The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-13
MUD LAND.

NSIetihly, Sdlt HIS WIG.
Beyond making IL sufficient allowance
for all ordinary household expenses | will
have nothing to do with it,"
III understand. l am quite willing to
accept the entire responsibility"
Then, if you like the house, accept the
agents offer, send to the warehouse for
the furniture, have the house put in order
by Jayne's people, pack your trunks, hire
your servants and move in. shall be alb
sent ten days or longer. shall find you
there on my return?'
YES. / shall lose no time"
Mr.. and Mrs. Curtiss had been married
five years During their first year of house
Keeping Mr.. Curtiss discovered that the
drainage OF the house in which they were
living was defective. He notified his land
lord. He waited II month. No notice was
taken of his complaint. lie promptly can
celed his lease, stored his furniture and
took his wife to n boarding house
Mrs. Curtiss after n year or two found
the life wearisonc one. She longcd for
the comforts of home and the agreeable
occupation of II homemaker.
Mr.. Curtiss, OH the contrary, preferred
boarding. He was II man who disliked the
small responsibilities of housekeeping. His
business, he urged, was sufficient to occupy
his mind.
Yet now, to CRAFTY his wife, he had ac-
ceded to her desire, STIMULATING, however,
that he was to be utterly free from all the
daily cares. Mrs. Curtiss gladly agreed.
She disliked interference and welcomed
the assurance that she was to have sole
charge of the establishments
a year elapsed. The contract was scru-
pulously carried ont by both parties. Mr..
Curtiss provided ample means; Mrs. Cur
tiSS gave time and energy to the making of
n pleasant home.
At the end of the year Mrs. Curtiss had a
balance of 500. 'Do what you will with
it. 1t is yours" her husband said "You
have earned it.
She was planning the uses she would
make of it when Il friend came in. She
could not resist the temptation OF telling
her how we'll she had managed
What shall L do with it2' she asked.
you know all about money, Aurelia Adj
wise me-"
Aurela wore eyeglasses She speculated
in stocks. Her friends said she made enor-
nous profits her enemies declared her
grandfather would turn i'll his grave could
he know of her losses He had been day
laborer in his youth, they added.
"Stocks, of course" replied Aurelia
"Stocks?" helplessly.
Stocks" with decision. "You have
$500, you say. You shall buy twenty
shares of the Mud Land company. They
are IL sure thing 1t is bull market now.
you know"
"Dear mer' CALCULATED her bewildercd
listener.
1.-THE bears have had it quite too long,"
continued Aurelia. "Evcrything is boom
ing now. Put on your bonnet Mt once.
Delays are fatal. l will go with YOU"
Mrs. Curtiss hesitated. II do not think I
can spend all the money that way, Azure
lia"
"Why nots" sharply.
81 ordered 81 new silk yesterday from
Nine. Grettine. 1t will cost sixty dollars"
"Mme. Grettine must wait for her pay"
ooh, nor shuddcring. II have never
had bill unpaid"
You'll clear it fast enough Mud Land
can be bought today for 9$l. 1t is worth
more; it will be worth twenty next week
Put on your bonnet"
The stronger will conquered. Mrs Cur
tiss yielded In q week she should have
800, she reflected. She would pay ma
dame, send IL ton of coal to the widowed
washcrwoman she occasionally employed
and pnt $500 in savings bank Her hus-
band would have his little joke about her
capacity for business, but what mattered
that?
Her eyes sparkled as she tied on her bon
net. She would buy Il larger dressing
glass, she decided, and put her own in the
guest chamber. She should still have her
original 5000.
Aurelia broke in upon her pleasant medi-
tations "Hurryr' she called from the foot
of the stairs. Mud Land may go up
couple of points while you daily"
Aurelia prided herself upon her knowl-
edge Of brokers' phrases.
Whats IL point?" asked Mrs. Curtiss,
coming down stairs, her gloves in her hand.
"Surely you know. We must take ear
riagc. 1t may score twelve if we wait for
the right car"
Score was Greek to Mrs. Curtiss. She
had Il confused feeling that it had some
thing to do with II baseball match, but she
asked no questions.
At the brokers' Office Aurclia gave the
order. Mrs. Curtiss signed it, a feeling
akin to terror sweeping over her. If it
rises to thirty, she thought! a notification
of the purchase of twenty shares of Mud
Land at 024 reached her the next day She
carried it to Aurelia. What must l do
now9"
PAY for your stock, of course. You could
have bought it on margin. / should, but"
with Il laugh, II am used to taking fiiers."
Yes" with Iecling OF nunlllty. How
wise Aurelia wasl How daringl
"Ill go with you," said Aurelia
"There'l be the commission-it's on the
statement probably"
Mrs. Curtss counted her money twice
before handing it to the brokers' clerk.
That's right" said Aurelia approvingly.
"I'll make you IL woman of business yet"
Sell the stock Mt twenty" said Aurelia;
mot n fraction below"
Mrs. Curtiss signed this order. A mine
of wealth seemed suddenly opening before
her. She thought of the surprise of her
husband when she told him of her success
ful venture.
4 1reeL nasSnl Mrs Curtiss ,vnitod Ii,