Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-05-07
Sara's Shawl.


was 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 buxom, good,tempered young
woman. named Sara Woolwich, and Of
fered himself to her. He was not an i'll
looking 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 happi-
ness his old habits resumed their sway,
and, at last, the second winter of their
married life coming on, Sara found that
all her remarks about her shabby sum-
mer hat had no effect whatever, and that
she might wait long while without
having such thing as comfortable
cloak suggested 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.
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 q large
bank account-that there was no reason
she should not dress as we'll as any lady
in the land. But when she had said,
playfully, "JOnas, shall l buy myself
some winter things to-day? l need a
shawl dreadfully," he had answered, ~
thought you were too sensible a woman
to run after the fashions, Sara F? I'm
sure you have very decent things that
you might wear a long while yet"
"That shows how much men know"
Sara answered, determined to be pleaa-
ant and not to show sh~O sne was hurt.
"Yo. would not like your wife to look
shabby, Jonas
"Well, no." said Jonas, "no but,
really. Sara, money is so scarce just now.
Don't you think you might make what
you have do little longer ?"
"How much longer?" she asked. qui-
etly.
"Oh, don't know" said Jonas. 81
had an aunt who left me something when
she died, who wore the same shawl and
bonnet sixteen years, and boasted of it,
too %
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 poor-house, you
know and you don't care for other peo-
pies admiration, do you, Sara, when
you know your Jonas likes you as well
in your well-saved clothes We won't
call them shabby Sara, only we'll.
saved"
"Call them what you please, Jonas, y
said Sara. They merit both epithets y
She sat quietly, with her hands fold
ed on the table before her for while
Her temper was rising fast, but she had
sense enough to crush it down.
A miser is the victim of vice tha
| masters him-just as 6runkard is. 10
mas was ashamed of himself even as h
spoke, and she knew it. AS she looked
at him little while grief came instead
of anger. There was SO much that wa
> good about Jonas. 1t was terrible to Sc,
/, this canker creeping over it all to Sc,
t the pinched lines about his mouth, tn,
strange, anxious look in his eyes. Poo
Sara remembered stories she had reat
. of misers how they starved themselve
. while they counted their gold how som
of them died in the dark to save can
!, dies, and how, through long illness
: one of the wealthiest refused to have
5 pillow bought for him, or even a littl
saucepan in which to heat his porridge
Would Jonas grow to be as bad as these
4 How could she tell Once or twice O
g late he had found fault with the amour
It of butter used, and moaned over hi
T. butchers bill. But men generally di
. something of that sort. she had heard
!; and men knew nothing about dress. Sh
d arose softly and went out of the room
and brought back her bonnet and shaw
r, and put them on the table before him.
le "Jonas, DEAR" she said, 81 don't war
u you to think me unreasonable; look a
i these, see how shabby they are. The
were nice when we were married, br
W they were cheap, very cheap-chea
ID things fade so. have made everythiD
rs had do for two years. did not lik
= to ask. have not spent one penny
e your money for clothes. You know yo
gave me two pairs of gloves in our hOl
IS, eymoOn-I have them still"
IN "What a coed. careful girl, said j.
Il, mas, caressing her dark hair, as she can
; and sat on low stool beside him.
as "Yes. l have been careful 1t is n
nature to be careful said Sara. "Fe
he rich mems wives would have done
og much. Now look at these things, II
OK dear"
ne Jonas looked. There came time q
ire terward when it seemed to him that Il
4re faded tint of that shawl, its dingy pal