The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-03-14
MY WIFE'S LEGACY.


thlngS, observed my Wllei 'ouL IL
Aunt Jane were to die, | should not be
a bit surprised if she left us that old
fashioned set of silver, that belonged
to my great-grandparents."
Out of consideration for the printer,
| will omit indications of the emphasis
with which she usually spoke. If the
reader will kindly consider every Sec
ond word printed in small caps or
italics, he will have some faint idea of
her manner of expressing herself.
1T is very handsome set," l re-
turned, glancing about our modest
dining-rooms; ''and will hardly ac-
cord with our furniture.
at wouldn't look at ali we'll with that
sideboard,n returned my wife, prompt
ly, .'it is so dreadfully shabby-oh, of
course | mean the sideboard, not the
silver; don't be 50 smart"
Il suppose then, if such a thing
were to happen, you'd have new
sidcboard"
She nodded complacently.
Il saw such lovely one down.
town to-day-antique oak, beautifully
carved. do admire oak so much.'
''But the rest of the furniture is wal
NUT l objected.
walnut is altogether out of style,
especially for dining-rooms, she re-
piled, with disdainful glance at the
chairs which we had once found very
good to look at; "and, after all, the
sideboard is by so much the most ex-
expensive piece of furniture in dim
ing-room, that it doesn't cost much
more to get Il whole set than just one
piece. And even walnut sideboard,
new, would not look well with these
chairs and this table"
| said nothing, and the tacit sur
render was accepted by my wife.
Thenceforth it was understood that if
Aunt Jane should bequeath us that
silver. we were to purchase new set
of dining-room furniture.
The next evening, as we were again
at dinner, my wife remarked:
Il have been looking at carpets to-
day, and saw one that just suits me
rich and subdued, you know, but not
dingy.'
''Carpets?n repeated, in some sur
prise; Il didn't know that there was
one needed this season."
"Why, stupid" rejoined my wife,
petulantly, (and the emphasis was all
upon the pet name) 'did we not agree
that the dining-room must be re-
furnished? And this carpet is so old
and worn, of course it would not do
at all with new furniture.
Again l acquesced silently, and
she proceeded to make plans for meet
ing me the next day, to examine and
choose the carpet and furniture to be
purchased later on. Well. if my wife's
relations left her handsome silver, l
must of course provide things in keep
ing with it.
She met me according to appoint
ment, and having inspected the arti-
cles, gave me to understand that
my taste was so eXecrable as not to
merit moments consideration, and
announcing her own choice, suggest
ed coolly:
"And now let's go look at the wall
paper"
"Wall-paper?' l echoed blankly.
'.Of course, the room must be re-
papered if it is re-furnished. As for
the woodwork, 1 suppose there is no
help for that-it will just have to be
re-grained Can they make that nat
ural wood finish on wood that has
been paintedP'
| stared aghaSt; that silver was 60
ing to cost me a pretty sum. But
was helpless-entirely so; my wife had
made up her mind.
That evening she was much elated
at the prospect of being surrounded
by such things as she had that day Sc
lected. There was but one cloud on
her horizon.
"The dining-room will be nicer than
the parlors.n she remarked, plaintive-
ly; L am afraid that they will really
look shabby"
said nothing. hoping that if she
were not contradicted she would not
pursue the subject farther.
Vain hopei She had fixed it in her
own mind that silence gave consent,
and when | came home the next eve
ming, has assumed that the parlors
were to be newly fitted up.
Don't you think" she said. coax
ingly, 'that as long as the parlors and
dining-room are to be torn up. and we
are to have the painters and paper
| hangers here, we might as well have
| the whole house done? 1t would be
| very little more trouble, and then it
would all look nice together"
1T would be considerable more ex-
| pensive | demonstrated, family.
You might draw the money out of
the building association" she sug-
| gested; and then l knew that our saw
ings in that institution were doomed.
Aunt Jane fingered a long time. In
justice to my wife, must admit that
| she had become oblivious of the fact
that all these Improvements depended
upon legacy, which could only be
| possessed after the death of her ven-
| era BILE relative.
! A day or so after she had decided
! that the house was to be thoroughly
| renovated, my wife said to me:
| Il have been examining the parlor
l carpets. and l find that bv using the