The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-08-06
AWIFE'S HELP.

closed his account book and looked some.
what ruefully at solitary $40 bill which
was all that remained of his month s
salary after the housekeeping bills were
settled and the rent paid, and the out.
standing accounts balanced up satisfac-
torily. Ill ~un H. NJ >n,3H 'e.tsy .s4&
Mable May was kneelingon the hearth
rug, toasting piece of breadytor her hrls-
band supper. @E@ ,e'sn# q o>>.t ,-:11-2,
She turned round, with cheeks flushed
by the freight, and rosy lips apart !.'s.
ooh, Gerald said she, II 10 try so
hard to be economical" 'Atit a1oU F~ss
."Of course you do, little chick" saia
Gerald, leaning over to capture one par
ticular curl Of reddish brown hair that
was dropping in spiralsof gold over the
fair forehead, and giving it an affection
ate little twitch. 1"Dont / know that,
without your telling me9',u IT, a'e utass
'But I wish could help you,"a cried
out Mabel ooh, Iwish l knew of any
way to earn money myself."loa - -
Gerald May looked at her with an
amused smile. ,.lt,nl az -
my DEAR" said he, zone would as soon
expect an over-slzed 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. So r' 49,. o. ...s..
"But you are such a child" 49, -
'l'm two and twenty,"# said Mabel,
solemnly g. ~ ~. - ..~. 1T i,
"Nonsense!" said Gerald What could
you do to earn money!" 49,: ...-@
Mabel colored little at the deprecia-
tory tone of the words. 3" 1>" ..'-
"Gerald,' said she, Il do wish you
would treat me more like woman and
less like a child. Don't you suppose that
l have as much talent as the rest of nv
seX?" ga,r
Gerald laughed good humoredy,
Pour out the tea cara" he said, 'sbe-
fore you go on rhapsodizing. Of course
know that you are a dear little puss,
and can make an omlette or shirt equal
to any woman in Christendom, but, YOU
can't write a stirring book nor paint a
grand picture.' ,a-
"Of course don't aspire to any such
greatness as that" said Mabel Impatient
ly, "but can sing" g.
''You We got a nice little voice enough. -
said her husband, "tor the parlor, but as
to making money out of it, I hardly
think you Il find it so easy i, &c.,
"You don think I can do ANYTHING"
cried Mabel, half Indignantly, "only be-
cause | am a wOman.y ~ .-...... : 49,.
"Some women can drive fate single
handed" said Gerald May, slipping his
tea with provoking nonchalance, "but
you are not one Of the sort, my dear 4:
But long after Gerald had commenced
his evening avocation Of copying law pa
pers, by which pursuit he added a ,slen-
der sum to the income which otherwise
would have been quite insufficient for
even the slender wants of the young mar
red pair, Mabel sat with folded hands,,
gazing into the red Goals, as il she could
read there some clue to the problem of
her life. ~. r
"Only ten dollars left after our bills
are all settled, said May to herself.
ooh, dear, this isn't theway to get rich.
We must make little more money.
somehow. l can write love stories and
poetry, and l won t sew for starvation
prces, and l don't see my way clear to
being shop girl, even if any body would
employ me, because there dear old Ger
aid to be looked after and kept comfort
able. But do think I could sing if only
[ obtained a chance. NJ Martelli. at
school, used to say had a good soprano.
Il ask Mrs. Lacy to let me practice a
little on her piano, and then Iii try nv
fortune. Gerald would say it was all
nonsense, but then 1 don mean to ask
Gerald s ADVICE t-.i
And three or four weeks afterwards,
when Mrs. May presented herself, trem-
bling and f1uttering, before Signor Seve1
70, that musical autocrat viewed her with
favorable eyes through an immense pair
Of tortoise shell eyeglasses. ''t1'
''4ou advertised for soprano, SIR
SAID Mabel, turning carmine and white
by turns. -"...s II.
"Certainly, madame, I did," said the
Signor, flor re choir of St. Eudocia."
"Will you please try me?' >-t .,
"Wiz re greatest of pleasure, mad
ame," briskly opening the huge grand
piano, u hich stood like family coffin IN
the middle of the room. ssAnd what will
you sing?" *arfs
"Whatever you please, sir" '':ff
"Signor Severe rustled piece of music
out Of drift some three feet high on the
floor. l..
"Bien! We will try zis,' said he.
He STRUCK the chords, and rising up on
the wings OF the sublime harmony Ma.
bells voice scared Ii. e bird. z.-.., .r..s3.
Signor Severe nodded when the aria
was over and rubbed his hands glee.
fully. 1a. ~.t Ii.
"Madame,' said he, cit IS strong, it is
sweet. You have one good idea Of time
and tune; you know how to manage re
voice. - +
"And you will give me trial?' or
Mabel heart was beating so rapidly
that she could hardly speak. -.. ~. y
The signor nodded. ~. al: a,u:~ ]
"And if re musical committee accent
you mind, Madame, I do not say zey
will, for Of all committees, musical com
mittees are re most capricious-we will
give you re zalarie of $4OO re year. ]
play re organ; l lead re choir, when il
will be lead at all, with a comical shrue
Of his shoulders, land shall you most
erdially recommend. 'fi1s .t#a5a'
Mabel May tripped home as if he1
light feet were flying over rose-coloreo
clouds instead of muddy march pave.