Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-28
IS 1T YOU

ALBERT, WISH you would let me have
seventy five cents"
Kate Landman spoke carefully, for
she knew that her husband had not
much money to spare; yet she spoke
earnestly, and there was a world of en-
treaty in her look.
"What doyou want seventy five cents
for ?" asked Albert.
II want to get some braid for my new
Dress"
II thought you had all the material
on hand for that"
$50 thought had; but Mrs. Smith
ming of braid upon theirs, and it looks
very pretty. It Is very fashionable, and
adds much to the beauty of dress"
"Plague take these women's fashion
Your endless trimmings and thing
amajigs cost me more than the dress is
worth. It's nothing but shell out money
when once a woman THINKS of q new
DRESS"
II don't have many new dresses. I
do certainly try to be as economical as /
can.
"It is a funny kind of economy, at all
pose you must"
And Albert Landman took out his
wallet and counted the seventy.five
cents, but he gave it grudgingly, and
when he put his 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 concIud.
ed to 60 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 canght her in the act, and
asked what it meant.
"Good gracious!" cried the husband,
"I should like to know If you are cry
ing at what said about the dress ?"
II was not crying at what you said,
Albert" 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 per-
plex me-then to think"
"Pshaw /! what do you want to be so
foolish for? ?"
And away started Albert Landman q
second time; but he was not to escape
so easily. In the hall he was met by his
uaukutOI 1lLAlOg CS 0us xOSYe
checked girl of ten years.
.. "0h, papa !, p, give me fifteen cents"
80, I want fifteen cents. Do please
give it to me-"
"What in the world do you want with
it? Are they changing, school books
again ?"
mo, I 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
I have one?"
Nonsense! If you want hoop, go
and get one off some old barrel. can't
afford to be buying hoops for you to
trundle about the Streets"
please, papa"
mo, told you."
The bright blue eyes filed with tears,
and the child's sobbing broke upon his
ear. Albert 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 blithesome, 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 kind at heart and forbearing.
When Albert came home to his supper,
Kate greeted him with kiss, and in q
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 a domestic
ferment, for which no one was particu-
larly responsible. and might have
cherished the conviction that woman's
fashions were nuisance and humbug,
as well as q frightful draft upon hus-
bands pocket.
After tea, Albert did few chores
around the house, and then he lighted q
cigar and walked out. He had gone but
a short distance when he met Lizzie.--
In her right hand she dragged an old
hoop which she had taken from di-
lapidated flour barrel, while with her
left she was rubbing her red and swol-
len eyes. She was in deep grief. and
was sobbing. He stopped the child, and
asked what was the matter.
She answered, as well as her sobs
would let her, that the other girls had
laughed ct her, and made fun OF her