The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-03-04

silver flashed it back in answering blaze.
while his family were gathered around
in admiring ecstacies.
"What does this mean?" he asked,
sternlv, and for moment all were awed
by his tone and look. Mrs. Gregg re-
covered first:
s.Why. it is our bridal present to Kath-
leen; don't you think it lovelyP"
II think you will pack it up and send
it back tomorrow" was the reply.
:" Wooden plates and sixpenny glasses
would be much more appropriate gifts
from, us.
:" From you undoubtedly, rejoined his
wife, in her coolest tones; they would
equal your usual generosity; but you will
please reflect, my dear, that all these are
marked with her monogram, and it is
quite doubtful if Silyerly would be will
ing to receive them, even to CRAFTY your
penurious whims."
g Whimsr' he repeated, ftlriously,
g haven't told you plainly enough for
more than a year that, if we did not re-
trench, we should be ruined? And here,
within the past three months, I've had
bills enough sent in for silks and ribbons
and laces and iewelry TO sink man
worth five times as much as |. l tell
you it must be stopped"
a'I suppose retorted Mrs. Gregg,
stingingly, :" that you would like your
daughter married in calico dress, with
Biddy Flynn for bridesmaid. That
would, perhaps, meet your ideasn'
A calico dress that is paid fd,is
richer apparel than silk which IS isl Isl
But one thing is sure; this silver / catssoi
pay for-if yO~ can, well and good"
Which is poor way of reminding
me that l did not bring you any money
and so am entirely dependent upon your
doled out bounty. At this rate | might
as well be poor man wife,
You are poor mans wife, was
the reply. Il knew of no nan any
poorer.
There were steps up the walk followed
by a ring at the door-bell.
- Harold Creighton's compliments,
read Mrs. Gregg from the gilt-edged
card" and he hopes Miss COrnelia will
accept the accompanying bouquet for
the party. =" How devotedr unused the
lady, g and such magnificent flowers!
That will surely be q match and he so
wealthy! You see what comes of n,y
management turning triunphantly to
her husband; but he was gone
Pacing on with rapid steps, compan-
toned by bitter, despairing thoughts,
careless whittier he went or what be-
came of him. Still on, mindless of time
or place, till the moon, which had been
all the while patiently climbing ladder
of cleaning clouds, stood at its top and
looked brightly down upon him with no
roofs and walls between, A fresh,
country scent was in the air, and roses
nodded at him over white palings.
Whittier had his unwilling feet borne
him? He looked about him as in maze
Yes, it was the very same-the little
house where he had dwelt in the first
days of his married life. perfectly con-
tent and care-free. How happy he had
been there!-more so than ever since.
He would gladly now give all up and go
back; but too well he knew the useless
ness of such a proposal.
W. L lnuSb u y
this last move; if it fail, them
He fingered long in the dear old neigh
borhood. Who can tell what memories
and reflections came to him there, or how
they told upon the future? When he re-
turned thither, his home was silent, its
inmates wrapped in slumber; caring not,
he bitterly thought, whether he ever came
back,
Yet his wife had held a long and Sc
rious consultation with herself. She could
not help fearing that his words had too
much truth in them; but she would not
draw back; the silver she could not give
up; the wedding must 60 on as she had
planned it, no matter what came after
wards. The next mornings mail took a
letter with a superscription which her
hand had not traced before for months
The yard of a pleasant country-house,
with fiecks of lingering sunlight dimpling
through the low-drooping trees. An air
of general peacefulness over all, and a
placid old lady quietly watching from
the wide, old-fashioned porch, the pro-
gress of her husband up the walk from
the gate.
"What time it takes your she calls
out, cheerily, as he draws near.
True enough he answers, in the
same tone, "and Tn in a hurry, too;
but we're not so young as we once
were.''
''Not so young, but just as happy"
she answers fondly. what have you
THEREOF
"A letter from our Elizabeth. and I
can't make it out, | must say-either
what she means, or what's the good
ont
at does seem queer-like," she re-
marks, after a long and careful perusal
of the hurriedly-written sheet; Il can't
see how she could get into any such
trouble as to need to borrow money of
us, rich as her husband is
"Well," he explains, after another
reading, "she says Lewis has spells when
his mind seems wandering, and he fancies
himself poor, and won t let her have any
money; and she has made this debt,
promising to pay it Just now. She'll send
it all back again when he gets right, you
see."
Eyes, but three hundred dollars is a
great deal for us. We should have to
take it right out of our principal, and
there amt any too much of that, YOU
know. And if he never gets right-some-
times they don't-what should we do il
we lost itP''
so va could've II;n .....,,