Year: 1870

Bertram Chester entered his cosy paTlor
one day, winning smile lingering around the
corners of his moustached mouth, n glorious
love-lieht beaming from his ''deeply, darkly,
beautifully blue eyes; but when his gaze
rested upon the troubled, if not angry face of
his wife, he paused, and his smile vanished,
while a shade of uneasiness fitted over his
manly face. He was one of those grand,
noble and generous men so often read about
but seldom see. he approached her, printed
loving kiss upon her lips, seated himself
upon the divan beside her, and said:


"Stella, why is your usually cheerful face
wearing shadow to-day?"


She did not reply Immediately, but tapped
the carpet with her foot


"Why do you not tell me, why you are sad !
You know that live only in the light of your
smile, and it greves me deeply to see you un-
happy. IF aught has occurred to annoy you
tell me at once. 1 have a right to know"


"Well, since you are so anxious, l will tell
you 1 was down to call on Mrs. Mosby this
morning, and she has had her house all re-
furnished with the most costly furniture in the
city and she has new silver tea>set, too.
We are Just as able to have new furniture as
they are, and l am going to have it. ! can't
make party until we do and | believe in
enjoying life while we do live. You are
spoken of as prosperous man. and where's
the use of prospering if we must be always
practicing economy ? Our carpets really
begin to look soied, and that horrid old piano
is a year behind the times"


The shade deepened on his face as he
listened, and his voice was low and tremulous
rs he replied.


"StclIa, you are beginning to look upon the
wrong side Of LIES picture What are you
living for ? to win the adulation Of the gay
world, or to contribute to my happiness Had
you visited home where. in sorrow and rags,
want was eating up the life blood of the in-
mates you would have come home thanking
God that your home was as pleasant as it is.
The carpets would then have looked bright
and beautiful and you would have been con-
tented and happy. am prosperous man,
and if [ continue to prosper, will one day be
rich but how long would [ prosper if you
did not assist to husband the means we have.
In other words, if [ save two thousand dollars
a year. and you throw away three thousand
by useless extravaganza, how long could l
meet the demands Of my creditors? We
have lived as our means would allow. and
haven't tried to initiate those who are wealthier
than ourselves, and we have been very happy.
If you permit the giant discomfort to gain
possession of you, you can bid farewell to
happiness. Times are hard now, and [ can not
afford to refurnish our house but if we live
economically year or two, | can then afford
new furniture. | don't like to see misfortune
visit our friends, but if Louis Mosby does rot
retrcnch in his style of living, he will be a
bankrupt in less than six months. His resi-,
dence is mortgaged for half its value, and if
his debts were all paid he would not be worth
two thousand dollars"


oil I .
mortgaged, and l am going to have things
like other folks. You are very clever to read
me a homiy on discomfort, but l would like
to know how much you throw away at cham
payne parties and card playing? You have
your enjoyment, and | am going to have mine"
she replied haughtly.


''Stella, desist will you not listen to reason?
You know I do not attend champagne and
euchre parties. You never spoke so to me
before in your life Surely. you will not de-
stroy our domestic bliss in this vain and foolish
manner, simply TO make parade in the
fashionable world. If you carry your plans
into execution may God help US ! for l posi-
lively swear can't spare the money out of my
business. Can you not 20 this desire to
live beyond our means ?" he pleaded.


q know we can afford it, and l won't be
happy until get things fixed up as [ want
them. Ifyou don't attend champagne parties,
you spend just as much on cigars, wine, etc" /"
she replied spitedly.


81 have never. tasted wine since we were
married. | love the taste of it; therefore |
have the moral courage to resist the tempta-
zion. Did allow myself to indulge in dram
drinking, l would soon become a confirmed
drunkard. Therefore beware, dear wife, lest
you cause me to seek forgetfulness in the
poisoned bowl" he replied, sorrowfully.


"You are only trying to frighten NE into
obedience. l am not afraid of your becOm-
ing drunkard, and now, Berta do be sensi-
BILE. | have set my heart on having new fur
niture, and l can't be happy until get it, /"
she replied firmly.


"Stella, can't you believe me when 1 say 1
can't afford it ?"


40, hush In tired to death of hearing
your doleful complaints. Your face is as long
as my arm. l tell you we and will have
it !" she said, as she rose and left the room in
anything but lady like manner.


Bertram bowed his head, and moan es-
capped his lips "She is blind Can she
neverrealize what this vain determination will
bring upon us ? If she carries her plans into
execution, happiness will vanish from CUR
/ freside, and ruin. financial and perhaps moral
/ will be the result"


Time passed on, and one day Bertram was
called away to attend to some urgent busi>
ness. Stella had said nothing more concern
! ing the new furniture sinc9 their discussion
/ the matter and he fondly hoped she had
abandoned the idea. He was gone three