Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-05

A ten-cent piece was carefully select
cd and laid In his palm.
Mr. Dclamctcr did not FORGET his
strnitcncd condition that day. lie re-.
mcmhcred It, of course, when he sent
the bill to his fricnu; he felt IL when
he passed II fruit stand ON which were
displayed some particularly fine
oranges; It was recalled to his utteu-
ton when the little lame boy with
candy made his usual rounds of the
Office; IL was painfully present to his
mind when u man with subscrip.
tion paper whereon figured the name
OF Dclanctcr came to collect the
money subscribed; and the lack was
kcculy appreciated when he had TO
forcgo buying his usual evening paper.
The third day he braccd up, and
with reluctance he was wholly uun-
bic to conceal requested the means
whercwith to buy pair of light trous-
ers.
The fourth day was Sunday. MIR.
Dclamctcr thought Of the contribution
box, and decided he wouldn't attend
church. His head felt badly, he said.
The fifth day the grocer called at the
Office for his pay, and Mr. Dclamctcr,
mumhling something about pocket.
book and other pants" sent him to
the house.
The sixth day Mrs. Dclumctcr, with
unlookcd-for generosity, gave him nfty
cents when he asked for car fare, and
on the strength Of this he hailed man
with awbcrrics, ON the way home at
night, bought two boxes, and found he
was ,iN cents short
The seventh day MIR. Dclametc real.
lied that the experiment was not work.
ing quite in the way he meant il should
80 he pulled himself together and bold.
ly asked for u tcn.dollar bill.
What for2" queried his wife. as
though with an effort.
"l-well, want to get pair of
boots"
Mems boots come high, don't
thcy?" faltcrcd Mrs. Dclameter, with
an artificial smile, as she opened her
poclSctboolS
"Oh, the boots won't be more than
four dollars, probably, but guess can
make away with the rest"
Mrs Delamcter hcsitatcd, blushod,
bit her Lin, then slowly handed out
two two-dollar bills and silver half
dollar
~ guess that will do you, this time, f"
she murmurcd, with downcast eyes.
Mr. DclHmetcr glarcd ut her aud
made rs though he would cast the
money from him. Then suddenly he
seemed to rccollcct something and u
brilliant red color famed up from the
edge OF his white shirt collar to the
roots Of his hair. lie jammed the
money yiciously into his breast pocket,
m dc use of some word Indicative Of
extreme anger and iluAg himself out of
the house, slamming the door with
great vehcmcucc behind him
Mrs, Dclamctcr threw herself face
downward on the lounge and cried and
cried. The terrible fear that she had
offended him beyond forgiveness and
| that he would never return to her MS.
sailed her at intervals all through the
day.
When MIR. Delumctcr did actually
come home at the usual hour she hard
~ dared raise her eyes to his face. But
hc was very quiet, did not slam things
and hardly looked up from his food all
ten time.
When Mrs. D,lumctcr had cleared M
the dishes, she slipped up behind her
husband as he sat in the bay-wnduw
with his elbows ON his knees, his face
between his hands, aud his eyes on the
carpet, and dropped the bone Of con-
tcntion, the pOcketbook, into his lap,
AMI fed.
lie caught her dress before she had
He'd very far and drew her back.
Fannie he said, with whimsical
seriousness, "do you believe there Is
money enough in this poclSetbook TO
induce some muscular man to kick me
all deserve to be kicked2"
"Oh, Toni sobbed Mrs. Dolametcr,
"can you ever forgive me2 You don't
know how hated to be SO hateful"
"Oh, come nowl Doyou pretend to
say you didn't enjoy it2'
"Of course | diln'tr was the indig-
nant answer; and then Mr.. Delametcr
threw his head back. aud laughed and
laug he'd
Finally he sobcred down. "Well,"
he said, in "a very business-liko way,
"nOw wen have this thing fixed up.
Have you any idea how much our house.
hold expenses are2'
~ have kept account OF t.iat, and OF
my personal expenses" said Mrs. Della
meter, bringing him the book, "but |
did not know how much you earned or
how much your expenses were"
Mr.. Delameter glanced at tho neat