The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-01-14

our own house. 1t seems too good &c
be true, doesn't it?"
As John Strings pretty wife was
speaking she let down the soft, heavy
falling brocatelle curtains Of the hand
some room, half paflor, half library
where she sat with her husband: tor
ued on little more gas, SO that the
Italian peasant girl and the dark
bright Spanish woman, on the alabas-
ter shade of the drop light, nigh dis
| play their beauties yet more glowing
| ly; and then seated herself in cosy
little easy chair. beside the lounge,
where her husband lay stretched out
in the enjoyment of the masculine
comforts of evening ease and house
hold sovereignty Taking upa dain-
ty bit of bright colorei knitting she
went on:
1T was very nice, to he sure, boar
| ding at mothers. but it was sort OF
vacant life after all, his It's SO much
better | have something to do now
John Stirring smiled,
And something 10 govern. After
all | believe it is the love Of power
that makes you woman SO delight in
! homes of your oWn. | don't doubt,
gentle as you seem, that your servants
find yon as austere as the Great Mo
| gul"
Il declare, John. you are too bad.
| never sc0ld, and I'm sure everything
has gone SO nicely since we have been
| here -
"A whole week Nellie, and all the
brooms new. But don't look sober.
[ have every confidence in your abili
ty to keep the wheels moving"
She sat silent while, until her hu5-
band began to want to hear her voice
again, and rallied her for abstraction
What is it, little one? You seem
III brown study about something. Re
member Pm your prime min ister, and
| must know all the state seer cts and
| cares of lvernment." ;"
Il was ouly wondering, whether
you would see certain matter as | do.
Do you realize how many we went
| to while we were at luothor's2 There
We're the Hurlbut. asked rs three times,
and the Hraysons twice, and you know
we went everywhere"
John Stirling knew that very well .
Somewhat reserved of nature save to
those of his own household, and not
fond of general society, going to a
continual round of parties had been
one OF the sacrifices he had made, dur
ing the first winter of his marriage,
to please his gay little wife. The
idea crossed his mind, as she spoke,
that she too had wearied of SO much
excitement, and was going to propose,
| for the future, a quieter life.
Yes" he answered, Il know we
went out great deal, but | thought
| you liked it.
Yes, liked it." she said, with a
little embarrassment, for her woman's
intuition OWNED the course his
thoughts had taken.
Il was only thinking, John, that,
having accepted so many invitations,
every one would say we were very
mean if we did not give at least one
large party in return. 1t would be
| Just the best time now, don't you see?
Everything we have Is SO fresh and
new our drawing rooms are really
elegant! | should SO like to gather
our friends round rs, and give a sort
of h"Gse. warming"
THAT a primitive, comfortable sound
ing term, Nellie How much would
this friendly little affair cost us?'
"Oh, I've thought that all over We
should have to ask every one we knew
1t wouldn't do to slight any, Be
sides, the more the merriel, you know
We would have Smith get up the
supper and furnish the decorations
His bill would abont three hundred
and fifty-say fifty more ior mnsic
and new dress for me-"
Five hundred dollars, ell; Nellie?,
Yes | am sure | could make five
hundred do it handsomely. | could
send out the invitations for week af
ter next"
We'll, dear, you must let me dream
over it. | really 6idn't know recep
tions were such expensive affairs. Five
hundred dollars for ore evenings en-,
tertainment: and the prospect of ;
hard winter. and so much suffering
among the poor! Well, I'll tell you il
the morning If | can make up my
mind that it is right. you shall have
the party"
The rest of the evening was littl,
constrained. The youg wife, seeing
that her husband did not care to tall
about the reception any more jus
then, struggled braveiy to avoid Tia,
subject, and inasmuch as it held pos
session of all her thoughts, was rathe
an absentmlnded companion.
That night, after his wife was quietl,
asleep beside him, John Stirling spen
an hour of untroubled thought Tn
like Nellie, he had been brught up il
a quiet country home. where five hun
dred dollars would have been though
a by no means inadequate provision
for the support of the whole famll.
; during an entire year Was it right
could it be right, to spend it all upo
one evenings entertainment p fo
the sake, too, Of people who would b
in nowise benefited thereby-whos
) choicest pleasures were SO sommo
: that they had already palled upo
9 their sense? But then, as his wifi
had suggested, they had been out 5
much woald not this drawing bac
: from a return of civilties look Yer
5 mean? and John Stirling shranl
I with all the pride of a sensitive mar
from the least imputation of meannes
! They were not rich. True, his capt.;
e was his own. and his business wa
n good, but he had not felt that L
t could afford to spend more than thre
IS thousand a year on home expense
I, and here was five hundred extra, a,upo
q which he had not counted. coming
lie once. Surely he could not dare, fl
y such cause, to stint his contribution
rs for the relief OF the sutfering2 Coul
eo he afford it without? Nellie. the i
ID dulged child of wealthy parents, kne