Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-11-21

one loiQ ner husband or her deter
mination at lunch, and when he came
home in the evening it was with the
thought that she would meet him with
the announcement that the European
fund was started. But she did not
come into the hall as he entered, and
she was not in the parlors or the din.
ing room. lie found her at last in the
bedroom, sitting in a rockingham in
an attitude Of detection,
Good heavens, SYLVIA" he ex,
claimed, what's the matter? Is soma
n at home sick or-or dead?"
His wife shook her head. She had
risen and stood dropping before him,
her hands clasped, her eyes down.
cast.
Chester" she said, with unusual
solemnity, 81 have done something
dreadful"
The anxiety of his face relaxed;
and seating himself in the chair she
had vacated, he drew her down on his
knee.
What terrible thing have you
done?' he asked, smiling.
Il have spent the money!" she burst
out desperately.
Spent the money!" he echoed.
Yes, the European money" she
replied. Il was taking it to the bank
and | had to pass Johnson & Bays,
you know; and they had the most ex-
quisite Castellina marbles in the win.
dow. There were three Venuses and
a Cupid and Psyche and a Gladiator
and the loveliest Apollo. They have
never had anything of the kind here
before, you know; and | could not re-
fist going in to look at them. Then I
thought how lovely the Apollo would
be in that empty corner in the front
parlor. And | KEEP looking at it until
it seemed to me it was the one thing
| wanted to make me completely hap
Ply. After a while a lady came in and
said she wanted to select a piece and
she looked at the Apollo. Then II
said ! had already decided to take it.
After that the clerk asked me if l
had a pedestal or a suitable table for
it; and | knew hadn't. So | got an
onyx table; it had to be a nice one,
you know, and-and it took all the
money"
She looked at him anXiously, like a
repentant culprit. For a moment he
regarded her gravely, then he broke
into a laugh.
Well he said, 81 can stand it if
you can. It's only another month
added to the time"
You're so good to take it that
way she said. But this is the last
thing l shall buy; I'm determined on
that"
But show me your acquisition" he
said; I'm burning with impatience to
see it,"
She led the way into the parlor and
pointed to it t~ragically. The pure,
translucent marble was carved in a
figure Of the most exquisite grace.
Sylvia sat down and sighed deeply.
Its lovely she said; but | cannot
help feeling sorry that | got it,"
AS time passed she could not throw
off the feeling, and the statuette be-
came a kind of MoIoch on whose altar
she sacrificed her desires. She had
intended making a little visit to her
mother this month, but she gave it
up.
Il cannot afford it," she explained
to her husband, because / got the
Apollo"
And the money for railroad fare
went into the European fund.
She wanted a new hat and the latest
thing in belts; but she looked at the
Apollo and put the thought aside.
One evening her husband asked
her If she would like to go to the
opera the next night.
DO you think we had better?" she
said seriously. "You know we have
the Apollo"
THAT is So" he replied; I'VE will
add the money to the fund" .
The months slipped by, each one
marked by a deposit for 'the fund"
Sylvia could lever quite forgive her
self for her one extravaganza; she
would not read the advertisements of
bankrupt sales. Whenever she was
tempted to indulge in a picture or
vase she remembered the Apollo.
When the marble statuette had been
in the house a year they found that
they had saved the requisite amount
for their trip. Their preparations were
soon made, and they stood one day
on the deck of a steamer, watching
the shore-line fade in the distance,
while far and away stretched the
seemingly limitless eXpanse of the bill
lowy ocean
u car hardly realize" said Chester.
musingly. that We are actually on u
way to Europe. 1t does not seem true
that before long we shall see the
things of which we have read and
dreamed SO long"
"And to think" she cried joyfully,
1--WE would never have saved the
money in the world If 1t had not been
for the Castellina Apollo"