The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-22
MY WIFE AND I,
ooh dear, 1 wish l were rich!"

ooh dear, wish l We're rich!"
This remark was EXTRACTED from my
wife (as an obstinate molar might be ex-
tracted by dentist) by the contem pla-
tion OF Il large opening in the toe of lit
tie Pcrsy's stocking, which she had
boon trying in vain to dcvise some
mode of closing, without destroying
the symmetry of the garment, while a
pile of similar articles, of various
sizes and patterns, lay at her elbow, as
much in need of mending as an old
rake's habits. There they lay, seven
pairs of little stockings, while their
seven daily occupants were snugly
snoozing ia bed, forgetful of tho many
weary stitches their little feet had
caused; and all around, on tables and
chairs, was scattered promiscuous
assortment of Juvenile aprons and
dresses, jackets and brooches, each one
bearing its owners mark, in the shape
of rips and rents.
81 wish were rich - repeated my
wife.
There was Il strength and hcartincss
in the tone and manner which left no
doub: of her sincerity, and in an instant
my mind went back some twenty
years, to tho tiInc when we hud been
rich--rich in our young love, rich in
our mutual dependence, and rich in
tho bright hopes which not only giitled
but fairly plated the future all over
with twcnty-carat plate at lcast-as
together we looked down the long
vista of coming years, fair flowers of
JOY around our feet, ripe fruits of
happiness over our heads, the richest
OF all riches, contcnt:nent, in our
hearts, and flour at only five dollars a
barrel.
Almost twenty years ago those soft
hazel eyes that now beam with ten
der, matronly love, first told the story
Of that love which those rosy lips
their bloom has not yet fadcd) con-
iirmcd and that fair, round face, that
has grown fairer ana roundcr year by
year, first lay upon my breast in
maiden trustfulness.
We did not fall in love, nor walk
into it, nor glide into it, but we took
to it by instinct as ducks take TO water,
and we were married, with about as
definite an idea of tho modes and
means of meeting our current expenses
as Il raw 1riShman has of Egyptian
hieroglyphics, Or a charcoal pcddlcr of
honesty.
There must he special Providence
which watches over fools and young
married people.
In point of worldly possessions we
commenced with nothing, and have
had it over since; for, what with the
increased expense OF living, and our
SUCCESS in adding to the census returns,
each year finds us AS far from the
possession of q respectable competency
as its predecessor. Financially we
have scrambled along in a helterskel-
ter way, tunbling into little puddlcs
OF debt from time to time, with now
and then long interval of exemption,
to be followed by new tumble and 4
new scramble for safety. Until now,
on this cold Saturday night in Janu-
ary, my wife and sit cozily by our
cheerful fire, she with load Of I'M
mended and to-be-mcndcd stockings on
her mind, and I, ostensibly reading,
trying to solve the great problem OF
the relation between supply and de-
mand at least, so far as to make my
own weekly supplies cover the weekly
demands OF Wife, children, the grocer,
and the landlord. And so I sit, buried
iu thought, now frightened by re-
membranes Of early happiness, and
now darkened by shades of unpaid
january bills, which load my desk
making the demand for the great
staple, money, far exceed the supply
thereby, according to our best politica
economists. enhancing its value.
Meantime my wife, still Iabcriug uu
der tho weight of the stockings, says
for the third time, with increase.
icrvor and a slight degrcc of aSpcrity
as though demanding reply:
"Oh dear, dear! I wish wcr.
rich"
"Richcs, my love, take to themsclve
wings and fly away" l replied, will
the air of one who had seen myriad