati n. Th
sun always seemed to be shining in thOs
days. | can recall no gloom then, an
things all wore a charm, which | did nc
know lay chiefly in the fact Of my o%
youth and utter ignorance OF lite and II
cares.
However, not to digress, ! had ne
seen so much of Uncle Jocelyn since
had grown up, partly on account o! IN
mothers unabated dislike to him, partI
because Of the existence of anew intere
in life. | had met Henry Arden. He ";
six-aud-twenty, nve years my senior. II
position in lie was fairly good one, !
having small interest in first-rate eli
business which gave him over three hu
dred a year his character was irr
proachable f.; and when | say that he "
q general fayorite wherever he went,
may be surmi.eG that in my opinion
was, ii not quite perfect, very close
akin to it. For myself j was passable
perhaps little more than tAat--but
was penniless until my mother died