The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-08-24
MY WIFES LEGACY.
Why We Didn't Get New House
and Furniture.

things" observed my wife, "but
Aunt Jane were to die, l should not b.
a bit surprised if she left us that old
fashioned set of silver that belonged t.
my great-grandparents."
Out of consideration for the printer
l will omit indications of the emphasis
with which she usually spoke. If tn,
reader will kindly consider every SECOND
word printed in small caps or italics, he
will have some faint idea of her manner
! OF expressing herself.
"It is very handsome set," 1 re-
turned, glancing about our modest din.
ing-room, land will hardly accord with
our furniture"
ut wouldn't look at all we'll with
that sideboard," returned my wife,
promptly, ''it's so very shabby-oh, OF
course, mean the sidehoard, not the
silver"
II suppose, then, if such thing were
to happen, you would want new side
board"
She nodded.
II saw lovely one down town to-
day; antique oak, beautifully carved.
do admire oak so much"
But the rest of the furniture is wal
nut" l objected.
WALNUT is altogether out of STYLE"
she said, with disdainful glance at the
chairs which we had once admired;
"and sideboard is so much the most
expensive piece of furniture in dining
room that it doesn't cost much more to
get a whole set than just that one
piece. And even a walnut 'sideboard.
new, would not look well with these
chairs and this table"
said nothing and the tacit surrender
was accepted by my wife. Thenceforth
1T was understood that if Aunt Jane
should bequeath us the silver, we were
to purchase new set of dininp-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;
rich and subdued, you know"
Carpets" repeated, in some sur
prise 81 didn't know>that there was
one needed this season."
t'Why, stupid" rejoined my wife,
petulantly (the emphasis was all upon
the pet name), ''did we not agree that
the dining-room must be refurnishedp
And this carpet is so old and worn, of
course it would not do with all new
furniture.
Again acquiesced silently, and she
proceeded to make plans for meeting
me the next day, to exa mine and choose
the carpet and furniture to be pur-
chased later on. Well, if my wife's re-
lations left her handsome silver, must,
of course, pro vide things in keeping
with it.
She met me according to appoint
nent, and, having inspected the arti-
lies, gave me to understand that my
,aste was SO execrable as not to merit |
moments consideration, and, an
1ouncing her own choice, suggested
,oolly:
"And now let us go and look at the
wall papers,"
"Wall papers," echoed.
"Of course the room must be re-
'apered if it is refurnished AS for the
woodwork, | suppose there is no help
or that; it will just have to be re-
'rained. Can they make that natural
wood finish on wood that has been
,ainted?"
stared aghast; that silver was going
o cost me pretty sum. But | was
elpless, entirely SO; my wife had made
p her mind.
That evening she was much elated at
he prospect of being surrounded by
uch things as she had that day Sc 4
ected. There was but one cloud on her
ORION.
"The dining-room will be nicer than
ne parlors," she remarked, plaintively;
I'm afraid they will look shabby"
l said nothing, hoping that if she
ere not contradicted she would not
ursue the subject further. Vain hope!
he had fixed it in her own mind that
lence gave consent, and when came
ONE the next evening had assumed
lat the parlors were to be newly fitted
p.
Don't you think" she said coaxing-
;, "that as long as the parlors and
ning-room are to be torn up. and WE