The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-11-17

her desire TO do as her neighbors did
and believing that the pleasure could bs
hers if her husband only thought so. h
came to pass that it was not Mr.. Roges
whom she had held up to her synips-
thizing friends, but an entirely differed
man.
Before twelve o'clock Mrs. Rogers hsi
firmly decided to carry her point in spiR
of any such slight obstacle as her nus
bands inability to supply her with
money.
About two O'clock, Mr. Rogers, who
had been too busy to even think Of
luncheon, received the following note W
messenger:
"DEAR WILLIAM: have decided it is abso.
lutely necessary for me and the children to
have change. / shall borrow the amount tar
our trip from brother Harry, who I know vsl.
be willing TO obi ge me. / think / can get
ready to start to morrow II you can let he
have the money, shalt of course, be be tier
pleased than to get it in the way | have triea
toned any case, shall go. MARYs
On the desk in front of Mr. Rogers hy
"brother Harry's" check for five hsn-
dred dollars. Fearing he. couldnot de
pend upon collecting enough money to
meet note due that day, Al Rslzsesl
brother-in-law Now his wife informed
him that she was about to solicit loan.
from the same source. All dag Mr..
Rogers had planned, and counted, and
taken in every bit of sail that the endan-
gered business craft would stand and still
go on, and now his wife. who should be
his best friend and real helpmeet had
proved not only Indifferent to the situa-
ton, but absolutely without feeling for,
or faith in, her husband.
The messenger waited for an answer.
as Mr.. Rogers, with flushed face and
trembling hands, fumbled over his pen
and paper. The man seemed to have
become suddenly numb and poweriess-
At last he wrote as follows:
''Do not do it. | am already in Harry, (
debt, and cannot stand any more. 1t +
seems to me that wife who will ask her +
husband to raise money for pleasure, 4
when she knows it IS with the greatest |
difficulty that he can pay his honest
debts, is fatal hindrance instead Of the n
help that every honest man has aright 1
to expect.
This Mr.. Rogers sealed and dispatched,
and then, with shudder of shame, /
glanced over his wife's communication.
In his nervousness and abstraction he
had torn it up-had previously tucked
the check in the envelope, and now let
ter, envelope and check, torn into inch
bits, reposed in the waste-basket. Then
Mr. Rogers put on his hat to 90 to the
bank, and at last discovered that the Ii
check was missing. Twenty minutes I,
past two now, Forty minutes in which
to raise five hundred dollars. This was
the first time that Mr.. Rogers had ever
lost his head but it was gone now com
pletely. Three o'clock and his note
would be protested and his business
credit ruined. After searching every
nook and corner of the desk, and the
floor under the desk. and peering into
the most impossible places Mr.. Rogers L,
started for his brother-in-law' office. 1t
was barely possible that he might
be there. But no, and not a single
friend who would be likely to oblige him
could be found. Twenty minutes Of
-hree. fifteen minutes of three, and M
Rogers in despair. hurried back TO bis
,llice to have another huns for the misA<l
NO check. Seven minutes of three andA
brother Harry entered the office. Mr..
Rogers seemed now like man petrified. i
1t was very hard work TO explain what /
had happened. but the man with clear [
head looked into the waste-basket and /
found what he looked for. Then the
TWO men rushed to the bank. and had /
lust one minute and twenty seconds to
spare after the money was deposited.
Eighty seconds only between safety and
ruin.
Mr.. Rogers reeled like drunken man 4
after the excitement was over. and his
was obliged to call a car
Rage and take him home. Mrs. Rogers.
With the stains of tears upon her face
again, was packing her trunk, when her
husband, leaning heavily on her brother q
arm, entered the house.
Congestion of the brain, the doctorsl
said. aud for long, long weeks Mr.
Rogers struggled wearily for life and
His wife had plenty of time tol
hink. Between her husbands insanei
revelations and her brothers 5 eXplana5
ions, she found out the true state of the
Ease, and knew it was her heartless lett
er that had added the last weight TO thel
already overburdened brain. Mrs. Rog-i
srs had cause now for the deepest sor-l
low, and her face, during the long trial
and suspense, was tear-stained most OF
he time. though the face itself wore
very different expression from that OF
lew weeks ago. And so the dreadful
lays wore on, until there came day
when everything was explained and
Mrs. Rogers could humbly beg her hus
Dands forgiveness "Brother Harry
Kept the business straight, and now MIR
Rogers has hand in his both tender
and strong, made so by keen suffering
md honest repentance.
Query from one of the sympathizing
friends:
Have you observed how spooney Mr.
and Mrs. Rogers have grown lately?''
Eleanor Kirte, IA lIethOdis'.