The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-21

In fact, it seems to be increasing. At
last she makes the plunge.
"Oh, how much do you want?' asks
Alexander.
She answers, not knowing what can
be spared. Her list of household neces-
saries has been growing for a month.
she could spend $50 as we'll as $40 to-
ward keeping UP the little fiat. Things
do grow shabby, in spite of care. Or
she could spend S. in very careful
manner to remedy the most immediate
wants.
He was not disagrceable, and when
she saw him take a roll of bills out of
his pocket she felt all at once a sort of
glow. This lasted but a second. Then
as he sorted out a couple, selecting
them to hand her, she shrank. She
hated him through the coarseness of
the money.
When Olivia took them into her hand
she felt like dropping them on the
pavement, but she mastered herself
She took account of a slight diff
dence in his manner, and it touched
her. They turned the corner, and he
walked by her side an extra block. She
felt sudden physical weakness.
The need of being in some way
agreeable to him showed her the graf
itude which she ought TO feel But
her sense of justice revolted against
this, as it had against the shame she
had felt before at having taken his
money.
They parted affectionately. He was
considerably surprised when on the
street corner where they separated her
voice had slight tremor. She had
fingered moment after saying Good
hV."
How was he to know that she was
blaming herself for having rebelled?
How was he to know that she felt
deeply his hard earned dollars burn in
her hand? How was he to know that
the tears of sympathy were in her
eyes as she walked on down the block,
that her knees felt weak and she want
ed to turn and run after him and beg
his forgiveness for having taken it?
Olivia began after this consciously
to reflect, as one does only after some
thing has happened why shouldn't
1 take the money? I cont want to do
anything wrong with 1t. I shall spend
it for him, as for myself. He likes his
home. For myself? Am 1 selfsh?"
Something kept telling her that she
was selfish.
mo-" she answered, 1.-The material for
pretty summer dress is not my af-
fair. He wants me to have it. How
else can l get money? I cannot cara
it. 1 am too busy about the house"
Alexander, in his turn, was uncon-
scious of even the possibility of this
kind of thought. He had felt a GER
tain dull tenderness when he handed
the sum to her.
Then, as when a man pays out a
sum, a gap remains, he fell to repair
ing this physical gap, mentally. He
began to calculate if certain sums
would be coming to him this week or
next. He forgot all about his wife's
little matters. His thoughts roamed to
slightly larger pecuniary considera-
TONS
Nearly the whole morning in her
shopping, Olivia felt a faint weight on
her heart. 1t was only after having
bought some sheets, extra groceries,
notions and socks for Alexander that
she found lovely remnant of pink or
candle at less than half price. Barely
enough for a pretty gown, and she
could make it herself
She bought it at once, and then her
calculations became more cheerful.
The weight melted away. How should
she make it? She must combine it
with something to exc out whole cos
tune. A little lace for yoke. Yes,
she had some at home.
How pretty it will be. How Alex
ander will like it," she thought. "Ill
make it and surprise him. l never ex-
pected to get anything so NICE
Alexander would have been mystified
If he could have run through the scale
of feelings, vague thoughts, inconse-
quent rebellions of this ordinary morn
ing of Olivia's shopping. He would
have been offended If any one had said
to him that no matter how kind a man
is to a woman there is one thing he
never does constitutionally: put him
self in her place.
1t is thus that Alexander buys Oliv-
las Independence.