The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-07-24
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Ready Money.


choice"
so yes, uncle" l replied lightly; 81
know | have. Henry is to make, me
perfectly happy"
"What has he got y was the next
pleasant observation that fell from
Uncle Jocelyn's lips.
''Gotl uncle l don't know what you
mean" answ cred, growing rosy red at
the unexpected inquiry.
"What are his means? What does he
intend to settle upon you +
''He has his business" promptly in
terrupted my mother.
''And he is so clever, he is sure to get
on" added, in my eagerness to assure
Uncle Jocclyn it was all right a.
garded my future.
'That will depend great deal upon
you, Kate" he replied gravely "The
wife has more to do in making or marring
a husband than is generally suspected. A
careless, extravagant, bad wife is the
greatest curse man can have; a good
one is the greatest blessing Take my
advice; live well within your means,
and always pay ready money
/ remember that conversation so well
with Uncle Jocelyn some few weeks be-
fore my marriage; at the time it did not
strike me SO forcibly as afterwards, for
my llind was too filed with other and to
me more interesting matters.
Nv husbands name was Henry Arden.
He was six and twenty, five years my
senior His position in life was fairly
good one, he having a small interest in a
first rate business which gave him over
fifteen hundred year. Consequently
our start in life promised to be fair
one.
We were to live in the city and must
have house of our own. The prospect
of possessing one jointly with Henry
was very pleasant to me.
We must have spent small fortune
in cab hire before we finally found lust
what we wanted; even then, though the
situation was good and the domicile de-
sirable, the rent rather frightened us: it
was five hundred year unfinished, but
for all that we took lease of it for
seven years.
We knew nothing about furnishing,
never dreamed of the dangers of green
wood or the inevitable result of cheap
investments; still nothing could have
surpassed our prudence-be before we set
out.
When we got into the shop We had
selected as the one to patronize, we
found that the things we had thought of
were very inferior to our imaginings:
trife more here and a trife there could
make no great difference in the sum
total, and be everything to us in the
niceness and prettiness of our house. So
where We had calculated to spend one
thousand we spent over two thousand,
and most of this Henry had to borrow.
But the first shock over, the offending
bill was thrust aside-all would be paid
in good time, and for the present we
both resolved to dismiss it from our
minds.
Friends were rapidly gathering round
us; we must receive and pay visits.
Then came our first entertainment
with its attendant expenses, which it was
absolutely impossible to avoid, for in
Henry's position it was, as we thought,
most necessary for US to maintain good
appearance; and as his wife, it was also
incumbent upon me to dress as well and
fashionably as / could
So things went on, and before we had
been married two years | need hardly
say we were hopelessly and horribly in
debt. Retrenchment seemed utterly i'm
possible
To outward appearance, however, We
seemed a very prosperous pair. Our
house was now as elegant as our neigh
bors,
had thousand costly little trifes
living about in the drawing room, got
from time to time, and as usual not paid
for. some of which the shopkeepers
themselves had pressed me ir to purchas-
ing.