The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-05-27

lMIH iisl ErsA married, but no
VIH aEfa aiill so recently tha
TTE WEI Tom Axton hac
~ fH Afi>, not had time tc
, - 1-| find out that hi:
wife had absolutely no head for finance
She could not keep accounts. They be
wildered her and always ended in {
hopeless muddle. She was like the wo
man who, being urged to keep some
account Of her expenditure, triumph
antly showed her husband her book with
the two entries on the debtor and cred
itors side: Received $50" and spent
1t, and who was exceedingly well
pleased to see that the $50 on the one
side balanced the $50 on the other
Lillian had the most vague idea about
checks. 1t seemed to her that if a book
were filed with unused checks, their
bank account, therefore. was unlimited
Now there are two things for a man
to do when he finds himself in such a
situation as Tom Axton found himself.
One Of the things is wise. and one Of the
things is foolish. If he is foolish man
he VIII enceavOr to teach his wife how
to keep accounts. If he is wise man
he will simply make up his mind to earn
more money and let the accounts 60
so Tom AXton, being wise, bothered
his wife very little about accounts.
settled the bills when they came in as
well as he was able, and bent his
energies towards the accommodating of a
| good and reliable balance at the bank.
And SO things went on very comfort
ably and pleasantly until winter set in.
One night, when Tom came home.
Mrs. Lillian, who was most transpar-
ent KIND OF woman, began conversa-
ton on the subject of sealsl1n Jackets.
She said that they were most economic
al garments, that a woman with a
seals1in coat was always well dressed.
that the apparent costliness of the gar
ment was delusion, that woman
who had bestowed upon her sealskin,
sacque at the beginning of a hard win
! ter had little else to ask for until the.
spring.
Tom listened gravely, and finally said:
There IS nothing personal in all this
talk. is there?"
Lillian averred that there was not.
and Indignantly repudiated the insinu-
alton that she was thinking about her
self at all She was merely interested
IN the subject in general way. And
Tom said quietly:
Lillian, my dear, what is the price of
the particular garment you have been
looking at?"
At this point in the conversation she
came over and sat upon his knee. and
finally Tom received the information
that perfectly lovely sealsl1in coat
could be had for two hundred dollars.
which was worth at the very lowest
figure, three hundred dollars.
''1n that case said Tom. '.it is
rather pity not TO buy it, isn't it?'
and she admitted with some reluctance |
that 1t was shame to let such a chance |
go by.
Tom did some figuring, and found |
that check for two hundred dollars !
would be honored at his bank. and |
leave still little credit remaining.
His overcOat was on next morning
and he was just about to depart for his
office when he opened the drawer of the
table III his room, took out his check
book, and wrote a check to the order of
his wife for two hundred dollars.
Mrs. Lillian was overioved, but Tom
was away before she could thank him.
She looked at the check with the ink
still wet upon it, waved it for a mo-
nent IN the air to dry it and then heidi it
lghtly with It's face toward the open fire
hat was blazing on the hearth. How
I happened she never knew. but the
heck gave little curl at the corner
md burst into flame in her hand. She
iropped 1t. tried to snatch it up again.
lut the charred remnants escaped IN
he chimney.
Mrs Lilian's face became as white as
he ashes on the hearth, and she sank i
nto the armchair beside the fire, Gov
ring her face with her hands.
Iom Axton was a somewhat stolid. J
uiet, industrious, unsuspicious man. !
ie frequently thought his wife a trifle $
rivolous, but on the whole he rather
liked it.
When he came home that night the
oor was opened to him by the servant
ri instead Of by his wife, which was /,
nusuaL There was panic in her face. :,
"Oh, SIR" she said, have you seen
be missis?''
II he missis!' said Tom. s'No. Isn't
he here?' :
No, sir, said the girl. looking as Il I
ne were going to cry, after YOU left
MS morning, sir, she took on awful,
nd then she went away. l thought
erhaps she had gone to you. sir"
Iom stood in the hallway without re-
loving his coat, thunderstruck.
trough his unsuspicious mind flashed
le circumstances Of the case. The 4.
neck for two hundred dollSrs; the
taking or" and the departure.
Tom threw himself down with his
7ercoat still on. in the armchair bv :
.e IRE, and tried to think over the sit i
zion. Tie absolute uselessaess ~ /
artlnC out in the nigh, and trying 20 4.
I'd her was the first thing that i'm t
essed itself up0p him. He shrank I
ON giving notice to the police. The
,ket seller al the railroad station
lew his wife. and would PERHAPS re-
em6er If she bought ticket for am S
ace. The first thing evidently 10 do
as To find ont il she had left the sub p
b. and, ii possible, where she had Y