Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-04-13
THE HOLIDAY GIFT.

"Will you attend Mrs. Austin's party,
Alice p asked Mark Shelton, interro-
gatively of his wife.
eyes"
The uneasy light left Alice's loving
eyes, for since he was not angry with her
she did rot care to pry into his secrets.
And yet, if he would only confide in her,
she would feel so relieved.
"Will you 60, MarkY,
F'I think not" A curious smile part
ed his lips.
"Why? ?" in a tone of surprise.
IT shall be otherwise engaged"
Nonsense, Mark. You must not be
such a slave to business. Few men are
as prosperous in the world"
AZ have been prosperous, dreamily,
ut"
He never finished the sentence.
"And the panic never affected you in
the least" innocently remarked Alice,
who knew as much about the subtle
workings of the financial world as she
did about the mythical inhabitants CT
the moon.
Mr.. Shelton jumped up, slightly
flushed in the face, and was cut in the
cold, sunlit street before the little wO-
man had recovered from her astonish-
ment-his white even teeth clinched
tightly together, as he hurried down to
the dim, dusty office, where so many
arduous duties demanded his attention.
Mark was good man, humane, char
liable and generous in all things, and
until a year back the world had gone
we'll with him. But the panic swamped
dozens of his debtors, his business was
dead III q financial sense; and his cred
itOrs were clamOrons for bills he could
not meet. He had never been careless,
unwise or extravagant in filling or dis
charging contracts, and his business
difficulties had come upon him so swift
ly and imperceptibly that the blow fell
heavier than if he had been expecting
some catastrophe.
But Alice Shelton knew nothing of
this. The mental turmoil going on Ill
her husbands breast never found vent
in the dissatisfied word or look, and un-
til the previous day he had kept his
face and manner free from all traces of
care and anxiety. But the constant
worry and excitemant had been too
hard for him, and the dunning of a
creditor, who demanded the punctual
payment of note of four thousand
that fell due on the first, together with
unforeseen debts had so upset him that
he could not cover his mental distress
with the mark of carelessness he had
worn for weeks past.
His greatest trouble was for Alice.
Never very str@ng-and he had often
underrated her strength-he had en-
deavored to surround her with every
comfort, and had carefully kept all har-
assing business details or cares from
her ears. He had given her money
without stint, and he supposed she
spent it like other women, for she was
always we'll dressed, and his home was
q model of order and good taste. Be
that SIS it may, he never thought of
tracing the cause of his failure to home
extravaganza. For no woman was more
thoroughly economical than his wife.
Her party toilets were always in unex-
ceptional taste, and her dress for Mrs.
Austin's party was not designed for IN
usual display or elegance, although the
gathering was to be one of unusual bril-
Eancy.
The night of the twenty-ninth came
a dark, stormy December night, the
air filed with snow-fakes, and the sky
overcast with heavy clouds.
"It is going to be a terrible night,
Mark" said Mrs. Shelton, as her hus-
band set before the library fire, evident
ly absorbed in the contents of the even
ing paper. 81 have thought cnce or
twice since | commenced dressing that
l would not go to the party to-
night"
60 by all means, Alice; the carriage
is close" he replied, glancing up at the
little trim figure arrayed in a dark silk,
trimmed with pale blush roses in her
purplish black hair, and at the white
throat half yelled with flmy lace. He
smiled bitterly as he saw her going cut
in her happy, childike innocence, as
she might never go again among peo-
rle who had no sympathy for failing
merchants, and who would not give his
wife 81 thought if she were not rich in
this worlds goods.
"I wish you could co." she said, be-
seechingly, lingering at the door to ad-
Just her cloak. MIR. Austin VIII ex-
pect you"
Mr.. Shelton smiled, thinking, per-
haps, of the forbidding face of a man
of whom he had begged a loan that af
ternoon, whose curt Cannot spare 8
dollar, SIR rang in his ears yet. He
rose from his seat near the fire, and 60
ing over to his wife's side fastened th5
wraps closer about her throat.
| BE careful of yourself, little woman
he said, with a forced attempt at gale
ty; "and enjoy yourself, for it is impoS
slble for me to CO."
He accompanied her to the carriage
and, as he closed the door on the placid
little face, he inwardly mathematical
the weakness that prompted him tc
withhold the story of his difficulties
from her, when she daily ran the risk
of hearing it from clips less liable te
soften the details. Yet he still hoped
that that the morrow would bring some
chance of redeeming his lost credit