Daily Republican., 1879-05-17
Can't A ford 1t.

Il can't afford it, SAID John Bon
ham, hrusquely, 'and that's the long
and short Of it,
As he spoke, he took his cigar from
his mouth, and, a. il conscious he had
said something he ought to be ashamed
Of. looked rather dctiantly at his visi-
tor.
'lou talk lik" a fool replied his
aunt, bIuntlv. for She had known John
from a boy, and had, besides, a habit
of ''spcahing her lnind" plainly, as
she phrasrd it, even to older persons
than John.
The cause Of this conversation was,
that Johns wife had been asked the
dav before to Join the usual club for a
magazine, and had declined giving as a
reason, that her husband had said he
couldn't afford it. This had come to
Aunt James ears, who had determined,
to use another of her phras"s-"to
have it out with him"
"Yrs, I'll not nince words. You
talk like fool. You said the same
story last year, and stopped Mary from
subscribing then; and what has been
the consequence She used to tax"
advantage of the patterns and diagrams
tor children Il dresses. to make up th"
wardrobe for her little ones; but. not
having them at hand, she has been
forced to buy paper patterns, this year,
at a cost of even m ne than the sub
scription. In regard to her own dress,
the false economy was even more strik-
ing. She had no guide to 90 by, when
that pretty silk you gave her was made
up, and the dressmakrr spoilt it; Will"
Mrs Heron, your neXt-door neighbor,
who took a magazine, selected design
from it, and the result was most beaU-
tiful costume, that cost less than Mary's.
but was vastly more stylish. Don t
you remember how cross you were,
when you saw Mrs. Heron at church,
and how you asked Mary why She made
fright of herself Your dear wifi"
was too atfectionate to tell til" truth.
But the real reason was that You had
refused her the paltry sum required to
join the club. am not going to be
such a Ounce, an. so tell you to your
face, that it was you, John Bonham,
that was to blame
"Really," said the husband, stagg"r-
ii by all this. and moving uneaSily III
his seat, 81 hadn't thought Of it in that
light"
"And that isn't ALL Mary used to
lend the magazin" to that poor, bed
ridden Lucy Jones. Many an hour Of
pain was all"yiat"d hv th" magazine.
You think only Of yourself: You ar"
1upr"mrly selfish. rs a rclaSation
even to Il woman who i, wrIl--no man
can tel! how nrlrh-to read good
story. GoI me ct excitement enough
in your hu mess. Every morning you
90 out, and Sc" what is going on. If
You had to stay at home all day. and
bake, and scrub, and wash, and seq
for half dozen children. you'd find
ont what it was to have n magazine to
read. And if you had th" children.
when you wrr" busy. worrying you, as
children will. you Il be thankful to he
able to giv" them the pictures to loo k
at, in order to keep them qni"t.'
Aunt Jane paused for moment. for
breath. Her nephew removed his cigar
again. and said:
"You called me- selfish. That's Il
strong word, Aunt
"Not bit too strong. Many hus-
band is selfish wi hout kn wing it. The
wife gives up everything, as good wives
A. A. CHAPMAS-T0BACC0 AND CIGARS.
A. A. Chapman, southwest corner of
Fourth and Shipley streets, tells in a
card in another column about the good
cigars and tobacco he has for the ac-
conmodatien of his customers. Such
enterprise deserves patronage.
RoRERT pARRY-TIN-sMITH AND vARlTIEs
Robert Parry, at 232 King street, ad
vertisrs large' variety of house.keep
ing articles which are Indispensable
He extends a general invitation in hi
card to all to call and see his stock o
goods.