The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-18

Cribe to pOtations, so that Helen was
warned that if she did not wish to lose
her husband by a stroke of apoplexy, she
must absolutely forbid him to touch
wine, spirits or beer. Now Jack liked his
glass, without being topper, but he was
50 plaintively nagged at every time he
drank stronger liquor than water that, for
peace's sake, he became practical tee
totaler. Enforced abstinence, however,
did not improve his temper, and finding
that his home had become purgatory,
where it was sought to refine his moral
nature at the expense OF his creature
comforts, he turned morose and had fire.
quent private titfs with his wife.
81 suppose Aunt Prue will be cutting
off my tea and coffee next" he grumbled
one morning, after he had been softly
rebuked for putting two Jumps of sugar
into his breakfast cup; II wish to good
ness the old woman would draw up a
dietetie table for me once and for all that
might he like other prisoners and know
what's allowed me-"
GLOW can you be so greedy, Jack?' an
swered his wife in irritation; "Im
ashamed to hear you talk like that; if
Aunt Prue gives advice for your good,
you ought to be grateful to follow it,"
II like that; suppose she told you
for your souls good to leave off silk
dressesE'
'She has advised me to do 50; and as
you observe, | am wearing stiff gown;
| will no more indulge in frivolities OF
dress"
"Nor wear jewelry, | presume"
'I will not if Auntie objects to it,
"And you'd be ready to live on roots
next%
q am sure Auntie would not prescribe
me root diet unless she were persuaded
that it would be for my benefit This
was Helen's dignifed rejoinder.
"Ah, well, thcn," calculated Merrydew,
with his hands in his pockets, 'if we are
, to give up all the luxuries of life and
, content ourselves with the necessaries,
, we shall find our present income ample,
and we need not banker after Aunt
Prues fortune"
Il am not hankering after it. How
dare you say such a thing?' exclaimed
Helen, flushing. "If poor, dear Auntie
were ruined should not abate my atten-
tions to her one jot, but only cherish her
; the more for her misfortune. 1t is out OF
! dutifulncss that | endeavor to please
| her"
t In making this fine profession Helen
] fbbed. The poor woman was, in truth,
f; 50 absorbed by the prospect of her inher-
t itance that her whole moral nature had
r become warped. And she had lost some
of her personal attractions besides,
, for her brow was contracted into the
!. frown of those who are engrossed by
p an idee tixe, and her voice had
' grown, turn by turn, shrill and hypo-
= critical-hypocritical when she was in
( Auntie's presence, shrill when she talked
: to her husband. Nor was this all, for, in
. constantly stalking her hopes upon for.
e tune which was still out of reach, like
G the bird in the bush, Helen had partet
o with good deal Of the caution in money
9 matters which characterizes good wive
II and mothers. A curmudgeon as regard
t her own and her husbands personal ex
a pcnditures, she grew to be prodigal con
cerning the general outlay for her house
q hold. No dishes were too good for Aun,
g Prues table, no furniture too costly fol
4 her apartments. Helen actually caused
pavilion to be built in the garden, thai
o Aunte might have summer boudoir re
. mote from the noises Of the road. He
!. next step was to decide that ordinary
schools We're not good enough for her two
Il boys, aged nine and ten, who were fate(
IS To be rich with Aunt Prue's wealth; s'
she must needs send the pair of them tt
Eton at cost of C400 year. Now a
>. Jack Merrydew's income did not exceee
n eG00 per annum, it came to pass that ont
o summer he had come up to London ant
e sell out little invested capital in orde
q to square his years budget.
i Unlucky trip! Jack drew 81, 900 from
the hands Of his stockbroker, and when h
d held this sum he was suddenly temptet
,r by the devil to do strange thing. Tn,
h life he had been leading for few days a
a London hotel offered such a contrast t.
h the miserable existence he had been ekin!
.. out at home that the prospect of return
lUS W buL MS lleCh utlNiEi Auht LUG
- yoke seemed intolerable, so that Jack re
# solved to accept the invitation of an oil
y club choun to go yachting for a fey
= months in the Mediterranean. This res
I olution he took on the spur of the me
10 ment after a capital little dinner anon
v cronies and he wrote about it to his wifi
p in these terms:
d My DEAR HELEN send you Ej0C
az the other $500 keep, for | am going t
l. enjoy myself. | want rest and reIaxf
Is ton. The sort Of life which Aunt Pru
le has made me lead would kill me if prC
ID longed. My love to the boys. My neN
rt letter will be from Alexandria, and sha
ST return to, let me hope, more cheerfl
home by Christmas, probably. Your a
s feclionate JACK.
q Poor Jack, He had not calculate
tn the effect OF this blameworthy procee'
e. ing, for blameworthy it was. Tria
IS which can be borne by two are often tC
10 much for one, and Helen, deserted by ht
IN husband, naturally fell completely undo
ed Aunt Prue's thraldom. She was, NOR
lo1 +, h. ,.t,;oly Inv l..