The record-union., 1891-04-26
A SENSIBLE MOTHER.
written for the SUNDAY UNION by L. L.,

says a woman is either kissed or kicked
out of her inheritance. My maxim has
always been share and share alike in mat
rimony-one purse, one heart, one home.
Your dear mother and / did and we pros
pered through life. What you receive
from me belongs to yourself and husband
equally, to use in any way that seems
best to you.o
Thanks, father; feel sure that Mr..
Whitmore will use it judiciously."
"Ah tut, tut, child; you know nothing
yet about Mr.. Whitmore's righteousness.
He may make ducks and brakes of it, or
it may help him on in business"
"Ducks and brakes! Why, father, how
lightly you speak of Carrolrs business
ability!"
"Well, anyhow, 1 see that your money
may be of great service to him If he looks
sharp; SO there it is. If you are willing
to chance it am. But your Aunt Nellie
thought otherwise. Her money was left
to you and your heirs-your heirs, re-
member, Jennie. You simply hold it in
trust for your children if you should have
any, and you will have no right to give
up the property she leaves you under any
circumstances"
81 understand that, father, and I am
sure Carroll will also"
"No, Jennie, / am not SO sure OF Car
roll. Men are apt to see things oddly
when they are in a pinch and need oil to
grease the wheels of business. The in
Jerest on your aunt Nellie's legacy to you
brings you twelve hundred year. Now
if things go well with Carroll he may
fancy he could double it for you; or. on
the other hand, if he should meet
with misfortune, he will be sure to
think it would set him all right again.
Now promise me, Jennie, you will never
touch the principal"
81 never will, father"
"That's right, my girl; I think I can
trust you, But, Jennie, you will lind 1t
hard to say no to your husband. for dearly
as you love him now, he will be infinitely
nearer to you when time has hallowed
the tie between you and you are used to
each others ways"
Jennie renewed her promise, and few
days after saw her the happy, trusting.
hopeful wife of Carroll Whitmore
Months verged into years and hopes be-
came certainties. The timid girl was now
n fair matron, serene in the assured dig
nifty of her position, proud of her chill
dren, calm in her husbands love. They
were all happy, and the world had gone
well with them. All moderate wants and
wishes were well supplied. Business
prospered, with a steady increase which
promised to be permanent. What more
could they desire? Alas the fears of Jen-
nie's father had been prophetic. Carroll
had extended his business by the assist
ance of the income on his wife's dowry.
and now thought he could speculate most
advantageously on the principal if it
We're at his disposal.
''God knows, dear Jennie" exclaimed
he, II only want to make what / can for
our children. With these increasing re-
sponsibilities it is incumbent on us to
l. ,1,a I
opening where / could lay out that prop
erty of yours and soon double-nay, even
treble its income"
Do not say my property; say ours,
Carroll"
mo, Jennie; if it were even partially
mine [ should not have hesitated. The
legacy is yours and you can do as you
like with it, and now if you wish you
can double it inside of six months"
Even if l could, Carroll, it wonld be a
risk. 1t is safe as it is and gives us very
good income-twelve hundred year.
That income nearly maintains the family,
Carroll. You have expended compare
lively little on us so far.'
Il trust l shall always be able to main
tain my wife and Children said he with
dignity, "but l cannot help feeling that it
is hGmiliating to be thus trammeled in
my endeavCrs to benefit my children.
But you are afraid to trust me with your
Judgment and our children are the losers.
/ repeat it, this is CALLING"
Indeed, Carroll, you wrong me. /
freely gave up to your control and dis
posal my share in my fathers property,
which as you well know was quite little
fortune of itself, and have never sought
TO advise regarding 1t, but my aunt S
legacy really belongs to the children, and
cannot think we have right to touch
the principal"
But, Jennie, the codicil to her will
left it to your discretion, did it not?"
Il admit that she granted me the free
dom to act according to my own iudg-
ment, and [ fear risking the bird in the
hand. Suppose this proposed investment
should fail ?"
Nonsense Jennie, tell you it cannot
1all the concern is as good as the bank
and the returns will be enormous
II am sorry you wish it Carroll, but I
promised father that in spite of the codicil
to the will the principal should never be
touched; promise is a sacred thing and
once for all it shall not be touched we
are in sufficiently prosperous circum-
stances now without further speculation -
Very well, Mrs. Whitmore, you are
losing noble opportunity for the
advancement of your children's financial
welfare. I'll never presume to advise
respecting your fortune or their interests
again."
With this he flounced out of the room,
banged the doors after him, each bang
having an oath in it. But Jennie was
neither to be kicked nor kissed" into
yielding up her inheritance. Carroll
Whitmore was for once thoroughly angry
with her-angry because she had refused
his request, and SO decidedly had will
of her own. He was more determined
than ever TO get rich, and in order to spite
her, determined to place every farthing
pnIllH ia / 10
would not be led by the nose, not he; he
was his own master and would not yield
TO petticoRt government. He was in a
humor to stop at no folly in order to
assert his independence. He secretly
raised money in different directions to
invest in the enterprise TO which his wife
had SO strongly objected.
Time passed on. Payday was coming
on, and he must either sell the shares
now rapidly rising or meet the call. The
former would have been the wiser plan,
but pride and an over-sanguine tempera-
ment led him to another course. He
borrowed money from different quarters
and retained the shares. This hampered
him, for he had heavy interest to pay,
and his business, though hourishing,
could not sustain the drain. Money that
should have been expended otherwise
went to this eXtraneous speculation
where it lay idle. The shares fell-he had
buried his talent. Things were growing
desperate. He tried to persuade himself
that after all Jennie might relent, and he
again bent his proud spirit to ask her
But he deceived her as to the extent o.
his involvments, and only spoke Of some
mere temporary embarrassments.
You see, Jennie, my capital is JUS
now locked up. / cannot meet these bills
of Broderick's, and there will be the
devil TO pay. It's no use asking Brod
erick for time; he won't grant it. Now
there is your aunt's legacy; it will set al
fhinrS STRAIGHT If Won will only lot nnl