Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-07-13
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Lillian Axton was q silly little affec-
Honate woman who loved her husband
and whose husband loved her. They
were recently married, but not SO re-
Gently that Tom Axton had not time to
find out that his wife had absolutely no
head at all for finance. She could not
keep accounts. They bewildered her
and always ended in hopeless muddle.
She was like the woman who, being
urged to keep some account Of her ex-
penditure, triumphantly showed her
husband her book with the two entries
on the debtor and creditor side, "Re-
ceived, $780," and "Spent. $50" and who
was exceedingly pleased to see that the
$50 on the one side balanced the $50 on
the other.
Lillian had the most vague idea about
checks. It seemed to her that If book
was filed with unused checks their bank
account therefore was unlimited.
Now, there are two things for q man
to do when he finds himself in such sit
uation as Tom Axton found himself.
One of the things is wise, and one of the
things is foolish. II he is foolish man,
he will endeavor to teach his wife how
to keep accounts. II he is wise man.
he will simply make up his mind to earn
more money and let the accounts go. Sc
Tom Axton, being wise, bothered his
wife very little about accounts, but set
tied the bills when they came in as well
as he was able and bent his energies to
ward the accumulating Of good and re-
liable balance at the bank.
And so things went on very comforta
bly, and pleasantly until winter set in.
One night when Tom came home Mrs
Lillian, who was a most transparent
kind of woman, began conversation OF
the subject of sealskin jackets. She sale
that they were the most economical gar
ments; that woman with sealskir
coat was always well dressed; that tn,
apparent costliness Of the garment wal
delusion; that a woman who had be
slowed upon her sealskin sack at tn,
beginning of hard winter had littl'
else to ask for until the spring.
Tom listened gravely and finally said
"There is nothing personal in all thi
talk, is there?"
Lillian averred that there was not ant
Indignantly repudiated the insinuatio,
that she was thinking about herself q
all. She was merely interested in tn
subject in general way. And Tom salt
quietly:
LILLIAN, my dear, what is the price o
the particular garment you have beel
looking at?'
At this point in the conversation sh
came over and sat upon his knee, and a
last Tom received the information tina
perfectly lovely sealskin coat could b
had for 5000, which was worth, at tn
very lowest figure, $500.
"In that case," said Tom, SIT is rathe
pity not to buy il" and she admitte'
with some reluctance that it was
shame to let such a chance go by.
| Tom did some figuring and found tina
| check for 5000 would be honored at hi
bank and leave still a little credit re
manning.
His oyercoat was on next morning an
he was just about to depart for his of6c
when he opened the drawer Of the tabl
in his room, took out his checkbook an
wrote check to the order of his wifi
for 5000.
| Mrs. Lillian was overjoyed, but Tor
was away before she could thank him
She looked at the check with the in
still wet upon it, waved it for a momen
in the air to dry it and then held
lightly with its face toward the ope
fire that was blazing on the hearth
How it happened she never knew, bu
the check gave little curl at the corne
and burst into flame in her hand. Sh
, dropped it, tried to snatch it again, bu
| the charred remnants escaped up th
, chimney.
Mrs. Lillian's face became as white 6
the ashes on the hearth, and she san
into the armchair beside the fire. cove
(, ing her face with her hands.
\
Tom Axton was q somewhat stolit
quiet, Industrious, unsuspicious NAL
He frequently thought his wife trif
frivolous; but, on the whole, he raths
! likedit.
II When he came home that night, Il
door was opened to him by the serval
girl instead of by his wife, which w;
unusual. There was panic in her face
"Oh, siri" she said, "have you see
the missis?"
"The missis?' said Tom. "No. Isn
she here?"
"No, sir" said the girl, looking as
she were going to cry. "After you lie
this morning, sir, she took on awful, al
then she went away. Thought perhal
she had gone to you, SIR"
Tom stood in the hallway without +
, moving his coat, ,thunderstruck. Throue
his unsuspicious mind flashed the ci
cumstances of the case. The check f
5000, the taking on" and the depa
ture.
Tom threw himself down, with h
overcoat still on, in the armchair by Il
! fire and tried to think over the stu
ton. The absolute uselsssness Of stal
u s.1.L ~ q.