Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1900-11-08
THE REWARD
OF HER PRIDE.
By Frank Summers.

%ST1sNN
The fire in the fireplace cracked
cheerily in a chatty, confidential tone
that morning, with now and then d
chuckle or suppressed laugh, as IL II
would mock the silence of the d1nlnS-
room occupants. There were three at
table. man, wife and newspaper. The
man was devouring morsels OF the
newspaper sandwich fashion tive
tastes of bacon and coffee. He was
holding it high, so that it served as a
screen to shut off the prospect IN 'front.'
Of him. with it's one solitary inquire IN
the foreground-his Wife
AS far as simple attractiveness IS
concerned, one could not have Wonoer-
ed very much. Mrs. Frensham ola not
make a pretty picture thai morning.
She was fair and small, with a race
that must have been charming once,
and, as q. connOisSeur WOULD nave seeH'
still holding the possibility of beauty
when some new condition should call
out its latent color. But now 1t was
lifeless and inert, the eyes dull, the
yellow hair traggling and untldy, the
avender and white gown pretty
enough in itself, but carelessly worn
and u~nbeconing.
She had not cared for dress since ut
tie Daisy's death. Nothing a mat
tered much since then. There mao
been months following that tragedy,
when she had been only half existent
kind of sea m h said, 6
to the same tiny bit of rock while the
tide came and went. She had lost her
prettiness during that long season OF
half light, and her husband nao not
cared for her any more.
A man must have smiles and beauty,
or he takes his hat and goes to the
office. There is always solace there
and he can smoke. She had often en-
WED him that high p~riv1lege-ln fact'
had stolen one of the pretty brown c1-
cars and taken it to her room once,
with intent to learn, if possible, where
lay it's subtle power of diversion and
comfort, but her innate prejudices had
been too strong.
She sat listlessly lingering the spoon
in her cup, as if she were trying TO tel
fortunes in the old-fashioned way. &c
casionally she glanced about the room
and it's pretty furnishings; Tor she mao
planned in the days then she had
cared for such things, its harmon1es OF
oak and yellow browns, with now and
then, in a picture of gentians, a piece
Of exquisite Delft or Wedgwood, or a
bit of drapery, a note of delicate blue,
placed there to break the monotone.
"Good!" he said at last, laying down
his DaDer, They're raising the dividend
on the a
Eyes" she said, ndifferently then
RISING. xvii you please excuse me!
She sauntered on halfway across the
room. stopping at the bank OF terns
opposite the fireplace, where she stood
a. minute, drawing her hand along a
frond as if it were a feather. Ihere
was a large bunch of roses in a vase at
81 14al-o1 of them and
scowled slightly. The flowers were of
his ordering. There were white or vel
low roses in that piece Of Delft every
morning of the year.
1t was a bit of sentiment on his part.
for had not Daisy filed that jar with
roses only a few days before h had
ceased to know the roses when they
laid them in her hand? Yet what Ole
he care for the past-he who had his
office. his friends, and his papers? Ano
the roses cost money. 1t seemed such
an thing that in that lux
urious home it's mistress should DC
Jealous of their money value
Her husband had not been a wealthy
man when they were married. There
had been just enough suggestion Of
possible hardships and self-denlals II
her love story to give it the flavor OF
omanc She had been glad hat NJ
was not T1cn, anu IdO O1LSI OAu I'LL
SO. Boosting that the time might com
when she could find ways of helping
him. 1t had been a source of annoy
ance that. one evening, when she hat
repeated her statement proudly, he ha(
looked down upon her shell-llke hands
lying palm upon palm-and laughed
Up to the time Daisy had died he hat
made her q sharer in his gains, say
ing gaily at the beginning OF tn
--LoIJ we r. n oTno g
your salary, Mabel" or laughingly, 2"
must announce a higher dividend thi
month, my love, because I have dis
covered that a. woman's ability t
spend money is inversely in proportio
to her size" But since Daisy's deaf
he had never offered her a penny be
yord the usual monthly allowance
That would have been more tha
enough to satisfy her needs, narrowe
as they had become; but it p
tia .4er own family was II need Z
help.
one of her brother had met wit
reyerses. md, his health failing, III
expenses OF his family had largel
fallen upon relatives. h had neve
told her husband any particulars {
the affair, and as he had become S
Indifferent to her needs of late, was to
proud to ask him for money. Yet sh
saved eagerly her own little store, de
nying herself almost every luxury
even reading the old books again, thu
she might have something to send he
people.
For an instant, as she stood by tt
roses. she had felt the sharp none
sting-the longing to transmute the
color and fragrance to the metal
whose call they had come; and abo0
all she felt resentment that he shou
be carelessly gratifying his tastes ar
fancies without stint, while she W.
making every penny render full servi,
and account.
There's no comfort to be taken wit
hooks that have board covers" 81
thought. ct like to ave them soft al