Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1895-07-10

broker made on them, but he tried to
strengthen his heart by reminding him
self that the smaller the loan the easier
would be the Tedeeming of the prop
erty; then he would have the stones
reset in a ring for his wife-a present
which should make her happy for
week, and therefore prevent, for that
length of time, any new expense not
absolutely necessary.
The opportunity came sooner than
he expected; large sale brought him
commissions which made the new ring
an accomplished fact-a fact which
pleased Mrs. MerrigO so hugely that
she at once insisted on giving an after
noon tea so that she might display the
new ring. As MerrigO had already,
through sheer honesty, come down to
a cash basis of family expenses, he had
to sell at a sacrifice valuable gem to
get the money to pay for the little
extras which make the best part of
tea.
From that time forth he talked econ
omy; he did it persistently, yet so slyly
and with so much tact that he per-
suaded Mrs Merrigo to take the baby,
for the summer months, to a country
place of which he had heard and which
he painted in the same cOlOrs in which
it had been painted for him by the
office clerks who had told him of it.
The instant they were off he gave up
cigars and pulled pipe, and he cut
down his personal expenses-food in
cluded-to 81 a day, spent his days at
the store and his nights hunting up
country dealers at the various hotel
Within a week, however Mrs. Mer-
rigo wrote that the place was as dull as
dishwater and utterly uncomfortable,
and if he did not come at once and
take her away she was sure she would
simply die. So MerrigO lost a day of
business time, besides selling more of
his personal property, in taking the
dear girl to a more fashionable place,
where she could see the class of people
she was accustomed to.
At the new place something seemed
to disagree with the baby, so there
were some Doctors bill to be paid, and
! then a nurse to be hired OF course,
! Merrigo made the necessary sacrifices,
| for were there not now two precious
| lives, instead of one, to be cared for Z?
| What were his books, gems, fishing
! rods, opera glasses, scarfpins, etchings,
autographs, &c, in comparison with
his wife and child? He humbly prayed
heaven to forgive him for loving his
| old treasures so dearly that he hesitated
| even for a moment in parting with
| them; he also, in view of his rapidly
diminishing personal property, prayed
for some helpful change before there
should be nothing left to sacrifice.
The summe" season ended at last,
and MerrigO went to bring his wife and
child home. The family had never be-
fore been parted SO long, so Merrigo
| counted or a great strengthening of his
heart through again meeting his dar-
ling.
But he was disappointed his wife
asked him little about himself; her
heart and lips seemed full of the new
people she had met and whom she
wanted her husband to meet at once.
She even objected to her husband s
caresses; it was hard to re-arrange
ones hair in the middle of the after
noon. The baby was less particular,
and its father was indebted to it for
whatever JOY he obtained through the
re-uniting of the family; yet he was
not happy enough to sleep that night
After that day everything went
worse. Mrs MerrigO, who really was
an HfIectionate little thing, without a
wrong intention in her, was occasion
ally quite loving to her husband, who
thereafter went out rejoicing like q
strong nau to run q race" as Holy
Writ has it; but the trouble was that i
the race were won, the winnings-tC
continue the parallel-quickly made
Mrs. Merrigo her pleasure-cTaving lit
tie self again. Her husband argued
gently-for there are some Wellgmean
ing women with whom one cannot
argue in any other way, or, indeed, in
that way, without great risk of failure
and consequent discomfort.
She really tried TO economic, al
times, and the misery the effort caused
her made her husband call himsel
many kinds of brute. Such experience:
were not good for him; excitement il
not good for any one, least of all for
the man or woman who has much work
to do and needs healthy ,unexhausteC
brain to do it with, MerFigo began tC
have strange pains in his head, strange
twinges about his heart. He consulted
his doctor, who looked grave, but said
it was only indigestion, which NIGH
be cured by few days of rest.
Rest? He didn't believe he eve
could rest again, unless he should
chance to make fortune and keep tn,
secret from his wife. The dear it'll,
thing meant so well, TOO, and he wa
powerless TO explain TO her! OF on,
thing he was happily certain; his lif,
was insured for $20,0 900, and should ht
die of worry, there would be some
, thing to support his wife and child
his wife could in any way learn thu
value of money.
Something put it into Mr.. MerrigO'
head to write some instructions for hi
wife's benefit, in case the trouble abou
; his heart should prove more seriou
than the physicians thought. He sa
down one night and wrote them rapid,
for he had little in his mind, at first
: but to say, "Save-save- save you
> money!"
f AS he wrote, the foolishness AM
! protitlessness nature of his man
expenditures came so plainly to MINI
: that he wrote much and wrote strong
Ayg nlLloOAl AOl All tut mistake
he named, but begging his wife, for tn
, sake of their child, to heed his warn
ings lest their darling son should be
, come beggar and thief
f. Where to put this letter, after it wa
> written, he did not know, SO he ad
. dressed it to his wife and put it int
. his own pocket, where it would be sur
) to identify him in case of accident.
{ Still the special expenses went on
/ Mrs. Merrigo cried whenever her hu.
!, band looked grave about one OF them
3 and sometimes she said she wished sh
had never married, if she had to be S
( great a trouble to her husband; sh,
was sure her father had never foun,
) her extravaganza.
One day she gave an entertainment
"a little thing, really, and one whic
: was due from her course of "societ
I events" among the people with whor
9 she associated-but her husband hal
q lost his position the week before, OWN
8 to the firm feeling 1t necessary TO saw
{ commissions by doing their own selin
! so Merrigo had to pawn two or tire
0 suits of his own clothing to get tn
Q necessary money.
D He depleted his wardrobe so severe
3 ly that his wife was pot pleased at hi
+; appearance in his second best eveninl
1 | sniff that mint for che harealf ,,,o, :.