The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-02-18
THE CANDELABSA.
a birthday story.


% receive. Arthur is decidedly not of
that opinion. / would give you his en-
tire name and the name Of his friend,
the general, but You Will readily see why
l had better omit them. Arthur is HIGH
ly diScOntcnt-N. Poor Arthur! The gen
cral and the generals wife and Arthur
arc us much one rs the fingers of the
hand. Whoever secs one invariably
sees one of the other two almost immG-
diatcly aa@er But, by Il singular chance
one scog Arthur and the generals wife
together snorc frequently than Arthur
and tho general. 1t is evident that one
must hcii, fortune Il little. and then she
will smile upon one
The generals wife is 2S. Such q beau
tifln aye! With her intimate acquain-
tanccS she answers to the charming
name of GCncvjcvc. She had served five
years IN the great army Of married pCo-
pie before she knew Arthur. She was
married at 20. Five and three are cipht.
The last three years may be counted as
spent i'll the reserve corps. As her birth
day was near at hand the general took
his friend Arthur aside and said 70 him:
"My young friend, if | do not prevent it
you may pcrpctratc the same foly this
year that you did last year, by rrnlcnl-
bcrng my wife in = scnsclcss cXtr;,Ya-
giant manner. That would be highly
disagrccablc TO me. We are on too
friendly terms for me 10 hesitate TO speak
my mind plainly 20 N1I. are we rot?
Last year you cave my wife Il mapni.;-
cent vase, set with rubics, valued by
connoissCurs at $500 francs, at the least.
That is too murh.
"But my means warrant -
''Something handsome, but not cx-
travaGancc."
Il
Gas an intimate friend of the house
you have right TO remember birth.
day with the usual conventional polite
ness by some substantial gift. | consent
to that willingly. But | do not under
stand how 1t comes that YOU should re-
pay tenfold the little dinners and sup
pers you have received at our house."
"And the Kindness and alcctionate
consideration that surround one in Your
home. DO they count for nolhing?"
"My dear boy, that is given freely.
You would not wish to pay lis for that?
Sua, in word, do not wish YOU to
spend mor1 than 800 frames for my
wife. That is Il responsible amount"
YOU put me in very embarrassing
position. Nothing respectable can be
had for that amount. 1t is bcggarlv
sum-"
"Bah! ! never spend more for my sis
ter, and what is good enough for her
will do for my wife,"
Let me 60 as high as 600 francs at
least"
"No?"
give hundred thpn?N
"'No. N0!'
"'Eour hundred and hftv?"
fo'r hundred; that is thG utmost; ii
your present costs $50 francs l will re-
Ulrn ii. IL 1t costs 800 francs, | shall be
ahgIy. III II costs more than that, it will
be the last OF our friendship"
Gcncvi2vc continually discovered now
fallinGs in her husband. She had lone
had u consuming desire to possess u
beautiful httlc bronze candrlabra that
cost 800 francs. Indeed, her husband
carried his authority Il little too f,r
What right had he to mcddlc with hrr
private matters? Did she trouble hcr-
self about The payment of the soldiers
in the brigade? No! Then why did he
not observe n similar discretion in re-
gard to her affairs? Was she not old
enough to decide what she should re-
cciVc and what roflisc? On this ground
she paid no attention, but dealt with her
friend as if her husband had treated her
wishes in the most congcnial spirit
''Do you remember what | said to Won
last year when you gave me that cx-
qusitc little present? Dear Arthur, YOU
go beyond all reason Those were NV
very words, were they not? I have been
afraid you would repeat that folly, and
so | have in view something moro mod
est, that you might present to me if Won
arc bent upon doing something"
81 his thoughtfuIncSs was entirely un-
necessary. My Affection"
"Your affection needs no proof of that
kind"
"Gcnevicvc, O Gcnoyicvcw
arthur"
"Tcll me what you have in vicw."
"Well, my friend. after long search,
found at last II little candclabrum at
Barbizon's; candolabrum, mind, and
it is superb piece. Louis XIV. STYLE.
And, just think, it costs only 1900
francs. You sec my husbands inter-
ference was unnecessary. [ am reason
able myself; but, if I do not mistake, the
general went still further. He fixed the
limit for you, did he notP"
eyes, 400 francs"
"That is certainly modest, but--more
than enough"
Arthur declared he would revolt
against the generals order, but she
would not hear to it. However, he held
to his resolution in spite of her oppo-
stisn. Finally they came to an agree
ment. 1t was settled that he should send
the candelabrum to his dear Gcnevicvc,
but should assert and maintain to the
general that it did not cost over 400
francs.
When Arthur made his call of con-
gratulauon on the birthday of the gener-
ais wife he was angrily received by the
general.