Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-07-02
& "They are good; but. on second thought
| will not take any tonight, ;, ,4

"They are good but. on second thought,
will not take any tonight.
Mr.. Gray had always purchased hi
cigars as he used them; but now he wish
ed he had box at home. However, he
decided to ask his wife for some money,
and run out and fill his case without his
friend 3 knowledge. Twenty -four hours had
not passed, and he had already begun to
experience feeling Of shame and dis
inclination to ask for money. A thought
Of Annie crossed his mind. 'sPshaw! she
doesn't have to treat friends to cigars, I"
he mnttered.
Frank RAYMOND was ALREADY at his
house; and Annie had tempting little
supper for them; and Annie was looking
her prettiest.
When supper was over, he took Annie
aside, and asked for dollar. which Annie
gave him grudgingly, .Then he excused
himself for a moment, and bought some
cigars. They were wfetched affairs, how
eyer, and filed the. house with a villainous
odor, for he had to get them at a new
place, Benson 3 being too far off.
The next day, the two friends started
out together, when Mr.. Gray, with the
air Of having forgotten something, said,
Excuse me a minute =
SsI,ll 60 back with you, if you have for
gotten anything" said Mr.. Raymond.
Mr.. Gray clapped his hand on his pock-
| ct. $40
81 thought had forgotten my pocket
book, but I haven't he said. $50 it's
all right and then hurried on, his cheeks
tingling with shame at the deceit. But
| he could not risk having his friend go
back with him, and stand by, while he
asked for money.
| Mr.. Gray was lucky that day. He had
no calls for money, and he had half doz-
en- Of those horrid cigars left, a couple of
which he smoked on the street after his
friend left him.. In fact, he concluded to
risk another day in the same way. But
on this day he realized the old adage, ut
never rains but it pours, for from being
asked to change bill, to getting his coat
ripped, and asking for credit at his tailor's
the day was series of notifications.
Annie was unaware of all this; in fact,
she thought her husband was failing to re-
alize the situation; SO when, at night, Mr..
Gray asked her for money to spend the
next day, she wickedly put him off with
some excuse, and ingeniously evaded the
request until he was forced to prefer it be-
fore his friend.
81 want dollar or two. Annie. Please
get it for me, he said, in an offhand man
ner. s.
"A dollar or two! What do you want
with dollar or two7'' BIZ
.'There, Annie, don't bother fellow
Pm in hurry.'' a4'g
But with grave deliberation. she drew
out quarter, and laid it down, and then
another and another, next two dimes.
LET me see-three quarters seventy
five, ten is eighty -fve-ten- ninety five.
and here is three cent piece-ninety-
eight cents Will that do?''
eyes, and Mr.. Gray hustled them into
his pocket and hurried from the room.
He was in hopes his friend would in
quire into the cause of the scene, when he
would tell him Of the compact and how it
originated. It would then pass as joke.
But Mr.. Raymond did not make any re-
mark. Instead, he thought to himself:
sGood gracious! What shorrid grind
she is! And thought her so pretty.
never supposed Albert would have made
such meek husband. Catch me getting
married and having quarters doled out to
me in that way!'
He pitied his friends embarrassment:
but did not appear to notice it. Instead
he chatted unconcernedly of old friends
and past times. Suddenly turning cor
ner, they met two mutual acquaintaEces.
Hand-shakings and inquiries followed and
the four had SO much to say that Mr.. Gray
decided to send a note to his partner and
spend the forenoon with his friends.
The party now adjourned to a restau'
rant and Mr.. Raymond, aware of the ex.
act amount of his--Mr. Gray's-funds, or.
dered lunch.
Beach Island was proposed for Monday
Mr.. Gray invited them, meantime, to
spend the evening at his house. The even
ing passed was pleasant one. Annie was
in excellent spirits: sang and played, and
was altogether charming. Mr.. Raymond
remem bering the money, decided that ma
trimony was indeed a snare, when women
were so deceptive.
The next day, which was Sunday, Mrs
Gray, without being asked, gravely hand.
cd her husband fifty cents. Mr.. Raymond
was present but did not appear to notice
it. He was apparently engrossed with the
book he was reading. But he heard Mr.
Gray ask:
! whats that forp Oh, the contribution
box Thank you!'' he said. But to him.
self he added:
"Why not save iJ to 60 with the twenty.
five cents have already, SO as not to be
compelled to ask for money on tuesday,
Then if I can succeed in getting some fol-
Mondays trip, without the knowledge OF
my friends, this absurd farce will end
without any more unpleasantness."
Monday morning came, all too soon
for try as he would, he could not get the
attention Of Annie when he endeavored
! to breach the subject of the projected
trip. Fidgetting with his knife and fork,
he cleared his throat at last and in a ner.
vous way made the plunge.
4 Mrs. Gray elevated her eyebrows.
ITO the Island? Pray for whatp II
is hardly the season for excursions
Mr.. Raymond really pitied his friends
evident distress, SO he said jokingly:
why, you see, Mrs. Gray, we want te
get off for a time as we used to when We