Year: 1877




first business was 70 find one 10 sui
/ Us, the next to get INTO it B. soon a.


possible.


We must have spent a small for


tune in csb-hire before we f1sill
found just what we wanted ever
then, though the situation was goOC
and the dOmicile desirable, the rem
rather frightened us it was eight
guineas q year unfurnished but W
| should be so comfortable in il. Tn


smallness Of size-and it was extreme


ly smali-was rather an advantage


than otherwise, as it would require 81
little furniture and two maid
would be amply sufficient for our es
tablishment, which in such q plac
would be most creditable mensge.
We were delighted with the house
the balcony to the drawing room be
ing as we enthusiastically agreed, al


most worth the rent itself; and VI


made no resistance when the housl
agent, who must have had SOM
amusement over our innocence anC
inexperienee, fixed Us for q sever
years lease, representing to US tina
our advantages were almost IN
equaled, having no premium to pay


We consented-in consideration Of al


he enumerated in favor of our bar
gain-to make any repairs that were
necessary and in fact were in sucf
delight with the whole affair that the
agreement, as might have been eX
pected, was very easily arrived ct.


We knew nothing about furnishing;
never dreamt Of the dangers of green
| Inc ~. - al, =
investment ; thinking ourselves very
acute to get hold Of two furnishing
lists TO compare prices; besides which
we sat down with paper and pencil tC
calculate exactly how much we must
spend I; and /, remem bering Uncle
Jocelyn's advice, ventGred to say
we should resolve not to go beyOndit.


We came to the conclusion that ac-
tual necessities might be bought, TAX
ing the prices frcm The books for ESQ;
so Henry decided on borrowing GOO,
with which we feltsure the house could
be really nicely done and the sum
he was to pay interest for until the
principal itself was paid of.


Nothing could have surpassed oul
prudeGee-before we set out. When
we got into the shop We had selected
as the one to patroniZe we found that
the things we had thought of were
very inferior to our imaginings ; q
trifle more here and q trifle there
could make no great difference In the
sum total and be everything to US In
the niceness and prettiness of our
house besides which our estimate of
necessaries proved a very inadequate
| -, III afn
declared absolutely indispensable by
the attendant shopkeeper. We made
apparently endless purchases, which
we could hardly remember until they
were deposited in Amberly Villas,
where with my newly engaged do
mestics, I awaited them with im-
mense delight.


But vast as the importation appear
ed, I had yet to learn of the legion oi
wants undreamt OF by as. Scarcely 8
day passed without some new de-
mand being made, which apparently
/ 1t was impossible to do without.
But at last 1 was thoroughly satisfied
with our possessions, and the servants
seemed to have come to the end Ol
their requirements ; so the only thing
we had to think of was the bill which
had not yet been sent to us. was
frightened to think about it,; but
Henry was quite prepared for, its be-
ing considerably over the GOO. Judge
of our dismay when we did receive it
to find il more than twice that sum-
s456 odd There were frigheful en-
tries for "Time," which in themselves
represented a serious item, and upon
which we had never calculated ; and
our small sundries which we had
hardly taken at all into account, came
to something quite appalling.


But the first shock over, the offend
ing document was thrust aside-it
would be paid all in good time and
for the present we both resolved to
dismiss it from our minds. Friends
were rapidly gathering around US we
must receive and pay visits; so 1t was
not very difficult to Danish disagree
ahIes. and to enter with the greatest
enjoyment into the new life which lay
before US. l had faneied our house
was very complete and perfect until
I saw some Of the elegant drawing
rooms belonging to my new aequain-
tances after that, many deficiencies
were plainly visible and in order tC
VIC mCuN W
shops, and making various purchases,
which, as usual, were put down to our
account. Then came our first enter
tainment with its attendant expenses,
which it was absolutely impossible to
avoid for in Henry's position it was,
as we thought, most necessary for US
to maintain q good appearance and,
as his wife, it was incumbent UPON
me to dress as well and fashiOnsbly as
1 could.


So things went on and before we
had been married two years 1 need
hardly say we were hopelessly and
horribly in debt. To Tetreneh seemed
utterly impossible. hardly knew
where the axtraYagance lay; but tht
fact remained, we were living far be
yond our income our bills were new
er ending and every day we were
sinking deeper and deeper into the
mire. To add to cur difficulties q
nursery had been established, and,
though one might imagine so small
an addition was not serious one, it
cost US no trifling sum. / could not
have endured to see my baby badly
dressed. How could l have seen it &c
out except in the sweetest and freshest
of garments ? So 1t was duly adorned
in the whitest and prettIest things,
which insured q most satisfactory
amount of patronage for our Iaundress
and most appalling bills for me. How
ever, we managed to keep afioat IN
some wonderful manner but Henry
was beginning to have a strangely
careWorn look, to which l could not
blind myself. He was worried and
harassed. His business was ell right ;
but there were bills to meet, difficult
ties to be disposed of which he could
not quite see the end of.


To outward appearance, however,
we seemed a very prosperous pair.
Our house was now as elegant as our
neighbons. 1 had a thousand costly
little trifles lying about in the draw
ing room, got from time to time, and
as usual not paid for, some of which
the storekeepers themselves had
pressed me into purchasing. Some
times q sharp pang shot through me
when I thought over our position, and
l wished when we first set up that ]
had had sufficient sense to pursuade
Henry to do so more in accordance
with our income than we had done ;
but it was too late now; we must
trust TO some good fortune turning up.
Henry had hopes that his partners
meant to promote him and if they
were realized we should be much bst-
ter off. This idea was buoyIng Us
both, and we were feeling particular
ly sanguine when NJ. Trevor, the
senior partner, q peculiar man, who
never almost left his own house in
Bedford square, except for the Office,
announced bis intention of coming to
Amberly Villas to dine. If we would
have him. In our anxiety to impress
him fsvorably we launched out into
further expenses. He must be hand
somely entertained, so much might
depend upon hiss visit. Accordingly,
1 arranged q most recherche little din
ner, and had the table laid out q 10
Russo to my entire satisfaction wte1
everything was completed, surveying
tile preparations with the utmost con-
fdence in Mr.. Trevor's verdict. But
alas for Henry's hopes and for my
dinner. Mr.. Trevor came, psrtook
very sparingly and silently of oul
hospitality, and departed without
having dropped one syllable on the
subject which We were SO hoping he
would discuss.