Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-01-03

thing, have II" he asked after the
manner of the kind of man he was.
When breakfast was over Susan Ann
was not much nearer the desired goal
than before, and she was in bad
humor besides, with an addition in
the shape of disappointment in Jor
am she had been trying for long
time to stave off.
At the end of q week he gave her
$40 and told her that he could not
spare another cent.
You must remember, Susan Ann.
he said, "that | amt millionaire.
And even If l was, l wouldn't en-
courage extravaganza in woman. It's
born in 'em anyway, and if they git
half chance with money they never
know when to stop letting it CO."
Three months after this lecture from
Joram, she got another when the ne
cessities of the case drove her to him
to get pair OF shoes.
Then Susan Ann sat down to think
over the situation, and it is safe to say
that she did some very tall thinking.
Some women might have wept, but
Susan Ann was no weeper. If she had
tears to shed, she did not intend to
shed them in cause of this kind.
Something harder than tears was the
remedy, and Susan Ann was not long
in getting at it.
That night Mt supper Joram didn't
like the coffee. 1t was more like
beans, he said, but Susan Ann hadn't
much to say, and Joram thought she
was sullen because he had talked
judiciously to her on the subject of
extravaganza.
The bad coffee continued a week and
not as good nor was the bread, as it
had once been. He complained, but
Susan Ann hadn't much to say.
On the following Sunday when they
started out to church Joram thought
Susan Ann was sight to behold, but
he didn't say anything for fear she
might come back at him about the
dress and the shoes.
1t was the first time since they had
been married that Joram had not felt
n pride in the appearance of Mrs.
Nellums and it made him think just
little. On the way home he spoke of
it and suggested that as he had made
a little something on wheat the week
before, maybe he could let her have
that money for new dress.
Indeed, no, Joram," she replied,
81 don't want it. l only thought 1
did. I can get along just as well with
what 1 have at present and we can
save that. Every little counts, you
know, Joram, and we are too poor to
go to needless expense"
He insisted mildly that she should
take the money, but it was not diff
cult for her to convince him that it
was extravagant, and he said no more
about it.
The dark bread and the weak coffee
and the bad meat continued, and there
were added other things less attrac-
tive to the palate than formerly, and
one day when he wanted to know why
she did not use the meat in the smoke
house that he knew was as good as any
that had ever been cured, and he
prided himself on curing meat, she
surprised him by putting quite q sum
of money down by his plate and tell
ing him she had sold it for good
price because she thought it was more
economical to eat less expensive meat.
Joram began to talk, but she was so
pleasant and practical in her argu-
ments that he hadn't the heart to
argue and gave up to her.
He also put the money in his poe
ket.
One day when he went into town on
his wagon some boys made rude re-
marks about the clothes he wore, and
when he told Susan Ann about it, and
said maybe be had ought get some
thing better, she flew all to pieces and
gave the naughty boys such raking
over that Joram was sorry he had said
anything about it, and went on wear
ing the same old clothes.
A dozen or more times during the
winter Joram sat shivering before n
miserable fire because Susan Ann in
sisted that fuel was too expensive and
that they must save until they had
plenty to indulge in luxuries on.
Day by day the table became poorer
and pooer; the good china was put
away and the old cracked kind brought
out; the little silver things that had
been given them for wedding pres
ents were locked up. and Susan Ann
was cutting down expenses in a way
that nobody would have expected oi
her.
Several nights Joram almost froze
for lack of cover, but Susan Ann was
cheerful and told him that newspa-
pers were warmer than blankets if he
would only make up his mind to think
SO.
He kicked, however, on this and
was only pacified when she gave hin
$40 that she had received for tn,
fruit she had put up and didn't care
to use. He thought it was extra stocl
that she had, but later when he wanted
some and she told him she had sold il
all, and there wasn't anything for des