Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1899-12-30

lease and fixtures were sold under tn,
hammer for non-payment of rent, ant
the good lady took up her abode in the
Clancy domicile. After her arrival
Clancy's position was not an enviable
one. After his hard days work at the
mine he came home to frequently find
his mother-in-law drunk and his wife
robed In dirty dress, unwashed and
unkempt, stretched out on a sofa alb.
sorbed in some tragic and wildly ex-
citing tale of life on the border, and nc
supper ready. So at last IL got TO be
quite the correct thing for the poor
devil to kindle a fire and prepare n
meal for all. To make matters worse
the severity Of the weather made It ex-
ceedingly difficult to work his claim.
and It was only by unflagging industry
that he managed to make his income
keep pace with the wretched extraya-
gance and wastefulness at home. and
at last the gaunt spectre of Debt spread
its vampire-like wings over him. Up
to this time the mans jovial good ma
ture and naturally buoyant spirits had
sustained him and he had never re-
preached his wife for her wasteful and
slovenly habits. nor her mother for her
vile language and habitual drunken
ness. But one night, coming into the
house more than usually fatigued, and
finding his wife tilted back in a chair.
| with her feet on the table at an angle
that exposed half yard of dirty lin
gerie and soiled stockings. with the
| usual cheap novel in her hand, while
the worthy mother lay on the sofa
snoring off the effects of her last de-
bauch, he lost all patience and ex-
claimed: Damn 1t, Bess, IL you
haven't any respect for me, you might
have little for yourself. How long
| Is this sort OF thing going to last?
don't believe you ever comb your hair
| any more and, your underclothes look
as II they hadn't been washed for a
month. What the devil are you think
ing of to let things go this way? The
house is hardly fit for hog to come
into. You don't expect me to do all
the rest Of the homework as well as
the cooking. do your"
You can IL you want to-" answered
the wife serenely, reading on. Exas-
perated at this aggravating remark the
husband lifted her bodily out Of the
chair and stood her up on the floor
with a jolt that brought her teeth to-
gether with a snap like steel trap.
Look here, my girl" he said. and
there was look in his eyes that Bess
didn't half like, I've borne a good
deal, but you've carried this too far.
Now. want you to stick that book
In the stove wash yourself and put a
decent dress on. and then get me some
supper and tidy up the house, and IL
you don't, although. never struck q
woman, Ill give you such thrashing
as you'll remember till you die" And
he gave her parting shake by way
OF emphasis as he released her. Clancy
had his supper cooked and served that
night by a wife whose glossy hair
clean face and neat dress reminded
him or the sweetheart he had loved and
won In the past that now seemed so
distant. Man-like he made the mis-
take of housing her in his arms after
supper and petted, caressed and fond
led her and besought her pardon for
his roughness. To all of which Bess
submitted quietly, listened kindly and
answered graciously, and effectually
conquered her husband with what has
ever been woman's most fatal weapon.
a sudden burst of tears. 1t Is said that
our amusing cousins, the monkeys.
often make manifest their grief by
weeping, but the male of the genus
homo is rarely crying animal and is
always deeply affected at woman's
simious trick of distilling moisture
from her eyes. In few days she had
got back into the old groove of negli-
gent idleness; the only noticeable eff
feet OF her husbands threats being
that she dressed In gaudy nashy cos
tunes, but as her attire had no uni
formity OF style, color or quality. IL did
not meet with much enthusiastic
praise from her husband, who had pref
ty correct taste in those matters. One
costume in particular that Bess de-
lighted to wear used to nearly set
Clancy's teeth on edge. This consist
ed OF red plush basque with green
silk trimmings and was worn with q
skirt OF sky-blue calico, jaunty black
hat with dropping brown ostrich
feathers, and shawl of any color that
CHANGED to please her cratic fancy.
Serenely unconscious of any incon-
gruity In her attire, Bess used to nit
about Placerville in this gorgeous ar
ray to the no small amusement OF other
women. II was the last week In jan
uary. lSol. Clancy had made an un-
usually good clean up and was In ex-
cellent spirits In consequence. Going
home, he stood beside his wife and
dropped the little golden pellets one by
one into her lap. "A few more such
streaks Of luck, Bess." he said exult-
antly. will give us chance to live
In New York yet. Be careful with Il.
my dear, and settle all the bills the
hrst thing. I've little personal ac-
count at the store for tools and powder,
but that can run for few weeks yet,
l guess" did you square all the ac-
counts, Bess?" he asked her a few |
days subsequently. Yes. paid them
ALL" she replied. by Jove! II seems
good to be nearly out of debt again.
I'll be able to pay my last powder bill
Saturday. ! hope" Saturday, how
ever, brought new trouble. He went
to the general store. before going
home, TO pay his personal bills and