The Penn's Grove record., 1893-06-30

could only think of her afterwards with
loathing.
A friend 1 used to have lived a short
distance from town, on a fruit farm.
One spring day l heard she was getting
ready for her usuil summer trip, SO l,
thimble In pocket. went out to spend
the day, and help with her pr operations.
She received me ioyfully, and We were
O deep in the mysteries of ruffies
and cores. Though not intimately NC.
ouainted l had loved her dearly. That
night l won't home thinking her a SELF
ish little beast. AT dinner time her
husband came in tired and hungry.
She had left inc sewing and gone GU
half-an-kour before to the kitchen, n
now called us out TO dinner. The
table was set with beautiful china, and
there was q baked squash, a small
plate of bread and butter, and a pitcher
Of water, nothing else. She made no
reference TO the scanty iare,. but
seemed to think that it was all that 1t
should be. 1 did not care for myself,
knowing that ! would be at my own
bonntitul table Mt tea-time, but 1 did
pity her husband. l knew he conld
have eaten every mouthful on the table
and still be unsatlsfied. The bread
plate was soon emptied. He looked
hesitatingIy at his wife, and then said:
"My dear, is there any more breadt'
Yes" she said, without moving.
81 only cut what 1 think will be eaten,
it gets so dry"
"The plate is empty" he said, ''per-
haps Mrs. Sunshine would like some
more"
"Woull you like some more, Mrs.
Sunshine?" she said turning to me.
OF course l sa1d no.
He waited several minutes then
said.
elf 1t isn't too much trouble to get
it, [ should like another piece"
She looked unsmilingly at him for
| several seconds, then arose and cut
him one little piece. He ate it, looked
| round wistfully at the empty dishes,
| sighed, and folded up his napkin. L
knew him to be the kindest, most in
| dulgent husband, and | felt indignant
| to see him SO imposed upon. When
we retained to our sewing, l dexter
| ously led the conversation to the sub
iect.
"How tirel AMI hungry Mr. Wall
tiers must get, working as he does, out
of-do0rs all dayl" | said.
eyes, L suppose he does" she an.
swered, carelessiy.
"I should tl,ink you would take n
| ereat deal of pains to have things nice
for him, be is so thoughtful for you'll
1 ventured further.
'Oh, mol He doesn't expect me to
exert myself. he knows how frail l
an"
This, uttered at the sewing machine,
In the pauses of stitching a sixth rufie
on a sssummer silk" did not impress
me as being very consistent.
"Besides,' she continued, presently,
eve must oconomize. NV outfit is
costing q great deal, and my trip will
be expensive. ! cannot afford to spend
much on our home living. L don't
have any appetite myself, anyway, so |
bother as little With housework and
cookery MS | can" .
This was so manifestly selfish, 1t
fairly took my breath away, and !
worked seve, al buttonholes before
speaking again. Then l said, 81 won
der Won are willing to go away and
leave him here alons all the summer
Surprising he should get sick?'
swell, 1 WouAI rather lie had SOM
one here with him, but he will not bt
able to afford it. / must have money
to epend while [ am away. There are
always little unlocked. for expenses.
can't go empty handed, and ! WW go.
Jack promised me before we were mar
ried, that I should always have q sum
mer trip, and I mean to keep him t.
~
These are no fancy sketches. The1
ara drawn from Life, and many mor'
aight be added. In fact, L hav'
known more wives than husbands wht
to, L the lions share OF the income ant
used it for selfish pleasures IN which
the others had no share.
One woman ! know whose HUSBAND
has broken down from overwork, Hel
house Is q perfect museum OF useles!
pieces Of furniture and finery, hideou
chromos, "ornaments, silks, laces, etc
She bores every visitor she has show
ing these. and bewailing the "bette.
:. DAYS" Ehea she constantly haunted
ba~pain counters, and ends by saying
az little thought ! should one day hav
to take boarders for O living. 40
she, instead of her poor, broken-dowl
husband we're the aggrieved one. !
is evident that she really thinks she Ia
Even now, she stints her family Il
!, every possible way that she may say
, for fresh "bargains.".
come years ago. when We WEI
Younger and less wise, my husbaa'
!, and L resolved to cut down our Twin
expenses in order to purchase a set Q
books for which onr souls longcd. W
, did so, and enjoyed the possession o
, them as only book lovers can, but a
5 at once our days began to be langui
and nervous, and our nights filled wit
troubled dreams, The symptoms IN
j.. creased until alarmed, We ''calied tn
1 doctor in" He looked wise, as Ike
questions, then prescribed tones az
: & nourishing dietl How we laughe
when he had gonel 1t was such q lokl
, on usi When we viewed the con.d
ton of the family purse, after payin
, tbe doctor and druggist bills, We rei
Iized that it was useless to try to chei
l Nature, but how much better l fe
than il l had privately cut down u
table expenses to indulge some selhs
! 'fad" OF my own, then ascribed OF
i feebleness 10 a mysterious dispensl
tion of an all-wise P~rovidenceP