Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-02-01
The Wife's Ambition.

ed somewhat ruefully at the solitary
one dollar bill, which was all that re-
NAMED of his month salary after the
housekeeping bills were settled and
the rent paid, and the outstanding ac-
counts at the dry goods store balanced
up satisfactorily.
Mabel May was kneeling on the
hearth rug, toasting piece of bread
for her husbands supper. She turn
ed around with cheeks flushed by the
freight, and rosy lips apart.
ooh, Gerald said she, Il do try
SO hard to be economical II
"Of course you do, little chick, "
| said May, leaning over to catch one
particular curl of reddish brown hair
that was dropping in spirals of god
over the fair forehead, and giving it
an affectionate little twitch. Don't |
know that without you telling me !"
"But I wish | could help you, p"
cried out Mabel. "Oh, wish | knew
of any way to earn money myself"
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,
critically surveying the slices of bread
to make sure that it was artistically
Drowned on both sides.
but you are such child !"
81 am two and twenty said Ma
| bel solemnly.
Nonsense !" said Gerald. "What
could you do to earn money ?"
| Mabel colored at the deprecatory
tone of the words.
"Gerald,' said she II do wish you
would treat me more like woman and
less like child. Don't you suppose
! | have as much talent as the reet 4
| my sex
Gerald laughed good humoredly.
"Pour out the tea, cara, said he, "be-
fore you go rhapsodizing Of course
| know that you re dear little puss,
and can make an omelette or shirt
with any woman in christendom.
But you can't write a stirring book
like George Eliot, nor paint grand
picture like Rosa Bonheurl"
"Of course, I don't aspire to any
such greatness as that said Mabel,
impatiently, "but l can sing"
"You've got 3 nice little voice
enough" said her husband patron
izingly, "for the parlor; but as to
ma-ing money out Of it I hardly
think you'll find it SO easy"
"You don't think I can do anything, u
said Mabel, half Indignantly. "Only
just because l am d woman"
"Some women drive fate single hand
ed, said Gerald May, slipping his tea
with provoking nonchalance, "but
you're not one of the sort, my dear .
But long after Gerald had lighted
his student lamp and commenced his
evening avocation of copying law pa
pers by which pursuit he added slen.
der sum to the income which would
otherwise have been quite INSULT cient
| for even the slender wants of the
young married pair, Mabel sat witt
folded hands gazing into the red coals
as if she could read there some clue
/ to the problem of her life.
"Only one dollar left of our month!
money after our months bills are al
settled, said Mrs. Mabel to herself
screWlng up her little rosebud mouth
ooh, dear that isn't the way TO ge
rich. We must make little NOR,
money somehow. l can't write Low,
stories and poetry, and won't sew
for starvation prices; and I don't SCI
my way clear to being shop girl o
cashier, even if anybody would EN-
ploy me, because there's dear old Ger
aid to be looked after and kept com
Portable. But do think l could sing
if only obtained a chance. Nh
Martell, at the boarding school, uset
to say l had a good soprano. I'll asl
Mrs. Lacy up stairs to let me prac
tice little on her piano, and thel
I'll try my fortune. Gerald woul'
say it was all nonsense; but I don
mean to ask Gerald's advice"
And three or four weeks afterward
when Mrs, May presented hersel
. trembling and dutterlng, before Sig
nor Severe, that musical autocra
viewed her with favorable eye:
! through an immenss pair of tortoise