The Press., 1894-03-15
MIR. RAspToN's RESURRECTION.

MIR. RAsPToN'S RESURRECTION.
 Mir Raspton held to the belief that a man should be master in his own house. Some of his sex have consented to a divided sway in life, it being admitted that they reign supreme over their own department, while the domestic world is ordered by their better half Other more timid splits have entirely given up the feins or of government, and are content to go with ersoever the leading genius drives. For such Mr. Raspton entertained contempt far transcending that he bestowed upon the meanest member of the brute creation.
 His was mind that, like Napoleons-if it aoere Napoleon-included the minutest details as well as the grand scope of af- fairs. No cook could lay aside sur reptitious ounce of sugar, no washer-wo- man pocket the remnant of a bar of soap without being brought to book. Nor did this penny wisdom tend to the least to that proud foolishness which the proverh satirically intimates. It never interfered
 in any way with the conduct of an exten-
 sive business, or hindered for moment the golden flow of profits.
 If there had ever been a time wher these traits were unfelt or unacknowl edged by his fellow-men, it was far back in the forgotten past. The clerks in Mir Raspton's store never read the newspaper
 df sat by the stove, chairs a-tilt, in the intervals of business. For all spare mo- ments they found useful work; or, die rare leisure offer, stood erect behind ths counters waiting, alert, the advent ol fresh custom. The "hands" in his factory were all assembled long ere the bell had given it's final clang The maid in the kitchen. like her mistress in the parlor, ever felt an eye upon her watching all her movements. And Maria Jane, the dared to call her practicing done at fifty nine minutes past nine instead of plumI ten o'clock than she would have venturet
 any other insane or impossible achieve
 ment. She would have known that hel
 father in that high perch away "dowI
 street, which he called his office, would instinctively become aware of the deficit and punish it accordingly. There hao been period in Ms. Raspton's histor, when she had offered some faint opposi tion to the autocratic sway-a period tc which she now recurred with feeling such as those with which MT. Van Am
 burg might be supposed to contemplate his former sojourn in the lions mouth For, strange as it now seemed to all wh' looked upon him, Mr. Raspton had onc' been young and, after his fashion, in love He had gone through form of courtshiI ! rigid and mechanical, it is true; he haC had honeymoon, a pale, cold article
 but intended to do duty for the real thing These were the only shams of which h. had to accuse himself in life of sterr devotion to practical and actual facts It was at this time that Mrs. Raspton haC shown trif1ing symptoms of will of hel loWn-symptOms at once repress9d and stifed by the guiding hand. She was now perfect in her routine. So much
 money was dealt out to her per week, an( from that, she knew just so much house hold comfort must be provided, not ont pennyworth lacking. A settled sum wa l allowed for the family dress, and thei | appearance must do credit to it. Twic | a quarter the children were examined t. had instilled itself into their brains, ant
 woe to student and teacher if either wer l derelict. Yet, with all his rigidity, MT
 Raspton could not fairly be called penuri
 ous. His table was we'll spread; his ex | penditure in all ways respectable, thougl
 not liberal; he had his charities even
 regulated, like every thing else, wit
 mathematical exactness; was punctua
 in attendance at church and prayer meet | ing; aud looked forward without appre l hension to the final settlement of accounts
 assured that there would be balance ii | his favor
 But his family never rested from a 1 oppressive sense of responsibility. Mari
 Jane and the boys envied in childhoo the freedom of every ragged little i'm that made dirt-pies or played in the gut 1 ter, and as they grew older the feelin varied in object but [ ct in quality. Then l too, both they and Mrs. Raspton wer
 aware that they lived far, far within thei l income, and each had their little longing
 and ambitions. Thought was free, at an
 rate, and speech is well, provided it cam
 not to the ear of the ruling powers.
 | "What sweet place the Brinleys havo .
 remarked Mrs. Raspton, pensively as sh
 and MariaJ ane sat at their work one after
 noon. "So complete all through. I
 there is any thing do dote upon it is
 pretty house and grounds"
 And there is no reason why W,
 shouldn't have them, am sure, if fathe
 only thought SO" responded the daughter l But suppose we shall stay here as lon
 as the timbers will hold up the roof. N hope of any change for us."
 l ''pm afraid not. Father would thin1 | it awfully eXtravagant to build"
 "l woldn't ask for that" said Mari
 ---------=-------