Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-17
A Missi0n.-.FOr Whom Z

IOT = asked AlDert.
al want to get some braid for my new
dress"
II thought you had all the material on
hand for that" 1870
So thought had but Mrs Smith and
Mrs. Thompson both have a trimming Of
braid upon THEIRS and it looks very pretty.
1t is very fashionable and adds much to the
beauty Of a dress"
Your endless trimmings and thing-a-ma-jigs
cost more than the dress is worth. It's moth
ing but shell out money when once woman
thinks of new dress"
al don't have many new dresses. do
certainly try to be as economical as | can"
1t is funny kind of economy at all
events. But if you must have 1t, suppose
you must"
And Albert Landman took out his wal
let and counted out the seventy-five cents !;
but he gave it grudgingly, aud when he put
the wallet back into his pocket he did it
with an emphasis which seemed to say that
he would not take it out again for week
When Albert reached the outer door, on
his way to his work, he found the weather
so threatening that he concluded to go back
and get his umbrella; and upon re-entering
the sitting-room he found his wife in tears.
She tried TO hide the fact that she had been
weeping, but he had caught her in the act,
and asked what it meant.
"Good gracious !" cried the husband, Z" I
should like to know if you were crying
at what said about the dress 2"
81 was not crying at what you said, AL
bert" replied Kate, tremulously; :" but you
were so reluctant to grant me the favor.
was thinking how hard | have TO work; |
am tied to the house; how many little things
| have to perplex me-then to think
"Pshaw what do you want to be foolish
for ?"
And away started Albert Landman a sec
ond time but he was not to escape so easily.
In the hall he was met by his daughter Lizzie,
a bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl of ten years.
90, papa, give me fifteen cents !"
"What ?"
80, want fifteen cents. Do please give
it to me-
"What in the world do you want with it ?
Are they changing schoolbooks again ?"
"No want to buy hoop. Ellen Smith
has got one, and SO has Mary Ruck and
Sarah Allen. Mr.. Grant has got some real
pretty ones to sell. Can't have one ?"
Nonsense If you want hoop 60 and
get one off some old barrel. can't afford
TO be buying hoops for you to trundls about
the streets"
"Please, papa"
"No, told you.''
The bright blue eyes filed with tears, and
the child's sobbing broke upon his ear. Al
bert Landman hurried from the house with
some very impatient words upon his lips.
This was in the morning. At noon when
he came home to his dinner there was cloud
over the household. His wife was sober,
and even little Lizzie, usually gay and blithe-
some, was sad and silent.
But these things could not last long in
that household, for the husband and wife
really loved each other devotedly, and were
at heart kind and forbearing. When Albert
came home to his supper Kate greeted him
with kiss, and in a moment sunshine came
back; and had the lesson ended there, the
husband might have fancied that he had
done nothing wrong, and the cloud had been
nothing but the exhalation of domestic
ferment, for which no one was particularly
| responsible, and might have cherished the
| convictions that womens fashions were a
nuisance and humbug as we'll as fright
ful draft upon husbands pocket.
After tea, Albert did a few chores around
the house, and then he lighted cigar and
walked out. He had gone but a short dis
tance when he met Lizzie. In her right
hand she dragged an old hoop, which she
had taken from a dilapidated dour barrel,
while with her left she was rubbing her red
swollen eyes. She was in deep grief, and
was sobbing painfully. He stopped his
child and asked what was the matter.
She answered, as well as her sobs would
let her, that the other girls had laughed at
her, and made fun of her old hoop. They
had nice, pretty hoops, while hers was ugly
and homely.
"Never mind" said Albert, patting the
little one upon the head (for the child's grief
touched him j "perhaps we'll have new
hoop some time"
"Mayn't have one now? Mr. Grants
got one left-oh, such a pretty one "
The sobbing had ceased as the child
caught her fathers hand eagerly.
Not now, Lizzie, not now. I'll think
of it,
Sobbing again, the child moved on To-
ward home, dragging the old hoop after her
At one of the stores, Albert Landman met
some of his friends.
Hello, Albert What's up p
Nothing in particular"
What do you say to game OF billiards,
Albert Z"
"Good I'm in for that"
Aud away went Albert to the billiard hall,
where he had glorious time with his
friends. He liked billiards. it was healthy,
pretty game, and the keeper of the hall al
lowed no rough scuffs on his premises.
They had played four games. Albert had
won two and his opponent had won two.
That's two and two," cried Tom Piker.
"W What do you say to playing them off,
Albert 2"
"All right, go in" said Albert, full of an
imation.
And so they played the fifth game and he
who lost was to pay for the Ave games. 1t
was an exciting contest. Both made capital
runs, but in the end Albert was beaten by
three points; and with little laugh he went
up TO settle the bill. Five games, twenty
cents game-just one dollar. Not much
for such SPORT and he paid out the money
with grace, and never once seeming TO feel
that he could not afford it.
Have cigar ?" said Tom.
yes"
They lighted their cigars, and then saun.
tered down the hall to watch the others
play.
Albert soon found himself seated over
against table at which some of his friends
were playing and closely by stood two gen.
tlemen, strangers to him, one of whom was
explaining to the other the mysteries of the
game.
1t is a healthy pastime," said he who
had been making the explanation; sand GER
tainly 1t is one which has no evil tendency"
Albert heard the remarks very plainly,
and he had curiosity to hear what the
other, who seemed unacquainted with bill
lizards, would say.
| can not of course assert that any game
which calls for skill and Judgment, aud
which Is free from the attendant curse of
gaming, is of itself an evil" remarked the
second gentleman. "Such things are only
evil so far as they excite and stimulate men |
beyond the bounds of healthy recreation"
"That result can scarcely follow such a |
game said the first speaker.
But the other shook his head.
"You are wrong here. The result can
follow in two ways First, it can lead men
away from their business 1t can lead men
10 spend money, who have not money to
spend. Whenever visit Q place of this
kind | am led to reflect upon most strange
and prominent weakness Of humanity rs de.
yeloped in our sex. For instance, observe
hat young man who is just settling his bill
Vt the desk. He looks like mechanic, and
should say from his manner, and from the
Iact that he feels it his duty to go home at
his hour, that he has wife and children.