Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-04-27

Marston's wife must be extravagant and
unreasonable, and that her husband
would never save money with which to
enter better business, unless he had
some help; so, for several days, syste.
maticslly tortured publishers among
my acquaintance to make q place for our
newsman But / soon learned that
Marston's present position was not that
in which no had begun business. He
had been q respectable bookseller in
the interior, where he married a beauti-
ful girl who longed to live in New York,
so he sold out and re-established him
self in tho metropolis. Everybody liked
him, but everybody said he ruined his
credit and then his business by failing
to pay his bills. found general sup
position that he secretly INDUCED n
passion for gambling; one solid old fel.
low, though, suggested that no man
could maintain his business if ho graf.
iiied all the whims of woman like
Mrs. Marston.
Then why doesn't he explain to
herr" l asked
The old fellow gave a hard, dry
laugh.
Peace is cheap as nny price," said
he.
"But any reasonable woman ="
began, when l WAS interrupted with
"Such women are no. reasoning be-
ings. No woman is who loves self arst
and husband aiterward."
This seemed hard language to uso
about 80 pretty woman as Mrs. Mars
ton. but | could not deny that the
old fellow WAS right.
Occasionally afterward met Marston.
eometimes at his shop, where he
always was glad to have me and cigar
drop in unexpectedly; oitener. how
ever, | saw him ut the door OF theater
or opera-house, waiting for his wife.
He once explained to me that he could
not afford TO close the shop an accom-
pany his wife.
One night, however, returning from a
club dinner at au hour when many peo-
pie were already awake, met Marston
on street-car, with an immense load of
newspapers from Printing House square,
and without an overcoat, although the
weather was bitterly cold.
He seemed somewhat ashamed of
his appearance and work, but chatted
about books more brilliantly than ever
before, and as We got of the car at the
samo street, insisted, when we reached
my door, that he had been very impru.
dent to expose himself. and that he
must wear my overcoat for the rest OF
the night; indeed, he must keep it, if
he would. for rough work, and save the
better one that / had seen him wear,
for mine was old, and too tight for me,
who was much stouter thar he. Then
| went to bel aud lay awake for an hour
wondering II there was no possible way
Of doing anything for Marston.
/ soon found that there Was. His bill
came in on tho first day of the month,
and that evening a very iine.looking
boy of about ten years, aud unmislak
ably Marston's son, called 70 say father
vas quite sick, and would be glad TO
have the amount OF the bill that even
ing if convenient.
AS had never been able 10 learn that
Marstou had any friends, sent him,
with the money, 4 note expressing re-
gret Mt his illness and asking If could
be OF any service to him.
Within an hour the boy returned
with a note expressing Marston's
thanks for my sympathy. aud saying
that il had an hour to spare, and
would not object to chatting with n
sick man, who, nevertheless, would
promise not to talk about himself, he
would be very grateful. His wife was
going 70 the theater, and his son was
temporarily in charge of the shop. so
he would be quite alone, and would not
object TO tobacco-smoke IL would ex-
cuse him for not smoking with me.
! accepted his invitation. and found
Marston on lounge in the parlor OF a
little fiat in An uufashionable street,
but everything about the room indi-
Gated comfort and good taste.
Marston told me that be had suf.
fered by a sudden attack of pleurisy
but believed himself now out Of dan.
ger. although he felt very weak. /
compIimented him on the charming
effect Of bis room, and be was so pleased
that he chatted about one thing aftei
another on the walls, brackets ant
maatels, until I learned, without BIZ
intending it, that he and not his wiit