Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-10-31

HOW 90 you uidudSc Win youf WIG
about money matters?" he ventured
one evening after dinner. IF she
wants money, you require her to make
her wants known. | %suppose?"
Require her Il ask me for her
own!" exclaimed Frank. in good-na-
tured scorn. "Not much. l should
think well of myself to subject my
wife to such humiliation, She has
as much right to what / make as l
have. It would look pretty, wouldn't
it, for me to require her to get down
on her knees and beg humbly for a
dollar every time she happened to
want one? Besides, no woman of spirit
would stand such nonsense. My wife
knows where l keep my money, and
when she wants any she goes and
helps herself. We no longer live In
the dark ages, my boy"
An angry retort rose to Singleton,s
lips, but he reflected that it was his
last day with Frank, and so he held
his peace.
At Sam Singleton's there was a diff
ferent state of things. Sam was not
rich. He had a rather meager salary
and lived in a small house. His wife
was a delicate little lady, and there
were three children.
Singleton found the atmosphere OF
this house peculiarly delightful. Sam
was a large man, and his soul match
ed his body. His children adored him.
He had a thoughtful, protecting con-
sideration of his wife, and she in
turn seemed to lean and depend on
him.
Here" he told himself, I'll wager
there's no foolish pride about asking
for money"
At dinner time, on the last day of
his stay, Sam suddenly looked across
the table at his wife. "Oh, Ellen" he
said in the most matter-of-fact way,
can you let me have five dollars?"
And Ellen left the room for a minute
and returned with the money, which
she gave him.
"Metaphorically speaking" explain
ed Sam, with a laugh at Arthur's look
Of establishment, my pockets all have
holes in them, so l let Ellen have the
handling of the cash, and it goes twice
as far as it would with me. She is a
born financier, which, sad to say, I
am not"
The business on which Singleton
had come prospered, and the months
n1iono1 uroN with tp1apahJa cWiftnnEG
Once on his way home, however, he
was seized with a fever of homesick-
ness, and the cars seemed almost to
creep.
He had written brief letters to
Ethel during his absence, and she had
also written, but less often and more
briefly, saying that as nothing hap.
pened, there was nothing to write. His
last two letters had not been answer
ed at all, and he felt a vague uneasi-
ness.
The long journey was at last ended,
and Singleton found himself running
I'D the walk of his own yard. There
were no lights in the house, but he
thought little of that, for it was bare
t ly dark yet. He hastily unlocked the
} door with his latch key and entered.
To his dismay there was nobody in
any of the rooms.
5 Half beside himself with dread, he
hurried to the nearest neighbours. Mrs.
Allen responded to his imperative ring
} of the bell.
"Do tell me what has happened?'
!, implored Singleton, his heart standing
t still with a pameless fear.
Mrs. Singleton has been sick
quite SICK" said Mrs. Allen, But
she's getting better now" she has
tened to add.
Singleton breathed again.
"She got your letter asking her to
see about the fire insurance on the
house, and on looking at the policy
she found it ran out that very night at
- o'clock. So she set out in a pour
ing rain to have it renewed, and her
shoes were very thin and her over
shoes leaky-'
"Where is she now?" demanded Sin.
gleton.
Her mother came and nursed hel
until she was able to travel, and then
took her home with her."
How long since?
"About a week ago"
II was in the middle of the fore
noon when he entered his motherin
laws house.
Ethel started up with a joyful cry
and Singleton's heart smote him as
4 he saw how thin and pale she was
ETHEL" he said at length, drawing
her down on the fofa beside him. I"
have a confession to make. Yoi
have been the best and dearest wifi,
a man ever had, and / have treated
YOU abominably. In that disagree
Ie ment of ours | was wrong-entirel,
and inexcusably wrong. And | have
been in the wrong ever since you mar
ried me. l have wanted to have m,
IS own way in everything, and to dom
le ineer over you and be your master
5e But while | have been away | havI
had time for thinking, and I havI
" come to see the marriage relation Il
rs a very different light. When a maj
at comes 10 love his wife more thai
III himself, he no longer wants to lori
it over her. He only wants to maxi
N her happy"
to Ethel's eyes were full Of tears.
he do you forgive me-"
-. tT lonbI Cool as tIo,,nb 4bo,0 u-ol