The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-23

given, together with description OF the
BRIDES toilet and the statement that she had
long been reigning belle of the region. In
a congratulatory paragraph in another
column the bridegroom's abilities were ad.
verted to in complimentary 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.
ave will board year, or, at most, two,"
said John Skipping, land by that time,
Maria shall be able to give you a home Of
your own"
So they began their welded life in 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 egotism, 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 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
WHU WcEb REuDDlHS hdtu III OhO tOlSoLo VI
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-
flee was to be found.
But to Johns amazement first, and grow
ing dismay afterward, his Office door re-
manned unshadowed by single client. He
had moments of secret apprehension which
came with hungry void at heart as if all
his courage had been digested and assimla-
ted and without new supply he should
starve to death. How should he confess to
his wife that they were living without in
comel
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 hopelessly!
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
more prompt. John resented this, and they
Indignantly changed their quarters, he tax
ing care it should be in less expensive es-
tablishment.
The next step was the abandonment of
his office down town. After week or two
of vagrant days he at length secured 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 II 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 Pm
naturally economical. If have any thing
TO buy l always go to the cheap places.
Pm just as prudent as can be.''
"But why buy at ALL" John groaned in
warSly; but true to his manly reserve he
said aloud:
II know you are prudent, my love. What
1mean is, can't we out of my salary in
come, mean, put little in the bank each
year, against rainy day! We ought to-"
iWhy, of course We can, John, l told you
I'm perfectly willing"
at needs something besides being will
ing," retorted John rather hOtly. 'Can't
~e-can't we getrench little-in some
Wayl"
What John called the pepper box in
Maria's chin began to appear-a little nerv-
Gus culver very Like the wrinkles on the
surface of water before squall.
He hated tears and made haste to explain
himself.
lam not scolding yOl, dear love, this is
only conference. lam sad dog at spend
ing money myself, and thought maybe If
you would grow little peBurious it might
be some restraint upon me. You know all
men who have grown rich attribute their
success to their wives"
Such scenes as this became frsque0t as