Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-01-03
EXTRAVAGANT MRS. HALE.


Victoria Hale was sitting at the break
fast table, pout upon her cherry lips, an
ominous wrinkle between her brows. She
looked very pretty in her morning dress OF
fluted white lawn, with a breakfast cap of
Swiss muslin and rose-colored ribbons, that
we're peculiarly becoming to her clear olive
skin and large, velvety black eyes.
Her husband, slowly slipping his coffee at
the other side of the table, was quite as
handsome and MISUNDERSTANDING In his
way. Jerome Hale was the bookkeeper
and cashier in large downtown firm and
had scarcely been married three months as
yet Already, however, the bloom and
charm of welded life had been dissipated
in some degree He had begun to discover
that his divinity was not all divine!
More money, Victoriat' he repeated,
with scarcely perceptible knitting of the
brows. Are you not getting unreason-
able? Do | not keep you literally sup
piled with all that have to spare ?"
But it's so mortifying to 60 shopping
with Mrs Hyde Secor and Mrs. Bonning-
ton, and have to stand by while they are
purchasing the sweetest things at such
bargains
Don't 90 shopping with them, then
that's my advice"
you would shut me up, then, from all
amusement and socety?"
Nonsense, Victoria! You know better
than that. Here are your prettily fur
nished house, your garden, your little
conservatory, to amuse you"
'I'm tired of them all" said the pretty
bride. "One cannot be contented with the
same thing forever"
"If you wanted perpetual change, a
continual whirl of excitement, you should
have married a millionaire"
Don't be cross, Jerome, said Victoria,
coaxingly. But you know all the neigh
bors along the river shore are rich, and |
don't want to be left behind / shall be
mortified to death if can't have croquet
breakfast in August"
II have no especial objections to that,
said her husband. II suppose it need not
necessarily be expensive"
''Not so very.o said Victoria. "Of course
we must have band of music, and the
salads and ices from Frascatelli's in New
York"
Wouldn't your piano and little home
made cake and ice cream do"
what nonsense. Jerome, Do you sup
pose | could ask our stylish neighbors tt
such two-penny- y-half-penny sort OF aftan
as that? 2"
They would know it was as good as We
could afford"
And l need lace parasol terribly. And
oh. Jerome, / had forgotten about Mrs
Lacy's cream-colored ponies"
Il hope, for goodness sake, she dom
want you to buy them ?"
No. of course not. But she says | may
use them while she's at Long Branch. ISM
it kind of her ?"
Il dare say its very kind" said Jerome
Hale, ruefully; but do you chance tt
know how mich pair OF ponies costs II
the keeping? To say nothing OF th'
board Of the man who drives them
and -"
COB. if you are going to stoop TO such
petty considerations as that -"
well, well, use them If you like
dare saw we shall manage somehow"
And the croquet breakfast Only
thirty or forty people-just to pay oil ouI
social debts. It's so shabby TO be behind
hand is such things"
sIf you'll be as economical as you can
about it."
and the parasol? And the summer
silk that is such a bargain at -
Eyes, yes, yes. Only remember. Nlck
that there is limit to our funds"
Mrs. Hale was satisfied with the grudg'
ing assent so reluctantly screwed out OF
her husband.
She gave the croquet party, and had the
satisfaction of hearing on all sides that II
was the most elegant gotten up little affall
of the season. She whirled down to the
park and along the BloOmingdale roat
with the cream-colored ponies. She bought
the lavender summer silk, with the love
of a,lace shawl to wear with it; she pait
Madam Gringe Furbelow $50 to make it
| and had it ruined by glass of lemOnad'
! the first time she ever wore 1t. She ac
cepted an invitation to visit Saratoga ant
Lake George with party OF gay youn;
friends, and cried all night because sh
could not induce her husband to consent
"Vick, you don't understand" said Je
rome. with careworn look on his brow
'We must study economy or we shall g
to ruin"
Economy" sharply retorted Victoria
81 am sick of the very word"
Her husband turned silently away;
was hard, Just when he had most need
sympathy, counsel and advice, thus to b
repulsed!
tThey tell me-" said old Mr.. Hardie, o
the firm of Hardie, Block q Co., "tha
Hale's wife dresses most elegantly OF an.
one at Saratoga this season"
What? Hale who keeps Denny's books
Young Hale?"
"Yes"
THE deuce she does? How can he al
ford it 2"
"Ahr said old Hardie, taking snuf
that's a different matter. l don't kno'
how he, affords it. If | were Denny
should keep an eye to things"
They've had some serious lessons al
ready, I'm told" said the other. "Tha
burglary last week cost them $1,000"
any traces of the burglars as yet?"
'No The safe must have been opene
by skeleton keys, Denny thinks"
"Humph!" grunted old Hardie. If tn
cashier was anyone but Hale, that Denn
trusts as he would trust himself"
80. nonsense, nonsense ~ cried the othe
old gentleman. There's such thing a
being too suspicious, Hardie. You'll b
saying next that Hale is at the head OF
gang of burglars" :.
He may be, for all l know" said Hardl
dryly.
Meanwhile Reginald Denny began TO b
strangely mistrustful. Not of Jerome Hal
he would as soon have doubted himsel
but Others about him.
Hale" said he, sometimes | think thos
knaves of burglars are nearer home tha
anyone imagines"
"Do you sir?" A CHASTITY look cam
over the young mans features, as If h
were in pain. Impossible"
<
1t was the first night of his vigil
dark, tempestuous midnight with raj
/ ILL., d a,,d Tho ruch of eauinQctIa