The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-23

given, together with description ol bne
BRIDES toilet and the statementtha she had
long been a reigning belle of the region. In
a congratulatory paragraph IN another
column the bridegroom's abilities were ad-
verted to in omplimentary manner, and
the belief expressed that though newly ad-
mitted to the practice of the law, it would
not be long before his influence was felt
upon the bar in their neighboring city OF
Chicago.
1--WE will board year, or, at most. two"
said John Skipping, land by that time,
Maria | shall be able TO give you home OF
your own"
So they began their welded life in a fine
brown stone boarding house on Crush
street.
To say they were young and hopeful
would not cover the case; they were young,
appalingly ignorant and perfectly assured.
John faced the world with college gradu-
ate's all-conquering egotism, and Maria
lived in him.
As long as the five hundred dollars
bIaria's father had given her lasted, John
went radiantly every day to his newly
rented office, had an accent of jovial pros
perity in his voice, walked with the elation
of good digestion, and to those about him
who were grubbing hard in the forests of
difficulty seemed always to be in Extensively
high spirits.
Maria wore her pretty country toilets,
looked out the bargain sales in the daily
papers and shopped assiduously wherever
a cheap lot Of gloves or an umbrella sacri.
fee was to be found.
But to Johns amusement first and grow
ing dismay afterward, his Office door re-
manned unshadowed by single client. He
had moments of secret apprehension which
,it hun at a
his courage had been digested and assimila-
ted and without a new supply he should
starve to DEATH How should he confess to
his wife that they were living without in
come!
Did not her friends and his friends at
home believe they were walking the high
way of prosperity. and how should he own
that, instead, it was poverty's brambling
path along which he staggered so hopeessly! |!
AT the rate he was going it could not be
long before he would be rent to tatters,
weary and even bleeding with scratches and
flint cuts
At the end Of six months their landlady
began to insist upon weekly payments; she
even limited to Maria that they must be
moro prompt. John resented this, and they
Indignantly changed their quarters, he TAX
ing care it should be in less expensive es-
tablshment.
The next step was the abandonment of
his office down town. After week or two
of vagrant days ne at length secured a re-
porter's position on an evening paper,
where more money could be made than at
the law; utter collapse was averted by this
timely good fortune.
But all this while John had been growing
morose. When Maria's daily routine of
dry-goods, packages and bric-a-brac came
home he asked rather petulantly what
under the sun she expected to do with all
that rubbish.
'Maria, think if we ever expect to be
rich we ought TO deny ourselves some things
now, and lay up little" he said.
Maria could not help the look OF reproach
which flashed over her face as she an
swered "Of course, John, you know I'm
naturally economical If have any thing
to buy | always go to the cheap places.
Pm just as prudent as i can be-"
"But why buy at ALL" John groaned In
wardiy; but true to his manly reserve, he
said aloud:
II know you are prudent, my love. What
i mean is, can't we out of my salary in
come, mean, put little in the bank each
year against rainy day, We ought to-"
''Why, of course we can, John, l told you
Pm perfectly willing"
'Isneeds something besides being will
ing" retorted John rather hotly. Cant
we-can't we retrench little-in some
wayi"
What John called the pepper-box in
Marla's chin began to appear-a little nerv-
GUS quiyer very like the wrinkles on the
surface Of water before squall
He hated tears and made haste to explain
himself.
81 am not scolding you, dear love- this is