The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-04-03


NsB ttyyS NIIlgHN Journal however, that
Wv a list of presents was
given, together with description OF the
brides toilet and the statement that she mad
long been reigning belle Of the region. In
q congratuatory paragraph in another
column the bridegroom's abilities were ad.
yerted to in a complimentary manner, ana
the belief expressed that. though newly ad-
United 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. :,
I'VE 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,
appallingly ignorant and perfectly assured.
John faced the world with college gradu-
ate's all-conquering egctism, and Maria
lived in him.
As long as the five hundred dollars
Maria's father had given her lasted, John
went radiantly every day to his neWR-
rented Office, had an accent of jovlal pros
perity In his voice, walked with the citation
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
T. a
flee was to be found.
But to Johns amazement first, and grow
ing dismay afterward, his office door re-
NAMED uushadowed by single client. he
had moments of secret apprehension which
came with hungry void at heart, as il all
his courage had been digested and assimila,
ted and without a new supply he should
starve to death How should he confess tc
his wife that they were living without in
comet
Did not her friends and his friends a.
homo believe they were walking the high
way of prosperity! and how should he owl
that, instead, it was poverty's bramblinf
path along which he staggered so hopelessly
At the rate he was going it could not b.
long before he would be rent to tatters
weary and even bleeding with scratches ant
flint cuts.
At the end Of six months their landlad,
began to insist upon weekly payments; sh
even limited to Maria that they must b
more prompt. John resented this, and the
Indignantly changed their quarters, he TAX
ing care it should be in a less expensive es
adjustment.
The next step was the abandonment
his office down town. After week or tW
of vagrant days he at length secured re
porter's position on an evening pape
where more money could be made than
the law; utter collapse was averted by th
timely good fortune.
But all this while John had been CROWN
morose. When Maria's daily routine
dry-goods, packages and bric-a-brac can
home he asked rather petulantly VIII
under the sun she expected to do with
that rubbish
sMaria, think If we ever expect to
rich we ought to deny ourselves some thln'
now, and lay up a little" he said.
Maria could not help the look of reproat
which flashed over her face as she a
swered: "Of course, John, you know Z
naturally economical. If have any thi,
to buy always go to the cheap place
Pm just as prudent as can be-"
but why buy at ALL" John groaned
wardly; but true to his manly reserve,
said aloud:
II know you are prudent, my love. VIII
mean is, can't we out of my salary
come, mean, put little in the bank ca
year, against rainy daya We ought to. y
"Why, of course we can, John, told y
Pm perfectly willing"
at needs something besides being W
ing" retorted John rather holly. va
we-can't we retrench little-in Sol
way'"
What John called the pepper-box
Maria's chin began to appear-a little ne
Gus culver very like the wrinkles on
surface of water before squall.
He hated tears and made haste to expl
himself.
81 am not scolding you, dear love, this
only conference. / am a sad dog at spe
ing money myself, and l thought may0
YOU would grow little penurious 1t mi!
be some restraint upon me. You know
men who have grown rich attflonte tn
success to their wives"
Such scenes as this became frequent
Johns creditors grew more bold and
menting. Poor Maria almost dreaded 10
him come home for fear of lecture.
grew wary, too, and instead OF having
packages delivered when she had made
specially fine bargains, carried them her
so there need be no danger OF their arr
: while John was there.
She wondered what had come over
All he thought of was money, money.
eased her desperate thoughts by wlsf
first that she had some particular talen
accomplishment by means OF which
could earn her own pocket money,
second that she was Is man.
John vas SO absorbed in his own ava
ing to the world and in the dubious out
for them both that it kept him In ignorE
Of how unhappy be made hes' BE VIZ