The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-17
4 WIFE'S HELP.

& I
6 tied and the rent paid, and the outstand-
ing accounts balance mp satisfactorily.
Mabel May was kneeling on the
{ hearthrug, toastiBg piece of bread for
her husband'5 supper.
She turned round, with cheeks flushed
by the freight, and rosy lips apart.
''Oh, Gerald" said she, 81 10 Try so
hard to be economical"
"Of course you do, little chick, 4" said
Gerald, leaning over to capture one par
ticniar curl of reddish brown hair that
was dropping in spirals Of gold over the
fair forehead, and giving it an affection
ate little witch. Don't I know that,
without yonr telling ne?"
"But l wish / could help you," cried
out Mabel. ooh, wish knew of any
way 20 earn money myself"
Gerald May looked at her with an am
used 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 artistically Drowned on
both sides.
''But you are such child"
81 am two and twenty" said Mabel,
soIemnly.
''Nohesenso!' said Gerald, .'What
could yon DO to earn money!"
Mablc colored little at the deprecia-
tory tone of the words.
Gerald" said she, - do wish you
would treat me more like n 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 ont the tea, cara, " said he, "be-
fore you go on rhapsodizing. OF course
L know that you are a dear little pussand
can make an omlotte or q shirt equal to
any woman in Christendom, but you
cam write a stirring book nor paint a
grand picture
>'Of course I don't aspire to any such
greatness as that" said Mabel, impa-
tiently, ''but I can sing"
you've got nice little voice enough"
said her husband, ''for the parlor, but
as to making money ont of it, hardly
think you'll find it so easy"
''You don't think ! can do anything
,.,.;n.I AT~L~I--I--I 8 -ss,z-.,.-,----,o- ---
cause / am woman"
e'Some women can drive fate single
handed, said Gerald May, slipping his
tea with provoking nonchaIance, ''but
you're not one of the sort, my dear"
But long after Gerald had commenced
his evening ayocation of copying law pa
pers, by which pursuit he added slen-
der sum to the income which otherwise
would have been quite insufficient for
even the slender wants of the young mar
ried pair, Mabel sat with folded hards,
gazing into the red Goals, as il she could
read there some clue to the problem of
her life.
are all settled" said May to herself. ooh
dear, this isn't the way to get rich. We
must make little more money, some
how. / can't write love stories and poet
~, and I won't sew for starvation prices,
and l don't see my way clear to being a
shop girl, even if anybody would employ
me, because there's dear old Gerald to
be looked after and kept comfortable.
| But I do thi,k | could sing if only OBJ
| tanned a chance. NJ. Martelli, at school,
used to say had a good soprano. III
ask Mrs Lacy to let me practice little
on her piano, and then III try my for
! tune. Gerald would say it was all non
sense, but then don't mean to ask Ger
AIDS advice"
And three or four weeks afterwards,
when Mrs. May presented herself, trem-
bling and huttoring, before Signor Seye-
70, That musical autocrat viewed her with
favorable eyes through an immense pair
of tortoise shell eye glasses.
s'You advertised for a sopIano, sir"
said Mabel, Turning carmino and white
10y turns,
Certainly, madame, did, said the
signor, ''for &c choir of st. Eudocia.
"Will you please try me!''
"Wiz re greatest of pleasure, ma
DAME" briskly opening the huge grand
piano, which stood like family coffin in
the middle of the room. ''And what
will Won sing
''Whatever you please. sir.
Signor Severe rustled piece of music
out of n drift some three feet high OH the
floor.
''Bienl We viii try zis, p" said he.
:. lie struck the chords, and rising up on
the wings of the sublimo harmony Ma
bells voice scared like q bird.
Signor Severe nodded when The aria
was over and rubbed his hands gleeful-
y.
MADAME said he, sit IS strong, it is
sweet. You have one good idea of time
and tune; you know how to manage re
voice"
And you viii give me trial.
Mabel's heart was beating so rapidly
that she could hardly speak.
The signor nodded.
And Il ze musical committee accept
, You-mind, madame, / do not say zey
will, for of all committees musical CON-
mittees are ze most capricious-we will
give you ze zaiarie Of 500 20 year.
plaz re organ; / lead &c choir, when il
will be lead at all, with eomical shruq
d OF his shoulders, ''and 1 shall you mos
cordially recommend"