The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-03-24

q don't like to calculate upon such
things" observed my wife, but If
Aunt Jane were to die | should not be
a bit surprised if she left us that old
fashioned set of silver that belonged to
my great-grandparemts."
Out of consideration for the printer
| will omit indications of the emphasis
with which she usually spoke. If the
reader will kindly consider every sec
ond word printed in small caps or
italics he will have some faint idea of
her manner of expressing herself.
1T is a very handsome set" | re-
turned, glancing about our modest
dining room, "and will hardly accord
with our furniture"
1T wouldn't look at all well with
that sideboard," returned my wife
promptly. 1T is SO dreadful shabby
oh, of course | mean the sideboard, not
the silver; don't be so smart"
Il suppose, then. if such a thing
were to happen, you'd have to have "a
new sideboard."
She nodded complacently.
Il saw such z lovely one down town
to-day; antique oak. beautifully carved.
| do admire oak So much"
But the rest of the furniture is wal
nut" | objected.
walnut is altogether out of style.
especially for dining rooms" she re-
piled. with a disdainful glance at the
chairs which we had once found very
good to look at; land. after all. the
sideboard i by so much the most eX-
pensivc piece of furniture in dining
room that ii doesn't cost much more
to get whole set than Just that one
piece And even 4 walnut sideboard,
new. would not look well with those
chairs and this table"
! said nothing. and the tacit surren-
der was accepted by my wife. Thence
forth il was understood that if Aunt
Jane should bequeath us the silver we
were to purchase new set of dining
room furniture.
The next evening, rs we were again
at dinner, my wife remarked:
Il have been looking ut carpets to-
day, and saw one that just suits me;
tich and subdued, you know. but not
dingy."
Carpets, | repeated in some sur
prise. Il didn't know that there was
one needed lAlS season.
why, stupid" rejoined my wife,
petulantly (and the emphasis was all
upon the pet aame). did we not agree
that the dining-room must be refur-
nished? And this carpet is SO old and
worn of course it would not do at all
with new furniture"
Again | actuieSced silently, and she
proceeded to make plans for meeting
me the next day to examine and
choose the carpet and furniture to be
purchased later on. Wen. if my wife's
relations left her handsome silver /
must. Of course, provide things in
keeping with it.
She met me according to appoint
ment. and. having inspected the arti-
cles. gave me To understand that my
taste was so eNecrable as not to merit
a moments consideration, and an
nouucing her own choice, suggested
coolly:
And now lets 90 look at the wall
paper"
wall paper?" | echoed, blankly.
"Of course: the room must be repa-
pered if it is refurnished. As for the
woodwork. | suppose there is no help
for that; it will just have to be re-
grained. Can they make that natural
wood finish on wood that has been
painted?"
| stared aghast; that silver was go-
inc TO cost me a pretty sum. But |
was helpless, entirely so; my wife had
made up her mind.
That evening she was much elated
at the prospect of being surrounded
by such things as she had that day
selected. There was but one cloud on
her horizon.
The dining-room will be nicer than
the parlorS," she remarked. plaintive-
ly; Il am afraid that they viii really
look shabby"
| said nothing, hoping that if she
were not contradicted she would not
pursue the subject further.
Vain hope, She had fixed it in her
own mind that silence gave consent.
and when | came home the next even
ing ha,l assumed that the parlors
were to be newly fitted.
Don't you think" she said, coax
inolr that As long as the parlors aud