Year: 1878

is the reason you dent order some p
exclaimed Edward Lester, as he enter
ed his pleasant home in the suburbs OF
Boston. You know Maria, l am very
fend Of them, and you are determined
to punish me in some way If you can.


Punish you, Edward ? What do you
talk so foru exclaimed the wife, sweet
little woman, full Of beauty and grace.
You know 1 like them very much
added the petulent husband.


But they taste SO strongly Of the
money


Come, come, Maria, no more ofPoor
Richards saws. am heartily sick Of
them.'


You would not haye me pay sixty
cents box for straw berries, would you


why not p


1t is too much


No, it isn't


You cannot afford it,


Yes, can. Isn't my salary fifteen
hundred a year?'


i do not think Strawberries, at 60
cents box, are very profitable, replied
the pretty wife, with a pleasant smile.


Edward Lester did not deserve such a
beautiful, sweet tempered wife as Maria.


But, in spite of his petulant manner,
he was really an excellent fellow, and
loved the pretty little woman with all
his soul, though it is true that he had a
very singular way Of showing 1t. He
deserved athreshing for his hasty words,
yet he eventually learned better, it is
not worth while to dwell too long upon
the dark side Of his charac ter.


The first year after his marriage he
had labored, but desiring to have the
comforts of home in all their purity, the
young couple had decided to 90 to house
keeping.


Edward would have hired q large
house at q rent Of four hundred year,
if his wife had not persisted that such a
dwelling would wear her life out. He
then left the matter entirely to her, and
she found a nice little cottage seven
miles from the city, at rent of enc
hundred and fifty. The husband liked
it very well, and Mara furnished 1t in a
very plain but neat style.


They were at home now, and for a
time the novelty of the thing kept Ed.
ward in excellent humor. But he was
a reckless fellow and had no idea of the
value Of money. He always spent all
his salary, and sometimes little more


Edward was out of humor because he
had no strawberries, and when he sal
down 10 the table the tea was too weak
the bread tasted Of saleratus, and the
butter was strong. He snarled anC
growled, first at Maria, and then al
Bridget, till the wife was almost dis
couraged. But she did not yield to the
impulse Of the moment and get out o
temper. She kept smiling, however
cutting and severe came the criticism o
her husband.


After tea he was a little melli6ed
for there seemed to be nothing more t.
grumblc at, and even condescended t
smile.


Edward, l want fifty dollars to-mor
rev. said Maria.


This was rather remarkable reques
for the careful little woman to make
for she was very prudent in regard t
her private expenses.


Certainly, Maria replied Edward
'Ibope you are going 10 buy new silk.
Il am


He handed her the money, and hope
she would dress herself a great dta
better than before, for he could afford ii


L am going to spend as much none,
as l cam she replied.


That is right, Maria, do, added th'
reckless husband. And Edward soel
had reason to repent this advice, 70
Maria now seemed 10 spend all he
spare time in asking him for money
He was toe reckless. too magnanimou
to deny her or to suggest that she wa
exceeding the bounds Of reason.


She was merciess in her drafts upo
him, and to supply her demands, for b
had not the courage 10 refuse her moo
est request, he was obliged to curtail hi
own private expenses. On several OF
caslens he had been obliged to bsrro'
money to meet her requisltisns upon hi
purse, and being an honest man he ha
to cut of name luxuries in order to pa
I, these loans.


What had got into Maria9 She wa
eXtravagant, and yet she did not seer