Year: 1870

nice thick overcoat; don't mean you
shall ever wear that one again it is real.
ly too bad, d,"-and so saying, Mrs. Flake.
white took up from the table the coat in
question, which had been a warm friend
TO me for l don't know how many winters,
and had been turned and repaired, till
what with new Innings and buttons, differ
ent collars and bindings to the cuffs, very
little of the original garment re-
manned, and the general result was un
mistakably shabby and hung it up in
the closet with a very determined air
indeed, that plainly told me her decision
in the case was final.


The fact of the matter was this: Very
Unexpectedly and opportunely, had sold
one of my pictures at a fair price, and
having paid in full the arrears of some
household accounts, there still remained
in our hands, unexpended, the magnificent
sum of twenty five dollars, the best use to
make of which we were arguing and de-
Gliding upon, when the reader is introduced
into our snug little sitting-room. Ten
dollars of the amount we both agreed
should go into the savings bank, while the
remaining fifteen dOllars-a very consid-
cradle amount to an artist with reputation
yet to make, and the best little wife in the
world to support-we were free to use as
we pleased.


"But, my DEAR" said l, "you know
you want a new hat and warm winter.
gloves, and good thick.soled Shoes so
you get them now, and will promise to
buy a new coat when l sell another pic
ture."


Mrs. Flakewhite quietly came over to
me, and putting her arm around my neck,
held my face directly in front of her own
dimpled plump checks and bright eyes,
with firm hold of my ear in her right
hand, giving it pull at each word to be
quite sure was giving attention, and said
in a coaxing tone and manner, the like of
which 1 never did see in any other wo-
msu-never-"John when l say please,
you always do what wish-now please
buy yourself new coat"


OF course promised to do as she asked;
could not have refused under the cir
cumstances if she had expressed wish to
have me purchase "Cent1al Park for
summer residence, and build rose and
honeysuckle covered cottage in the RAM
ble." This important matter being brought
to satisfactory conclusion, and having
been talking about it long time, we
went to bed.


l awoke early next morning; the ham,
mer of our little eight-day clock in the
corner had just struck five hurried blows
on the twanging piece of curled wire in
side of its gothic porch, while the gor-
geous landscape painted on its glass win
dow-front, resplendent in the earliest
mellow light of summer sun, was the
first object which greeted my sleepy eyes,
and consciousness again broke in upon
my short forgetfulness of trouble in sleep,
waking me TO realize that it was time to
be up and doing-that every available in
slant of daylight must be coined upon my
pallet-every ray of sunlight, SO far as lay
within my power, be stamped upon my
canvas in some recognized form or legal
tender, the sum total to form the basis of
a "sight draft upon the public, that, if
duly "honored" when presented, would
furnish my loving, uncomplaining, gentle,
hard toiling, cheerful wife with such ar
ticles of necessity as she required, and
add many little luxury to our simple
needs and fancies, during the long stay Of
winter, who had already heralded its
coming by sending on his rough night
winds to moan among the tree tops, to
shake, fluttering down, the rustling
brown leaves that seemed reluctant, even
in death, to quit the boughs that bore
them, and to Tudely sing and frolic about
our chimney tops, impudently blowing
down putfs of smoke into our very face,
as we sat near our little wood fire, during
the first chilly evenings of October, while
g. Jack Frost winters own clown and
jester-was already at his pranks, jogging
natures arms as she daintily painted our
window panes, thus causing the long,
slanting lines we see zig-zagging across
them cold night, rougeing nose as well
as face of old maid and young, nipping
sharply at exposed fingers and toes, and
heedlessly causing many groan from
those unsheltered from his merciless fun.
IThatll do for one sentence


Thus moralizing myself awake, quiet
ly turned out of bed, dressed and slipped
out of the room, leaving Mrs. Flake
white-poor tired little body-soundly
sleeping.


l went down into the sitting-room for
my shoes, where had changed them the
night previous for slippers, and while en-
gaged in putting them on, some articles
of female attire ON the chair near by at
tracted my attention. First, there lay on
top Mrs. Flakewhite's hat of brown straw;
it was neatly mended in dozen places |;
the pearl -colored ribbon on it, though but
little soiled, was creased and perforated
with fine holes, and pricked almost to a
pattern, in places where it had been sewed
on in different shapes there were no
flowers in it, and the strings, from much
tying under her round chin, were lustre-
less and ropy. felt my eyes moisten and
my sight grow dim, as / looked at it held
out at arms length, and thought how diff
ferent it was from the trim bonnet wish
ed to see cover that wavy brown hair,
and shade that dear face; but then l re-
membered, with pride and pleasure, that
even in spite of its being in last years
style andits other shortcomings, many q
kind admiring glance was directed at its
contents as Mrs. F. and walked out in
the afternoon, when it became too dark to
paint. Then there was we'll worn dress
half ripped up, that my wiie's nimble
fingers were doubtless engaged in turning
and trimming so as to look respectfully
nice when household matters took her
into the street and lastly, pair of little
CATERS l--what is there in the whole range
of lady's dress, that, looked at when
separated from the wearer, so charms and
fascinates masculine eyes as well-shaped
little boot or gaiter9 Creases of use and
marks of wear only add interest to the
sight, and are, so TO speak, the finishing
touches to the picture, only that, in this
instance, the picture belonging to Mrs.
Flakewhite had been finishing" too
much.


l replaced these several articles on the
chair as found them, and turning with a
sigh into my studio, soon forgot my
trouble and found reliefin work. Whether
the sight of the objects of my wife's un-
complaining labor had nerved my hand
to unusual efforts, or whether / had
CHANGED upon peculiarly fortunate mo-
ment for work, | cannot say, but this
much know, difficulties of drawing that
had perplexed and hindered me for a week,
vanished under the strokes of my happy
pencil this morning. touched on little
patches of color that astonished and
charmed me with their excellence half.
tmts OF great delicacy and difficulty
placed themselves, as II were, by some
magical power not my own, in just the
right place, while deep shadows flowed
boldly from my brush and increased the
elect OF all the rest.


Not long after hasty breakfast on my