The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-09
THE MAHOGANY
TABLE

The indifference with which a wo
man may sQuander the money OF
wealthy man Was not one OF Ncttei
! characteristics her mistake resultel
| through ignorance, want Of knew
| ledge OF her husband ability t
spend. She never asked him abou
his money possibilities. When sht
needed anything it was enough fol
her TO hear his, I'VE may" He hac
never yet said, Eve may not" Tney
made one addition after another to
the pretty house-furnishirg until
all that the parlor needed was Ma
hogany table. r,5s
1t must be mahogany" she said
looking brightly up into Dicks face
''for the nicer 1t Is. the more pride
we shall take In it. and the longer
It lasts. the more economical we
shall find II In the end"
Somehow, they were not quite so
happy after the table came. Dick
would often return from business
MI GQ anu hAt asoth fASkSdQ VI
the evening stories or interesting
talk. paced the floor with tireless
tread that made Nettie's nerves ache.
Once or twice he spoke irritably and
sharply to her. had TO catch himself
end apologize for not being as loving
as usual. until one night when she
told him he was positively cross aad
he answered something under his
breath about its being enough to
drive a man to drink, she ran up
stairs in crying fl and he went out
at the front door. banging 1t after
him
Whether 1t was long or short
time after this troubled incident Net
tie could never tell bat suddenly
there was noise and commotion in
the hall, the sound OF voices and
many feet, and Dicks voice cold and
desperate. saying. I'm 90 quietly
enough; don't make fuss; only let
me see my wife first." She was In
the hall In an instant, struck dumb
AZ the sight OF two burly officers.
What were they saying embez le-
ment Dick a thief? Never! She
tried to speak but her lips refused
utterance One last despairing look.
and Dick was gone.
"Oh, Dicki Dick" moaned the
Nettie. Whatever had
the officers meant when they said.
Dick a thief? Never!
Il was all mistake, terrible. wick
ed mistake. and all her fault. for
she had been cross to him when he
was tired. and this was a punishment
Tor them both.
Dick Rice's father threw down his
evening paper In establishment and 1
his slippered feet fell with taud
% the floor, knocking over the foot
tool as he sprang up on sight of his
ons wife, wildly dishevelled. throw |
ng herself sobbingly upon the bosom
II Mrs Rice, declaring that Dick |
wasn't a thief and she didn't know /
What embezzlement meant anyway. |
Drawing on boots and coat, he
ctively called numberless people |
yer the telephone. ending by going
ut himself, while Mrs. Rice. trying |
0 comfort the girl. alternately dried
er own tears and Nettie's on the
anne handkerchief.
Hours had dragged by to their an
ious fancy when Mr.. Rice returned, /
ringing Mr. Ross and Mr.. Plunkett.
lem bers of Dicks firm, and among
I them Dick himself; not cowed,
Dick afraid to look them
} their honest faces, but white
aoed anxious Dick whose gaze scar
he'd one by one the faces before
I'M lastly his mothers and Net
les. Mr.. Ross was voluble In his
istress. Not for worlds would he
ave had this terrible mistake occur
tick was an honest fellow; he had
rusted him as his own son; he
hould speak or himself
Nettie saw the shamefaced ex-
ession cross the grabbed face of
lr. Plunkett, who en1eavored to
ide the fact that he had secretely
cid a motiveless grudge against
lick and watching his opportunity
ad charged him with THEFT at the
rst sign of proof.
II cannot deny it," came the an |
ypected reply from the boys ashen
rs. The men fell back. Il ,
anted rather nice things at home
g continued in, low voice. Nettis
card as thosgh waking from ;
-eam. Il bought them. she heara
him say( thinking | could save
oney enough OF pay for them; but
could not and payment vas due
held a responsible position for the {
rm; large sums of money passed i
trough my hands. and used sum.
did not mean to steal: could have
'placed it soon. but somebody"
snerously left Mr. Plunkett's name I
1spoken watching. found il out" I
"Oh, Dick, Dick" cried Nettle.
rowing herself into his arms 1t
as all my fault | pressed you to
END for things we could have done |
didn't know you c
dn't tell n" sobs choking her $
ice. she could not go on. I
His face lighted He held her TO
m in a wild joy You DO not hate c