The Cairo bulletin., 1910-06-24
THE MAHOGANY
TABLE


wealthy man was not one of Nettie's
characteristics her mistake resulted
through ignorance, want of knew
ledge OF her husbands ability to
spend, She never asked him about
his money possibilities When she
needed anything 1t was enough for
her to hear his, I'VE may" He had
never yet said, We may mott" They
made one addition after another to
| the pretty house-furnishings until
all that thesparlor needed was ma
| hogany table
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
1t lasts, the more economical we
| shall find 1t In the end"
Somehow, they were not quite SO
happy after the table came Dick
would often return from business
tired and harassed and instead OF
| 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 and
| he answered something under his
breath about It's being enough to
drive man to drink, she ran up
stairs in crying At and he went out
at the front door, banging 1t after
| him
Whether 1t was a long or short
time after this troubled incident, Net
| tie could never tell, but 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 go quietly
enough; don't make fuss; only let
| me see my wife Erst!" She was In
the hall in an instant, struck dumb
at the sight of two burly officers.
| What were they saying embezzle-
ment Dick thief? Never! She
| tried to speak but her lips refused
utterance, One last despairing look,
and Dick was gone.
ooh, Dick Dick" moaned the
grlef-stricAen Nettie. Whatever had
| the officers meant when they said
| embezzle Dick a theft Never!
| 1t was all a mistake, terrible, wick
| ed mistake. and all her fault, for
she had been cross to him when he
was tired, and this was punishment
| for them both.
Dick Rice's father threw down his
evening paper in astonishment and
his slippered feet fell with a thud
to tho floor, knocking over the foot
stool as he sprang up on sight OF his
sons wife, wildly dlsheyelled. throw
Ing herself sobbingly upon the bosom
If Mrs Rice, declaring that Dick
wasn't q thief and she didn't know
| what embezzlement meant anyway
Drawing on boots and coat, he
actively called numberless people
over the telephone, ending by going
out himself, white Mrs Rice, trying
to comfort the girl. alternately dried
her own tears and Nettie's on the
same handkerchief
Hours had dragged by to their an
xious fancy when Mr. Rice returned,
| bringing Mr.. Ross and Mr.. Plunkett,
members Of Dicks firm, and among
st them Dick himself; not cowed.
trembling Dick afraid to look them
In their honest faces, but white
faced anxious Dick whose gaze scar
ched one by one the faces before
him lastly his mothers and Net
ties. Mr. Ross was voluble In he
distress Not for worlds would he
have had this terrible mistake occur.
Dick was an honest fellow; he had
trusted him as his own son; he
should speak or himself"
Nettie saw t6a shamesace OK
preston cross the grabbed face OF
Mr.. Plunkett, who eudeavored to
hide the fact that he had secretey
held motiveless grudge against
Dick and watching his opportunity
had charged him with theft at the
first sign of proof.
s'I cannot deny til" came the un-
expected reply from the boys ashen
lips. The men fell back. Il
wanted rather nice, things at home,
he continued In d low voice Nettie
heard as though waking from Q
dream. II bought them, she heard
him sayt "thiaklng l could save
money enough OF pay for them; but
could not and payment was due
held responsible position for the
Arm; large sums of money passed
through my hands. and used sum
/ did not mean to steal; could have
replaced 1t soon, but somebody he
generously left DIR. Plunkstt's name
unspoken. watching, found It out.
ooh, Dick! Dtckl" cried Nettis
throwing herself into his s.rIns. II
was all my fault. | pressSd you u
spend for things we could have don'
without---but I didn't know --yot
didn't tell m" sobs clicking hel
voice; she could not 90 GU.
His face lighted He hgi0 har h