Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-03-12
MY WIFEHS LEGACY.

81 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-grandparents."
Gu 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 viii 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 l mean the sideboard, not
the silver; don't be so smart"
Il suppose, then, if such thing
were to happen, you'd have to have a
new sideboard."
She nodded complacently.
81 saw such a 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 disdainful glance at the
fhairs which we had once found very
good to look at; "and, after all. the
sidcboard is by so much the most ex-
peisiyc piece Of furniture in a dining
room that il doesn't cost much more
70 get q whole set than just that one
pitce. And even walnut sidehoard.
new, would not look well with those
chairs and this table"
said nothing, and the tacit gurren-
der was accepted by my wife. Thence
forth it was understood that if Aunt
Jane should bequeath us the silver we
were to purchase new set OF dining
room furniture.
The next evening, as we were again
at dinner, my wife remarked
Il have been looking at carpets to-
day, and saw one that just suits me;
nch and subdued, you know, but not
dingy."
Carpets" | repeated in some sur
rise II didn't know that there was
one needed THE season"
why, stupid" rejoined my wife,
petulantly (and the emphasis was all
upon the pet name), did we not agree
that the dining-room must be refur-
ni,h1d2 And this carpet is so old and
worn of course it would not do at all
with new furniture
Again ! acquiesced 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 Well 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 eXecrable as not to merit
moments consideration, and an.
nouncing her own choice, suggested
cOolly:
And now let's 20 look at the wall
paper
Wall paper?" l echoed. blankly.
~ A1uL@ts llt lbDIA luAel ~ ltPh-
pered if it is refurnished. As for the
woodwork, suppose theirs is no help
Tor that; il will just have to be re-
grained. Can they make thu natural
wood finish on wood that las been
painted?7
I stared aghast; that silver was 60
ing to cost me a pretty sum. But !
vas helpless, entirely 50; my wife had
made up her mind
That evening she was much elated
a. the prospect Of being surrounded
oy such things as she had that day
selected. There was but one cloud on
her horizon.
The dining-room viii be nicer than
5he parlors, she remarked, piaintive-
III; Tam afraid that they Will really
look shabby
I said nothing, hoping that if she