Year: 1870

what rudely, I'VE have spent thirty
dollars more than usual this year.
Where can it have gone to?'


The new harness., suggested Mrs.
Heath; that don't come every year
you know


well there is twenty dollars ac-
counted for


we had the carriage fixed up
when you bought the harness. con-
tinued the wife.


well, that was eight dollars; that
is twcnty-eight we don't spend every
year-but the other two, where can
they have gone?


Glancing his eye over the pages
of the memorandum book, he ex-
claimed


'I'll tell you what tits; the news
paper costs just two dollars, and we
can do without it. 1t isn't anything
to eat, drink or wear. I don't do
anything with it, and you only lay
it away up in the chamber. kIt may
as we'll be left out as not, and I'll
stop my subscription right awaH
'Oh!' said the wife, you don't
know how much l set by the news
paper. l always have a sort OF glad
feeling when you take it out Of your
hat and lay it on the kitchen, man
tle-piecc, Just as do when some Of
the children come home; and when
I'm tired l sit down with my knit
ting and read-I can knit just as
well when Pm reading and feel SO
contented, l don't believe Queen
Victoria herself takes more solid
comfort than do sitting by the east
window, on summer afternoon,
reading my newspaper


you are just as well Off without
it, answered her husband, for want
of something else to say.


Il never neglect anything else for
reading, do ~ asked Mrs. Heath,
very mildly.


NO, don't know as you do an
swercd her husband; but it seems
an extra, likc-I shall stop it, he
added in Il tone that showed plainly
enough he wished to stop the con-
versation.


Il shall take the paper remarked
his wife 'if have to go out wash
ing to pay for it,


This was not spoken angrily, but
so firmly that Mr.. Heath noticed it,
though by no means remarkable for
discernment in most matters. 1t
sounded so different from her usual
quiet as you think best that he ac-
tually stopped a moment to consid-
er whether it was at all likely she
would do rs she said.


Mr.. Heath was a kind husband,
as that indefinite description is gen
orally understood; he did not beat
his wife, and always gave her enough
to eat. More than that, he had II
certain regard for her happiness,
which already made him feel half
ashamed of his decision, but like
many other men who have more OBJ
stinacv than wisdom, he could not
bear to retract anything, and above
all, to be convinced that he was
wrong by a woman.


However, with a commendablc
wish to remove the unhappiness he
had caused, he suggested that rs the
papers were carefully saved, and she
found them interesting, she could
read them over again, beginning at
January, and taking one week
clear through the ycar-thcy would
Just come out even, he concluded;
as if it were singular fact that they
should do so.


Notwithstanding the admirable
proposition, he still felt some unea
siness. 1t followed him as he walk
ed up the pleasant lane to the pas
turc, and it made him speak more
sharply than was his wont, if the
cows stopped while he was driving
them home to crop the grass where
it was grccncst and sweetest on the
sunny slope. 1t troubled him till he
heard his wife call him to supper in
such cheerful tone, that he conclu-
dcd that she didn't care much about
the newspaper after all.


About week after, rs Mr.. Heath
was moving one morning, he was
surprised to see his wife coming out,
dressed us for visit.


4 am going,' said she, 'to spend
the day with Mrs. Brown; | leave
plenty to eat;' and so saying She
walked rapidly on.


Mr.. II. thought about it just long
enough to say to himself, 'she don't
go visiting to stay all day once a
year hardly, and it is strange she
should go in haying time
Very long the day seemed to him;
to 60 in for luncheon, dinner and
supper, and to have nobody to speak
to; to find cverythin" so still. The
old clock licked stiller than usual,
he thought; the brood of pretty
white chickens that were almost al
ways peeping around the door, had
wandered off somewhere and left it
stiller yet; he even missed the busy
click Of the knitting needles that was
apt to put him out 50 when he was
doing any figuring.


Il am glad he said to himself, as
he began to look down the road ut
sunset, that Milliccnt don't 60 Wis
iting all the time as some women do
there she is just coming


How tired you look, said he, as
she came up; why didn't You speak
about it, and I'd have come after
you?'


Tm not very tired she answer
cd, but her looks bclied her; indeed
her husband declared she looked
tired day or two after.


What was his great amazement
to see her go away the next Tues
day i'm the same manner as before.


To his great dissatisfaction, eve
rything seemed that day to partake
of his wite's propensity for going
away. a man don't want cold food
in haytime,' said he as he sat down
to dinner. In the same grumbling
manner he recounted the mishaps of
the morning, which seemed to have
been much after the manner set
forth i'm certain legend of olden