Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-12

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changed his opinion, and uses Ian
guage in regard to Christmas pres
ents which is we'll adapted to make the
blood run cold. The reason for this
sudden change of opinion is to the last
degree illogical and irrelevant, and
how Mr.. Mcmillan can regard him
self as a reasonable being it is hard to
imagine.
On Tuesday last, after having worn
out all the jewellers in Toledo by a
prolonged examination of their stock.
Mr.. Mcmillan finally bought a beauti-
full bracelet for $25, with the provision
that he might return it the next day,
if, on further consideration, he should
decide that he did not want it. The
bracelet was put in a nice little box,
which was wrappedin white paper, and
MI. Mcmillan wrote on the paper the.
touching legend: For my own pre-
cious darling Putting the box in
his overcoat pocket, he went home to
tea, in a smiling and happy frame Of
mind, and meeting Mrs. Mcmillan,
kissed her with so much emphasis that
she Immediately expected that some
thing was wrong.
While sitting at the tea table Mr..
Mcmillan led the conversation to the
subject of Christmas presents, and in
cidentally remarked, with a twinkle Of
the eye that showed that he was jok-
ing, that he rather thought he should
not give his wife anything. He said
that if he really loved a woman, he
should like to give her a splendid
bracelet. but of course he did not care
enough for anybody to give them any
thing. Mrs. Mcmillan might, 9.e.lsaps,
have taken exception to her husbands
remark as a specimen of graceful Eng
lish, but she was so well persuaded
that he was joking hat she almost felt
the coming bracelet encircling her
wrist. For the rest of the meal she
was exceedingly affectionate, and did
not once indulge in her usual criti-
cisms of the mental and moral habits
of her husband.
In The course of the evening Mrs.
Mcmillan surreptitiously searched
Mr.. McMillan's pockets and discov-
cred the bracelet. She was filed with
gratitude and joy. The affectionate
words written on the case affected her
almost to tears, and she mentally re-
solved that during the coming year
she would abstain from the use of
coercive measures of a violent nature
except in extreme circumstances and
when her temper might be unusually
excited.
The next morning Mr.. Mcmillan
began to think that perhaps his wife
might not be particularly pleased with
a bracelet. Besides, $25 really did
amount to a large sum. Might it not
be better to return the bracelet to the
jeweler and give Mrs. Mcmillan $40 or
$l5 in money to spend as she might
think proper? He debated the ques-
ton all day, and toward evening de-
cided that, on the whole, he would
take back the bracelet and give his
wife a $40 bill. That night, at the tea
table, he was even happier and more
gay than he had been on the previous
evening. This time he had finally
settled the question Of what to give
his wife, and he practied a judicious
economy by resolving to spend $40 in
stead of $50. A happier and more
Objectionable household than that of
the Mcmillan family on the night of
the 9th of December could not have
been found in all Toledo.
The next morning, when the early
bells ushered in the happy Christmas
season, Mrs. Mcmillan arose and i'm
mediately dressed herself. Her hus
band woke up while this ceremony
was in progress, and, after wishing his
wife a merry Christmas, told her to
bring him his trousers and he would
give her a present. The happy wife
obeyed, and waited with beating heart
for her bracelet. To her inexpressi-
BILE disappointment Mr.. Mcmillan
took out his purse, gave her a $l0bill,
and said: There, my dear; buy what
ever you want most. | give you the
money instead of jewelry, or auyth 7g
else, because | want you to have a n. .Je
present that will be some satisfaction
to you"
Mrs. Mcmillan maintained a pain
full silence. She put the money in her
pocket, but never expressed the slight
est gratitude for it. As she walked
toward a closet and took from it a
stout rope, Mr.. Mcmillan began to
grow alarmed, and his alarm became
very lively when his wife, with amaz
ing swiftness and vigor, bound him to
the bedstead, and then went down
stairs for the broOmstick.
On her temperance, she asked him
in a cold. sarcastic way if his precious
darling liked her expensive bracelet.
You couldn't give the wife of your
bosom but ten dollars, could you ?"
remarked Mrs. Mcmillan, italicizing
her words with the broomstick: but
you could lavish thirty-dollar brace
lets on a wicked, good for-nothing
hussyl Oh Ill let you know" And
accordingly she did ''let Mr.. McMil-
Ian know" with a strength that he
had never before imagined that she
possessed. In vain did the unhappy
man protest that he had never given
no bracelet to nobody" The angry
matron was deaf to his protestations.
All day he remained bound to his bed.
Ha had neither breakfast nor dinner,
but at frequent intervals Mrs. McMil-
Ian went up stairs with the broom
stick, and, to use her language, took
a fresh hack at him."
1t was after Mr.. Mcmillan was re-
leased, and his bruises had healed suf.
iciently to enable him to walk with.
out excessive pain, that he proclaimed
: his detestation of Christmas and ~