The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-01-11
Precept and Practice.

pOhShCu obONOJ buO pussy -Cab puIIluR
sleepily on the rug; the clock ticking,
like silver drops OF water on the man.
tlepiece; and Mrs. IVES needle glancing
in and out of her work like a small ray
of lightning. The children were all
tucked snugly mp in bed, for Mr.. Julius
Ives liked to be quiet when he came
home from business, and Mrs. Ives was
the most devoted and obedient of conju.
gal partners. 1t was an exquisitely
neat room "a room where the sweet
home element predominated In every
nook and corner-a room to whi.h the
tired business man might look forward
all day, haven of rest and peace.
The clock struck eight; pussy stretch
ed herself drowsily before the fire, and
Mr.. Ives laid down the paper with q
preparatory "Amenr'
"And now. Melissa" he said, au
thoritiyely, "you may bring me your
house bills"
Poor Mrs. Ives started IN her chair
as If cannon ball had cautiously thun.
uered into the silence of the cozy little
apartment. How much she dreaded
the weekly recurrence of this domestic
ukase was only known to herself. 1t
was the skeleton in her clOset-the one
embitterring element OF her happy
home life-the haunting ghost that no
diplomacy had yet enabled her to exOr-
else. Yet, like a well,trained wife as
she was, she brought the tiny packet of
bills, aud sat down meekly at her hus.
bands side
She was a pretty woman. tall and
graceful, with straight regular features,
rosy cheeks, and soft, wistlul eyes that
looked like brown velvet; woman
whose hands were always white and
delicate, and whose dresses always
seemed to ct by magic.
Nor was Mr.. Julius Ives disagree.
able specimen Of mankind to look upon.
He was large and finely formed, with
black hair strongly disposed to curl at
the ends, and bright back eyes, Yet,
nevertheless, there was certain curve
in Mr.. Ives upper lip that savured some,
what of the imperative mood.
"Butter again! that's FIVE pounds we
have used within the week." moaned
Mr.. Ives, checking off the various items
Of the grOcer's bill with the little gold
pencil that hung at his watch. chain.
my dear, does Bridget grease the
kitchen pans with buttelP"
Mrs. Ives cheek glowed.
"Now, Julius, what Is the use Of
talking In that sarcastic sort of way?
You know very well that family like
ours cannot subslst on air-And you
like to have all the cooking very rich,
you know"
"Richl should think so. HAm-cod
fish. BY the way. Melissa, Jones says
they only buy meat three times a week
have it cold every other day. His
wife knows how to ecOnUmize. l sup.
pose you haven't the least idea what
becomes Of the olnts after they leave
the table?"
81 have no doubt of Budgets per-
feet honesty, Julius"
"Oh, no-of course not. But / do
think, Melissa, 1t is = wife's duty to pay
some attention to her husbands pOck.
et."
"Why, our bills are not dispropOr.
tionately large, julius"
"They must be, my dear-they must
be. Positively its enough to frighten
one to run over these items In the house,
keeping accouEtsi Sugar-raisins-oll
-Oystersi Melissa do keep retau-
rant7 II not where do all these things
go?"
Mrs. Ives was silent.
Observation-Disclosures tons OF
coall Upon my wordl"
Still Mrs. Ives maintained complete
taciturnity.
"Melissa, said her husband, placing
the bills rather emphatically on the ta-
Bile, 1--WE must turn over a new leaf
we must, positively. Can't you re-
trench expenses?"
"How?"
"In thousand ways, my dear, Why
my mother never spent half the money
you cOntrive to spend, aud there was
] twelve OF us"
"YOur mother lived on farm, Julius.
The milk, butter cheese and vegetables
were from her farm aud dairy-the
I meat aud poultry were from her owH