Year: 1875

could pay such sum, and buy the fur
niture, as we'll 2" he answered, sharply
q can tell you it took every cent / haG
in the bank, as it is.


"But the house expenses What
shall we do about them ?" asked she
looking bewildered.


He laughed again.


Is there no such thing as credit
/ Margaret p


She was silent.


"Get whatever you want at the shops,
child. OF course, you will be as eco,
nomical as possible; but still, we must
live you, know Once in three months,
or once in six months, I'll settle the bills.
Then whatever we can have shall go to-
ward clearing off this mortgage that
seems to be such a bugbear in your
eyes.


81 will save in every possible way,
Harry" she said, earnestly. ''It is fool
ish, suppose, but mortgage is bug,
bear to me. Father had heavy one on
his farm, Harry, and the first thing /
remember as little child is seeing him
sitting on the granary staircase near the
big barn, signing and groaning to him
self. / was frightened, and ran and
told mother; and she kissed me and be-
gan to Cry, because she said the interest
was due on the mortgage money that
week, and poor father was unhappy be-
cause he could see no way to pay it.


"And did he pay it" questioned
Harry, somewhat interested.


Yes. He borrowed the money some-
where, and then, of course, there was
the interest to pay on that; and so it
went on, from bad TO worse, till father
died, and the farm went back to its own
er. Mother said it had fairly worried
him into his grave" she added, wiping
the tears from her eyes. You cannot
wonder if | am afraid of mortgages, after
that"


"But, pet, the two cases are entirely
different" said her husband, kissing her
cheek. "Your father was poor farmer,
and found it almost impossible to raise
money, dare say. Now, | am thriving
merchant, and if all goes well / hope to
make enough the coming year to clear
our home. Don't you see ? Come, don't
think of trouble any more. Be as care
full as you can in the house expenses,





pretty home, clear of any claim, before
you know where you are.


He drew her down to the wide, Grim
son footstool before the fire, and resting
her head upon his knee, began to read
aloud.


The fire and lamp burned clearly, the
pretty French clock on the mantlepiece
ticked musically, and rang out its fairy
hour chimes once before his voice ceased
to echo III her ear. The book was n
lively and pleasant one, and Margaret
was able to discuss it with him intelli-
gently as they fingered before the blaze
for one delicious half hour before going
up stairs.


Yet all the while her thoughtful eyes
were seeing visions in the crimson Goals,
and her heart and brain were busily at
work, devising plans to ward off the evil
that, to her, seemed to be threatening
the peace and comfort of their little
dwelling, SO long as any other person
held claim thereon.


The Ginning bells of the French clock
ran out 10, and Margaret rose and went
about the room, putting it daintily in
order before leaving it for the night.
Her pretty face was blooming and happy
as ever. for at last she saw the way clear
before her to Danish, with the energy
God had given her, this brooding cloud
of evil from their domestic sky.





AS their married life began, so it went
on, III the new home for nearly three
years. The house expenses were care
fully kept down by Margaret, who
made one servant answer where many
of her other friends kept two; and
once in three months, or oftener in
six, as the days went on, the accounts
were settled 10y the husband, cheerfully
enough at first, but by-and-by with
sighs and shakes of the head, which
Margaret seemed not 20 notice, and o
which she certainly never spoke.


During the last of the three years,
Harry's handsome face began to wear
a look of anxious care. Not cent, SO
far, had been laid aside to pay off the
mortgage on their home, and uhe chance
of success seemed less than ever, now,
because, like others in business, he be-
gan to see time approaching which
would "try mems souls.


The evening reading was gradually
laid aside, and during the summer
months of the third year Harry began
to sit III his armchair before the empty
hearth, till Margaret, without appearing
to notice his depression, came to him
and induced him to accompany her on a
walk. At such times he strobe along
beside her, silent and sad, and returning
to his home, buried himself in the col
ums of the Bankers Day Book till it
was time to go to bed.


And all this time the true wife held
her peace. She noticed everything-she
guessed more; but, till the ice was brok IN
by him, it was not her place to speak.


So it went on till that dreadful autumn
season of crash after crash, ruin after
ruin, old and ong-established houses
toppling into the gulf, carrying a thou
sand minor ones with them in their fall.
Men looked at each other with pale
faces, asking, "Who will go next?" and
all through the country, wave after wave,
the wide-spreading stream of desolation
rolled.


Al. - IL ...ool- e