The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-03-16
were not contradicted she would not

the building association" she suggested,
and then | knew that our savings in
that institution were doomed.
Aunt Jane fingered long time. In
justice to my wife, must admit that
she had become oblivious of the fact
that all these improvements depended
upon a legacy, which could only be
possessed after the death of her vener-
able relative.
A day or SO after she had decided
that the house was to be thoroughly
renovated my wife said to me.
81 have been eXaming the parlor car
pets, and | find that by using the best
parts of both, and buying wide bor-
der, | can get qlite new carpet for
our bed. .room-absolutely unworn."
"Indeed !" remarked, with pleased
surprise there was one thing that she
would not want, any how.
ayes, and the carpet that is now on
it is enough good to cover the child
ren's room if | put the worn part un-
der the bed. Or maybe I'd better put
that on the spare room,' she added,
rehectively, "and give that one to the
children Theirs gets such hard wear
that an old one will not last any time,
hardly"
l said nothing, but felt greatly re-
lieved.
GAS long as we don't have to buy a
bedroom carpet" she remarked in
sinuatingly, "don't you think we could
afford new set of furniture
"No, l don't" returned, savagely !;
whereupon she burst into tears and
called me a heartless monster. To
pacify her had to promise the furni-
ture, together with a new silk and a
sealskin, that the mistress of the house
might be as fine IS her dwelling.
at does seem shame" she said, a
few days afterward, "to spend SO much
money on this house. That's very
handsome and expensive paper that we
| looked at, and to substitute an archway
for the folding doors will cost some
thing"-this was the first l had heard
of the archway-"and then those lovely
carpets cut up to fit these small rooms,
too !"
ayes, it is shame" replied, hardly
credlting my senses. Not all had been
lost, although much had been in dan
ger.
81 am SO glad that you think So" re-
turned my wife, brisky; 81 was sure
that you would agree with me that it
would be wiser tor us to find a house
that suits US better, and buy right away.
Real estate is cheap now, they say
there's SO much in the market"
She tried to put On a knowing look :;
if she had known half as much about
that subject as about managing me, l
should have felt impressed. As it was.
l weakly objected:
only dear, | don't know where in the
world l could get the money to buy
larger and better house-any house at
all, in fact"
"You could sell this" she replied,
nothing daunted.
'But if real estate is drug on the
market, l do not want to SELL" l re-
torted, thinking cunningIy to turn her
own weapon upon herself.
"There are those shares of stock,
then"
"But that stock is going up daily; if
| wait six months. l can get double
what it would bring now; or hold it,
and draw big interest on my invest
ment."
"Well, what else are you going to do !?
You said yourself that we must have a
larger and better house."
Thereupon | mentally bade regret
full farewell to the stock and the money
which had expected to make by hold
ing it. My wife occupied her leisure
time for the next three weeks in look
ing for residence which should be in
all respects suitable for the furniture we
were gong to buy. What she would
desire next l could not guess, unless
she should become thoroughly dissatls-
fed with me.
At the end of the period mentioned
| came home one evening to find her
in tears.
"Aunt James dead" she sobbed !;
"the poor old lady died this morning.
| haye just come from her house."
As Aunt Jane had been at the point
of death for the past six months, was
hardly surprised to hear this bit OF news
did my best to comfort my wife, bow
ever, and comported myself like duti
full nephew-in- law at the mournful cere-
monies following the death.
When | returned home the day after
the funeral, my wife met me at the
door, her face flushed, her eyes blazing.
'What do you suppose that old crank
has done ?" she demanded.
"What old crank?" inquired, won
deringly.
"Why, Aunt Jane, of course"
"I'm sure | don't know" | returned,
mildly "but you should remember, my
dear, that"
"Oh, l know she's dead. She
wouldn't give her things away under
any other circumstances. She's left me
a hundred dollars in cash, and that dear
old silver to my second cousin, John
Scott, He'll sell it and spend every
cent on hquor and cigars and horses, l
know he WILL"