Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-10-06
THE[wIFE's ECONOMY.
BY MAMIE f. LOCKET.


whether he was awake or asleep, with
a pleasant semi-consciousness of the
clear fire light glimmering on the
wall, and the gray kitten purring a
drowsy monody on the hearth-rug.
Paul Felix had q very narrow escape
from a sound nap, when his wife
came in, with fiuttering dress, and
light elastic step.
"Paul."
"Well, Mercy" He was wide
awake in a moment, and ready to
take oath that he had not had the
least idea Of going to sleep.
"What is it, little busybody ?" he
asked, lazily stretching out his hand
to play with the blue ribbon at her
watch, as she came toward him.
"Can you spare me five dollars to-
night? ~
"Of course / can-what is it for ?"
he said, leisurely opening his purse,
and tossing the bit of gold to his wife.
"The grocer's bill; he will be here
early tomorrow morning-thank you,
dear!"
Mrs. Felix sat down upon little
velvet cricket, close to the sofa, when
she had deposited the money in her
brown leather purse, so that the fire.
light played genially on her delicate
olive face, with shadowy masses of
dark hair, and large, violet, gray
eyes.
"Well, pussy, what are you think
ing about ?" questioned her husband,
after a few moments of unbroken
silence. Mrs. Felix looked up, smil-
ingly.
"To tell you the truth Paul, I was
wishing that, instead of coming to
you for everything l want, l had a
regular allowance of my ownw
ga regular allowance of your own?
really! that is very complimentary
to my generosityw
81 knew you would laugh at me
Paul, yet do wish it very much in
deed"
"And pray why? Do l not give
you everything you ask for?"
81 know you do, my love, yet l
should somehow feel richer-more in
dependent-if l had my own resour-
ces; if you would allow me just such
an amount every month"
"How much would satisfy you, my
little miser
"Well, I think l could get along
with fifty dollars month";"
"Do you happen to know that l
have handed over to you just one
third more than the sum you specify
during the last four weeks? 1t
strikes me you would not be much
of gamer, pecuniarily speaking, by
this new system of financesW
"But / believe l should Paul, for it
would teach me to calculate and
economize, and to-"
"And in short you wish to try the
experiment."
"That is just it!' said Mercy Fe-
lix, coaxingly.
"My dear, this is allnonsense! Be-
lieve me, / understand the care of
money better than you"
"Then you are not going to indulge
me ?"
There was such a plaintive accent
in Mrs. Felix's voice that her hus,
band checked himself in the midst OF
a tremendous yawn, and turned to
look full into the grieved little face.
"My child" he said, laughingly,
81 have never yet refused you any
thing you chose to ask, and it isn't
likely l shall begin to assert my in
dependence at this late hour. Take
your $50 a month-take what you
please-but l am considerable mis-
taken man if you do not come to me
teasing for just little more money
before the four weeks have expired"
"Now you shall seeW said the de.
lighted little wife. "What shall ]
render in payment Of your docility,
Mr.. Prophet"
"a kiss-and now be off about yOul
business, and let me finish my nap p
How often, during the next twelve
months Paul Felix rallied his wife
within an inch of the "crying degree
about her financial scheme, how often
he alluded, mischievously, to the
probably exhausted state Of her purse
and her entire willingness to hand
over any amount Of money the mo-
ment she would confess herself to be
wrong and him to be right. She was
nearly tempted to abandon her cause
Il, 1oCNo;r P1t che ,,nrCaX-nrod or