The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-12-06
THE W1FE's AMBITION.

wife, isn't to" SAID Gerald May, as he
closed his account book, and looked,
somewhat ruefully, at the solitary
one dollar bill which was all that re-
manned of his months salary, after the
housekeeping bills were settled, and the
rent paid, and the outstanding accounts
at the dry goods stores balanced up sat
isfactorily.
Mabel May was kneeling on the
hearth rug toasting piece of bread for
her husbands supper. She turned
around with cheeks flushed by the fire
light, and rosy lips apart. d.
"Oh! Gerald" said she, al do try so
hard to be economical
"Of course you do, little chick" said
May leaning over to capture one partic-
ular curl of reddish brown hair that was
dropping. in spirals ofgold, oyer the fair
forehead, and giving it an affectionate
little witch. "Don't know that, with
out you telling me?'
But wish I could help,p cried out
Mabel, ooh, wish l knew of any way
to earn money myselfl''
Gerald May looked at her with an
amused smile
my dear" said he, zone would as soon
expect an diversified doll to earn money"
"Other women do" said Mabel, critic
ally surveying the slice of bread, to
make sure that it was artistieally brown
ed on both sides.
"But you are such a child"
81 am two and twenty" said Mabel,
solemnly.
Nonsense !" said Gerald, ''What would
you do to earn money!"
Mabel colored little at the deprecia-
tory tone of the words.
Gerald" said she, 81 do wish you
would treat me more like a woman and
less like child. Don't you suppose that
have as much talent as the rest of my
sex ?"
Gerald laughed good humoredly "Pour
out the tea, cara" said he, ''before you
go on rhapsodizingl OF course, know
that you are dear little puss, and can
make an omelet or a shirt with any
woman in christendom! But you can't
write stirring book like George Eliot,
nor paint grand picture like Rosa Bon
heur."
"Of course 1 don't aspire to any such
greatness as that" said Mabel, impa-
tiently; "but can singr
you've gotta nice little voice enough, ~
said her husband, patronizingly, ''for the
parlor; but as to making money out of
it hardly think you'll find it SO easy"
You don't think can do anything"
cried Mabel, half Indignantly. "Only
just because l am woman"
Some women can drive fate single
handed" said Gerald May, slipping his
tea with provoking nonchalance; ''but
you're not one ofthe sort, my dearp'
But long after Gerald had lighted his
student lamp and commenced his even
ing avocation of copying law papers, by
which pursuit he added slender sum to
tha lob oh
been quite insufficient for even the slen-
der wants of the young married pair,
Mabel sat with folded hands gazing into
the red Goals, as if she could read there
some clew to the problem of her life
"Only one dollar left of our months
money after our months bills are all set
tied, - said Mrs. Mabel to herself, screw
ing up her little rosebud of a mouth.
'Oh, deari this isn't the way to get rich.
We must make a little more money
somehow. can't write love stories and
poetry, and 1 won't sew for starvation
prices; and ] don't see my way clear to
being a shop girl, or a cashier, even if
anybody would employ me, because
there's dear old Gerald to be looked af.
ter and be kept comfortable. But I do
think could sing, if / only obtained a
chance. NJ. Martelli, at HE boarding
school, used to say that 1 had a good
soprano. I'll ask Mrs. Lacy, upstairs,
TO let me practice little on her piano,
and then I'll try my fortune. Gerald
would say it was all nonsense; but /
don't mean to ask Gerald's advice ~
And three or four weeks afterwards,
when Mrs. May presented herself, tremb-
ling and huttered, before Signor Seveo,
that musical autocrat viewed her. with
favorable eyes, through an immense pair
of tortoise-shell eye glasses.
@You advertised for soprano, sir.u
said Mabel, turning carminc and white
by turns
Certainly, madame. did" said the
signOr. FOR re choir of ST. Eudocia,
in Magnolia Square"
-WiH you please try mes'
sWiz re greatest of pleasure. madame. .
briskly opening the huge grand piano
which stood like family coffin in the
middle Of the room. stAnd what VIII
you singg'
Whatever you please, sir
SignoF Seveo rustled 3 piece of musisc
out OF drift some three feet high on the
floor.
aBient We viii Try ziz,'' said he.
He struck the chords, and, rising M
on the wings of the sublime harmony.
Mabelas voice SCARED like 8 bird
Signor Seveo nodded when the arid
was over. and rubbed his hands elee.
fully.
Madame said he, ssit is strone-it is
sweet You have one good idea OF time
and tune-you know how to manage ze
voice.
And you viii give me q trial -
Mabelss heart was beating so rapidly
fhat she could hardly speak The sisr.6l
nodded
And i zs ausita COMMITTEES accent
youI1snd. madame. 7 10 not say <e5
sir. IL - a G1znlz iLlsz. 8. ..zI..lz 60.