Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-12-27

turned their eyes from the attrac-
lions of the show-windows and would
not see the empty hooks and wall
spaces they had already filled in their
imagination.
1t was a happy day for Sylvia when !
she had balanced her Housekeeping &C
counts and found surplus OF the |
amount they had agreed upon as the |
monthly contribution to their Euro |
| pean fund.
81 will take it to the bank this very
day" she decided; for if l don't, a
burglar might take this inopportune
time to rife the house"
She told her husband Of 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. He 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 some
one 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, II 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.
II have spent the money!" she burst
out desperately.
Spent the money!" he echoed.
YES, the European money" she
replied. 81 was taking it to the bank
and l 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
Cupid and Psyche and Gladiator
and the loveliest Apollo. They have
never had anything of the kind here
before, you know and / could not re-
. vist going in to look at them. Then l
q thought how lovely the Apollo would
2 be in that empty corner in the front
= parlor And / KEEP looking at 1t until
: it seemed to me it was the one thing
/ wanted to make me completely hap
by. After while lady came in and
I said she wanted to select a piece and
y she looked at the Apollo. Then IL
said | had already decided to take 1t.
I After that the clerk asked me IL
/ had a pedestal or a suitable table for
+. 1t; and l knew l hadn't. So l got an
n onyx table; it had to be a nice one,
|. you know, and-and it took all the
money"
7 She looked at him anxionsly, like a
repentant culprit For a moment he
regarded her gravely, then he broke
| into laugh.
/ We'll" he said, Il can stand 1t II
you can. It's only another month
| added to the time"
You're so good to take 1t that
way" she said. But this is the last
j thing I shall buy; I'm determined or
7 that"
/ But show me your acquisition" he
said; I'm burning with impotence tt
see it."
h She led the way into the parlor ant
I pointed to it tragically. The pure
translucent marble was carved in
figure of the most exquisite grace
Sylvia sat down and sighed deeply
It's lovely" she said; "but I canno
help feeling sorry that got it,
AS time passed she could not throw
I off the feeling, and the statuette be
came kind of Moloch on whose alta
she sacrificed her desires She hal
intended making a little visit to he
mother this month, but she gave i
J up.
Il cannot afford it." she explaine,
to her husband, because l got tn
rs Apollo"
II And the money for railroad far
went into the European fund
nc She wanted a new hat and the lates
lg- thing in belts; but she looked at tn
u Apollo and put the thought aside.
Ut One evening her husband aske
IS her II she would like to go to tn
en- opera the next night.
IT'S DO you think We had better?" sh
said seriously. You know we hav
le- the Apollo"
nd THAT is So" he replied; I'VE wi
add the money to the fund"
The months slipped by, each on
ne marked by deposit for '.the fund
gh Sylvia could never quite forgive he
wo self for her one extravaganza; 81
would not read the advertisements ,
WIS bankrupt sales. Whenever she ws
nd tempted to indulge in a picture {
Id. vase she remembered the Apollo.
ap- When the marble statuette had bee
in the house a year they found tn,
lad they had saved the requisite anon
ter for their trip. Their preparations we,
soon made, and they stood one ds
set on the deck Of steamer, watchir
the shore-line fade In tho d;.4n-