Year: 1873

TO give up those beautiful things
she had been familiar with all her
life. Since she had given them up
for me ! felt that | had ought to
work and buy them for her, to re-
compense her for the sacrifice she
had made in marrying poor man.
So bought her pictures and
charming little works of art.
clothed her in fine garments and
often spent the money that ought
to have been applied to my business
in buying some costly article that |
thought she was longing for. And
always when gave her these things
her face would light up 50 gladly,
and such a happy light would come
into her eyes that went back to
labor feeling that | was in n meas
urc repaid for that which has cost
such a terrible price in the end.


$50 two years went 10y. And
then the money panic camc ON.
Among the first to fall was Alice's
father. His homo was left with
enough to support him and his
wife comfortably, but it seemed a
little amount compared with what
he had lost.


"The house with which / was
connected was an old one, and
everybody thought, reliable. II
stood the shocks which shook sc
many houses to their centre, and
finally demolished them, for a long
time, and we began to hope that we
should be passed by in the whirl-
wind of ruin.


"But when we began to feel safe,
after the long suspense and dread of
hourly ruin had worn partially
away, the sky darllened again, and
the tempest was upon us with re-
doubled fury. We heard the crash
ing of falling houses which the
world had counted as staunch as
our own, and we felt that the crisis
had come.


"'Evcry dollar of available funds
must be raked up for immediate
use,' the head of the firm said when
its members gathered in council. III
we can weather this blast we are all
right


"I went home that night weary,
tired and half sick with the worry
and fret attendant upon the unset
tied state of om, business. Alice
met me with II kiss. wondered
what she would do if we had t
give up our pleasant home for ON,
poor and plain and humble. Il
would be like transplanting an eX.
otic to the cold, bleak outdoor air
For her sake we must not .taH!


"She came and nestled in my lay
after tea, and l knew 10y her coax
ing caresscs that she wanted some
thing, and by and by she asked mt
for some money.


"'Thcrc's such lovely blue sill,
at Dinsmore's,' she said, putting heI
arms about my neck and kissed me
as a child might when it pleaded for
something. you know how well ]
look in blue, Rob. Well, this is
just the shade that | look best in
With my pearls, and that splendid
old lace of mine that you gave me
for a birthday present, | shall look
charming | assure you. / only
want hundred dollars


"Only hundred dollars, and that
might save us from ruin.


az know what you are thinking
about" she laughed. | can tell by
your long face. You think | am
awful extravagant, don't you but |
don't. Why, ] haven't had new
dress for ever so long


"'But Alice" | said, and | think
it was the first time | ever rcmon-
strated with her about any propos-
ed purchase j can hardly spare it.
The financial world is in a terrible
panic, and we need every dollar
when the crisis comes. Even then
it may be ruin


"'You don't mean that she said,
with another carcss. Il heard Max
well say that your business was sure
to carry you through safely, and
Maxwell ought to know, being the
Oldest member of the firm


"'But there has been an uneX-
pccted run of bad luck, | said,
waveringly. Il ought to keep
every dollar / have, but


"'Oh, hundred dollars won't
make much difference = said Alice,
and her sweet eyes had me in their
spell, and / had not the heart to say
her nay. Once | opened my lips to
tell her all the fearful peril that
surrounded us; to give hermy con-
fldcnce regarding my business af-
fairs, and show how necessary it was
that every available cent of capital
should be kept for the expected
emergency, but the thought came
to me that she would not care TO
hear it, and what use to burdenher
with anxiety when no good would
come of it She had never sought
to know anything about my bust
ness, and at present she could hard
ly understand the danger we were
laboring under if ! were to tell her
all. So | thrust back the inclina-
tion to do so, an l-God help me-
l ruined myself and those who
trusted me by giving her the money