Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-19
WHAT SHE GOULD.
ny Ian MacIRren.
Copyrisht. 1897, by Ian Maclaren.1


and kept her accounts with the aid of
six purses. One was an ancient house
wife of her grandmother's which used
to be equipped with silk and thread and
needles and buttons, and from a secret
place yielded to the third generation a
bank note of value. This capacious re-
ceptacle was evidently intended for the
household exchequer, whose transactions
were innumerable and whose monthly
budget depended for success on an un-
failing supply Of copper. Another had
come from her mother and was of obso-
lete design--a bag closed at both ex-
tremities, with a long, narrow slip in
the middle and two rings which COM
pressed the gold into one end and the
silver into the other. This was marked
out by Providence for charity, since it
made no provisions for pennies and laid
handicap Of inconvenience on three
penny bits 1t retained subtle trace of
an old fashioned scent her mother loved
and recalled her mother going out on
some errand of mercy-a st. Glare in
her sacrifices and devotion. Purse three
descended from her father and was an
leather with a steel clasp that closed
with a click, having three compart-
ments within, one of which had its own
clasp and was reserved for gold In this
bank Maud kept the funds of clothing
society, whose more mastery bargains
ran some times into farthings, and she
was always haunted with anxiety lest a
new farthing and half sovereign
should some day change places. A pref
ty little purse with ivory sides and sill
yer hinges-a birthday gift of her girl
hood-was large enough to hold her
dress allowance, which Trevor had fixed
at a most generous rate when he had
barely e400 year and had since forgot
ten to increase. One in sealskin had
been gift of engagement days and held
the savings of the year against birthday
and Christmas presents-whose contents
were the subject Of many calculations.
A cast off purse of Trevor's had been
devoted to BERTHE, their only child, and
from its resources came, one way or
other, all he needed, but it happened
that No. was constantly REINFORCED
from the purse with the ivory sides.
Saturday forenoon was sacred to book
keeping, and Maud used her bed as
table for this critical operation, partly
because it was so much larger than all
escritoire, but chiefly because you could
empty the purses into little pools with
steep, protecting banks. OF course if
one sat down hurriedly there was great
danger of amalgamation, with quite
l,oJl
over Maud's head the chance of his
making this mistake. 1t was his way,
till he grew too busy, to watch till the
anxious face would suddenly brighten
and rapid change be made i'll the
pools-the household contributing some
thing to presents and dress purse to Ber-
tie, while private and public charity
would accommodate each other with
change. Caresses were strictly forbidden
in those times Of abstruse calculation,
and the evil one who stands at every
mans elbow once tempted Trevor to
roll the counterpart into bundle
purses, money and all-but Maud, when
he confessed, said that no human being
would be allowed to fall into such
wickedness
Trevor was obliged to open her ward
robe IA days after the funeral, and the
first thing he lighted upon was the
purses. They lay in row on an old &C
count book-a motley set indeed-but SO
absurd and tricky a spirit is pathos that
they affected him more swiftly than
the sight of a portrait Was ever any
one so faithful and conscientious, so self
forgetful and kind, so capable also and
clever in her own sphere? Latterly he
had sneered at the purses, and once,
being vexed at something in a letter, he
had told Maud she ought to have dcne
with that folly and keep her accounts
| like an educated woman. "a girl Of 10
would be ashamed" What merciless
power memory wieldsl She only dropped
her head-it was on the sealskin purse
the tear fell, and he saw the bend of
the Wye at Tintern where he had sur
prised her with that purse. He was
moved to kiss away that tear, but his
heart hardened. Why could she not be
like the women he knew? Well, he
would not be troubled any longer with
her simple ways--he could do as he
pleased now with the purses A bitter
madness of grief took possession of him,
and he arranged them on the bed.
One was empty, the present purse,
and he understood-the dress purse, of
course, little silver only-the rest had
gone that he might have something
beautiful. He knew that it must be
done sooner or later, and today was
best, for his heart could be no sorer.
Yes, here they were. the ungiven gifts.
For every person, from himself to the
nurse-all wrapped in soft white paper
and ready in good time. But he must
open it-an inkstand for his study in
solid brass, with pens and other things
complete-he noted every detail as if to
estimate its value. 1t came back to him
how she had ounningly questioned him
about his needs before he left for Cannes
till he grew impatient. "Don't bother
me about ink bottles" Yes, tho very
words and others-the secret writing Of
memory came out in this fire of sorrow.
"Why won't women understand that a
man can't answer questions about trifles
when he has work on hand?" He could
swear to the words, and he knew how
Maud looked, although he did not see.
Don't go away. You promised that
you would sit beside me when l worked
. hinder me? I suppose you are bidding
| for a kiss, You know the sight of yOur