The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-07-14
THE MISERY'S LESSON.


when be was child, and smoked his
cigars alone when he was young man.
By the time he was forty, Jonas Pray
was a very rich man, though he lived as
plainly as ever, and somehow about that
age the first tender feelings he had ever
known crept into his heart. He fell in
love with a buxom, good-tempered young
woman named Sara Woolwich, and
offered himself to her.
He was not an Unlocking man, and
when he chose, could make himself
agreeable.
Sara liked him and accepted him.
Jonas meant to be liberal to her at
first, but after brief honeymoon his
old habits resumed their way, and at
last, the second winter of their married
life coming on, Sara found that all her
remarks about her shabby summer hat
had no effect whatever, and that she
might wait long while without having
such thing as a comfortable cloak sug-
gested to her.
She had been poor girl, and had no
trousseau to speak of, and she found it
necessary to put her pride in her pocket
and ask for what she needed.
As she looked at him little while,
grief came instead Of anger.
There was so much that was good
bout Jonas. 1t was terrible to see this
canker creeping over it all; to see the
pinched lines about his mouth, the anx-
ious look in his eyes.
Poor Sara remembered stories she had
read of misers; how they starved them
selves while they counted their gold.
Would Jonas grow to be as bad as
these?
How could she tell?
She arose softly and went out of the
room, and brought back her bonnet and
shawl, and put them on the table before
him.
Jonas, DEAR she said, F" don't want
you to think me unreasonable Look at
these; see how shabby they are. They
were nice when we were married, but
they were cheap-cheap things fade SO.
| have made everything l had for two
years. | did not like to ask. / have
not spent one penny of your money for
clothes. You know you gave me two
pairs of gloves in our honeymoon; /
have them still"
"What good, careful girl" said
Jonas, caressing her dark hair, as she
came and sat beside him.
eyes, have been careful. 1t is my
nature to be careful" said Sara "Few
mems wives would have done SO much.
Now, look at these things, my dear"
He looked at them long and linger-
ingly.
He knew his wife was reasonable, and
&hat the things were, and long had been
unfit for her to wear.
1t is hard enough for wife to do that
but to be refused was something she had
not calculated on.
She knew her husband had a bank &C.
count; that there was no reason she
should not dress we'll But when she
had said, playfully-" Jonas, shall l buy
myself some winter things to-day? l
need shawl dreadfully," he had an
swered-"I thought you were too sensi-
BILE woman to run after the fashions,
Sara. I'm sure you have very decent
things that you might wear long
while yet"
"That shows how much men know"
Sara answered, determined to be pleas
ant and not to show that she was hurt.
You would not like your wife to look
shabby"
"Well, no." said Jonas; "no, but
really, Sara, money is so scarce lust now.
Don't you think you might make what
you have do little bit longer?'
"How much longer r' she asked,
quietly.
ooh, don't know" said Jonas. az
had an aunt, who left me something
when she died, who wore the same shawl
and bonnet sixteen years, and boosted of
it too" iit
His wife looked at him and said moth
ing:
Economy is great thing, Sara" said
Jonas, uneasily. at would be dreadful
to die in the workhouse, you know; and
you don't care for other peoples admira-
ton, do you, Sara, when you know your
Jonas likes you as well in your old
clothes? We won't call them shabby
Sara, only well saved
"Call them what you please, Jonas"
said Sara. "They merit both epithets."
Her temper was rising fast, but she
had sense enough to crush it down.
But his money tugged at his heart
strings.
Suppose you wear them one winter
more, Sara" he said "Just one."
The shawl is very thin,n she said.
II will catch cold again, as I did last
winter"
Poor GIRL" he said, softly, and
crossed toward the desk where his check
book lay.
But the grip of the fend that rules
a miser's soul nipped him sorely as he
did so.
The momentary impulse vanished.
Besides thought occurred to him.
They wear saques good deal, Sara,
don't they?' he said
ooh, they are very fashionable" re-
piled his wife"
Then couldn't you make one of that
old billiard-cloth that is in the trunk
room?' he said. My poor mother
bought it at an auction. She meant to
use it as a coverlet; but it's very pretty
green, don't you think, Sara, and such
nice materialT'
There is limit to woman's patience
This suggestion measured Sara's.
She started to her feet, and, gathering
up the bonnet and shawl, walked out Of
the room.
After a while his wife looked into the
room with her old bonnet on, and her
old shawl about her shoulders, and
said
Jonas, Pm going to spend the day
with my sister-in-law"
II hope you'll enjoy yourself, my
dear" said Jonas.