The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-08-12
~ mAr aNS FAsANH pID WIN mMft
hscnGPItoR nfBLE.
Hrars uuErOs -

10 pNftuoe villa John, not 8 bltl stil
atile Afs Packer desperately, twisting "a
her hnEcfs bii of pspsS which sbs bad
last dshed out 81 the depth Of her hus
bsnd's Goa, pocket, aad-with wiiei
attgmfd privilege 81 oHne had read a
subscription 10 Van Horeu's Hluaratoa
Apocrgghat Bibie} I've alwsys wanted
handsome Bible: bat to have il 10 such
wsyi A dollar : number too why, 4
vii e9si fortune Let noe sec(ooapting
on her dimpled fngers); Genesis, one
Z Exodus, two, um--um ;Nehemlsh sixteen
um um um; Habakkuk, lhiriy.6ye.
/ Why, ihe man must bs crazyl And i
only comes once s mouth, suppose al
subscription things DO that will bring Il
TO The middle Of next year before we &C,
Proverbs. aud ia like to read 10 John
this blessed minute lhai- Just then
Mrs PAcket's eye EGhdSed TO sn illumi.
mated text that hung upon the wall; A
sofi snswer turne,h away wrath, and -
she thought Of the context She started ;
but grevious words stir up anger. Was
sae abou, TO anger Der kind husband, who,
she wei knew, 10 ell things sought only
her pleEsureI But OBJ she bad wanted
some money for so long, yet bad not dare
ask for II, since John grumbled so about
bard times, There was that lovely gold
and blue tes set st Stevens; that she
really must have, for the sewing society
would meet at her house next week, aud
the old white dishes (on which various
domestics had kept very ealsndsr OF
chips and notches) would never do. She
could surely have the new set now, II
there was mouey to speUd $3.50 down.
right foolisly.
Mrs. Packer was not by any means SO
heaihenisb as her words would seem to
imply, and when her husband came home
at night she greeted him with extra
( warmth ss " 10 atone for her anger OF the
morning (of which be was yet in bissfii
ignorance). For the same reason perhaps,
The supper was unusualy tempting; but
all the cracked dishes In the house were
! brought forth TO spread the table, aud the
most diapitated of these assigned TO
Johns nse, while with secret serenity
Mrs Packer berself drank her tea IRON
The only cup adorned with handle. She
was delightfully."- amisbe, yet IN some
uudelnabe way John Packer folt wretch.
edly uncomfortable.
When supper was over, and The dishes
well ou: of the way
My dear said Mr.. Packer, hestatlng.
| ly,
Yes, John? inquiringly.
The center table 10 the psrlor looks
kind OF empty, doesn't Il? Wouldn't a
handsoms Bible be just what we need TO
OIL 1t mp, eh7
Yes; but we cauuot afford It, said Mrs.
Packer, biting her lips 10 hard 10 keep
back some different words that wanted to
come, that those she did spesk sounded
very short
That's just 1t, ssid Mr., Packer, bright
ening mp at this leading; that's just il. A
good Bible costs so much TO buy all at
once, we can't afford it, as you wisely
say, my dear; but subscription Bible,
now that's different thing. You only
pay dollar a number, so little you don't
miss IL, and .....
Yes, and there are sixty six numbers,
and you pay sixty six dollars for your
Bible, aud it only comes once month,
and it takes Eve years snd a bali to get il
all, and II YOU take The ApocIypha that
costs fourteen dollars more, aud then It
isn't bound and little Mrs. Packer,
breathess with her long speech, broke
Into sobs OF the thought of 1t all. ..
Why wifel exclaimed John Packer,
utterly astonuded at this outburst: bad
no idea YOU were SO quick at figures.
found the paper iu tbc coat yc1 left
home to be mended, and counted It al
up this morning, Sverred Mrs. Parker
from behind her handkerchief.
OIL said Mr.. Packer. The agent was a
Tesy laxative, pleasant man, and didn't
seem TO think Of it In that way, he con.
tinued, smiling fsebiY as be met Mrs
Packers eye. ] thought you'd like IL.
The freight glanced on the wall, bring
ing out with the magic Of its flames the
blue and gold aud scarlet OF those precious
words; A soft snswer.
John. dear, said Mrs. Pseker, going
over to her husband and dropping a soft
little kiss upon bis forhesd, | tciR like II; |
was angry at fret, but l'm almost sure
Pm glad now. But isu't II good deal Of
money for us TO pRyY
Not more than can afford u dollor at |
a time; aud John patted his wife's pretty !
head, feeling that some way that impre-
eeptlblo cloud which had lowered between
him aud her sweet face had vanished. |
Bat, man like, be did not even dimly al
iude TO The tea set and deep down In Mrs
Packers hear, the disappointment rank led
in aHd fresed tn she felt as II she must
speak; tor be bad promised her the very
drst money be had TO spare for that.
How glad she was she bad relrAined |
any wife Will know, wheu bs1t evening
John returned somewhat earlier than
ususl from business, accompanied By an
expressnan, and large box which, on
being, opened was found 10 contain lie
Identical blue aud gold set she bad so
long coveted.
Stevens bad no afternoon delivery, aud |
| couldn't walt tn le-mouow, 60 /
brought i home myself, said Mr. Packer,
besmlng on biz wife.
Oh! you dear old Johu she cried, bid.