The Wife's Revenge

" No strawberries ? What in the world ia the reason you didn't order eomc?" j exclaitned Edward Lester, as ho entored his pleasant home in the snburbs of Boston. "Yon know, Moría, I mu very fond of (hem, aiul yon are determined to punishmo in somc way if you can." " Funiflh you, Edward? "Vhat do you j talk so for " retorned tho wife, a sweet , little wornau, f uil of beauty and graco. " You know I like tliom very inucb," odded the petulaut husband. "But thcy tasto too strongly of the money." "Come, come, Maria, no moro of Poor Bichard's saws, I am heartily siek of tliem." "You would not havo me pay sixty cents a box for strawberrios, would you?" "Why not?" "It is toomuch." " No, it isn't." "You ciiniiot all'ortl it. " "Yes, I can. Isn't my salary $1,500 a year f" "Ido not think strawberries at sixty cents a box, are very piofltable," replied the prétty wife, wit'h a pleasant smile. Suwexd Lcster did not deserve such a bcautiful, sweet tempercd wife as Maria. But, in spite of his petnlant mannor, lic was roally an excellent follow, and lovcil tho pretty little woman wiüi all , his soul, tliough it is truc ho had a singular way of Baowing it. He deserved a tlu-ashing for his hasty worda, yctaslio eventually learned botter it is not worth while to dweil too long upon tho dark side of his charactcr. Tho first year after his marriago he had boarded, but desiving to have the eomfenta of home in all their purity, the youug oonple had decided togo toliöusekoeiiing. Edward would havo hired a largo house at a rent of $i00a year, if his wii'o had not persisted that such a dweiling would wear her life out. He then left the matter cntircly to hor, and ahc found a nicc little cottage seven miles from the city, at a rent of $150. The husband likcd it very well, and Blaria, f urnished it in a very plain but neat style. They were at Iioino now, aud lor a time ,he novclty of tho thing kept Edward iu excellent humor. Bnt ha was a rookless ellow, and had no idea whatever of the value of moiiey. IIo always frpent Iris salary, and somotimes a littlo moro. Edward was out of humor because hc ïiid no Btrawberries, and when ho sat lown to the tablc the tea w:is too Weak, he bread tastcd of salerattia, aud the jutter was ütrong. Ho siiu-led and jrowled, first at Maria, aüd then at 3ridgct, till the wife was almost discouraged. But shc did not yield to the impulso of tho momont and get out of iëmper. Sho kept smiling, however cuting and severe oame tho eriticisms of Jmsbacd. After tea ho was a littlo modified, for tlicre seemcd to bc nothing moro to grnmble at, and even condescended to ! imile. ' " Edward, I want iifty dollars ; row," said Maria. ïbis was rathor a remarkable request for the carcful littlo woman to make, for she was very prudent in regard to hor private expenses. " Certainly, Maria," replied Edward. ' ' I hope you are going to buy a new silk." "lam." . He handed her the money and hoped shc would dro3s herself a great deal better thiiu beforc, for ho conld afford it. "I am going to spend as much moDCiy as I can," said she. "That is right, Blaria, do," added the reokless husband. And Edward soon had reason to repent this advice, foï Maria now tscerned to spend all her spare time in asking for money. líe was too reckless, too magnanirnous to deny her or suggetst that she was oxcocding the lxmnilsof reason. Sho was merciless in lier drafts apon him, and to supply her demanda, for he had not the courage to refusc her modest requests, he was obliged to curtailhin wn private oxpenses. Ou Bevefal occasions hc had been obliged to borrow noney to meet her roquisitioiis upon his rarso and being au honest man he had. o out oflf ïnmiy luxuries in order to pay hese loans. What had got illto Maria? She was ixtravagant, and yet she dtd not scom to Iresa mucli better, or ln's house to bc supplied with many additionaJ luxuries. But he was too proud to complftjn. Ho did hint, but Bhe wonld not tak; a hint. A year passed byand thererwaB no improvment in the recldess woman. Fortuuately for him his salary was raised to S2,OÖO, but it was scarcoly done beforo Maria demaadod a tífty dollar bilí. ' ' You spend more. money than you ' used to spend, Maria," ho suggested. " What is the oee for me to pinoh myKelt', il' you spend all you get?" smiled Maria, üo sweetly he oould notsayanothor word. " I want to have the good of the money whüe it is going, as well as you." Edward had somo doul)ts as to the eonsequonee, but wliatpuzzled him motít was to know what beoamé of the money. Another year passed by, and the danger of rannisg in debt, Btwed him in the face. "Maria, we are living too fast, lam af raid," he observud in a melaucholy tone. "I am af raid you are, for yesterday yon brought hornea pair of chiokens, for 'which yon paid twenty cents a pound," replied Maria with lier usual smilc. "Pooh, Maria, I don 't mean these tío thiiiffi. We must have something to ( at. md while my salary is two thottsand dollatt a year, I meftn to live well. " iQ(et trees from little aconis grow," Ided. "Lot. os atop Iho bung-Jipfe Qrst,"cauünued Edward, deeperately. "Would i yon belicve, my dear, tUat I have given yon six hundre'd dollars a ycar for the List two years?" "Wljut is bíx hundred dollars a year for a lady ? You wore roailing, tlio other day, that n great many ladies in New York spcnd two thoupand dollars a year Í for dress alone. Yoti certainly ctuinot oomplain of six hundicd." " üh, no, by no means. I do not mean to complain," replied Edward. "I knew yon didn't. Whatever I spend goos for a good cause." "Isupposeso; but I don't care thing nbout it, only that I am gettípg a i littlo short, ïhero is Dr. Smith's bill I of sixt.y dollars. I don't sec how I can . payit." "Let it rest, then. Ho will nevei ask yon for it." " " lint I don't like that way of domg things. I don't like to get iu delit, I will go and see him." And bc did go and see liim. The doctor was a rich man, and offered to take j Edward's note, payable any time lic pleased) whioh offer the luitor cngerly accepted, promising to fako it up in six months. No chango for the better appdnrcd m the affaira of tho young conple. Maria kept nsking for money, and shc was so pretty, so Bweetrtempered, and so j tic, tiiot Etiward coiüd ncver refuse. _ If he demurred, sho eoaxed it out of him. I At the end of six months, tho doctor's noto was duo, and Edward could not pay it. He had borrowcd money till he ; was a.shamed to do so any more. But ; he had a nicc souse of honor, and j stead of lctting his ereditor whistle for i his pay, ho went to see him to produce a i further extensión. " Doctor, I am hard up," said he. "Sorry to hear it." "Myfomily is getting to bc cxpeiv sivc." "Be prudent, Uien." "I can't, my wife - " Ho checked himself . Ho was ! sive, and did not mean to say anything about Maria. ' ' What of her ? Is she extravagant ?" " Well, yes." 'Tut tho bit in her raouth, then, langhed the doctor. " Don't like to do that." " Musn't let her ruin you." " I hope she will not." " He iirm, Loster. Therc is only one way to do with an extravagant woman ; shut down upon her beí'o;e she ruina you." "I haven't coiirage to deny her." " I'm sorry for you; what can I do for you 2" askcd the doctor, who secmed to bo in tho best of humor. " That littlo note of mine - " "What note?" " Why, tho ono I owe." " But'you paid thr.t." " Come, doctor, you are quizzingme. ' " Ton my soul, I am not. Didn't you pay it a'fcw days aftor you gave tho noto?" "No, sarely," replied Edward, j founded by tho statement. "Bttt 1 nn suro you did. Hore," contiuued tho doctor, puiling an account boek from his pocket, ' ' hero is ■where I entercd the cash. You havo got the note." "Notl." "Look over your papers and you will flndit. I will pro homo with you." They repaired to the cottage, and ward, all tüe Unie protcsuug mai ue imu not paid the rnoiiey, ransaoked tho papers for tho noto. " Thore it is !" cxclaimed the doctor, pointmg to a xmpor. To Edward's astonishraent lic read tljc noto, with tho signatnre torn ofl. He v,;i". utterly eonfotmded at the diaoovery. Ho bad no i ccollcction of haviv.g paid it, and Maria dcolarod sho had not secn him pay it. , Ho was mystifled, bnt was satisfied with tho NSW) though he could hariUy believe it. 'If nny ono had paid it, it must have been his gnaidiáa angel, and he hoped sho would not charge him tho amount. Thrco reara from the timo of Edward's introduction to tho reader had passed ïlway, ailU LU imaUULö weit; 111 urj uctw;i condition. By a great cloal of ! j ment of his own expenses he had j . trivod to keep out of debt. Instead of j ' dining at Parker's at an expense of five j j or six dollars a week, he made a quartor , of that sum suffico. Hia tailor's bill had been reduced onc-half, a'nd all othor bilis in proportion. TJetter tban all, he j had been curcd of grumbling at Maria, for if he compl.imed of anything she was snre to ask him for a iifty dollar bill on the same day. In fact, lic was afraid of her. Maria, in her domand for money, had been even more reraorseless during the last year than V)(!fore, and had nctually taken eight hundred dollars of his two thousaad. And there was not much show of it in the house or upon her person. If he had hinted at an cxplanation i she tnrned him oíf so swoetly and adroitly that he could not resifltCï "Maria, we must turn over a new leaf," he remarked. "Here I am without a dollar in the world - and uever shall have whilo thingg go on in this ! way. I have given you eight hundred dollars this last year." "Have you, indeed? What is eight hundred dollars?" chuekled sho. " There is Raymond's house opposite, for sale. It is a beautiful place, and eau bo bought for four thousand dollars, by paying flfteen hundred down. I was thinking ü I had saved my money 1 might havo boen ulilc to buy tbat place." " No uno to cry f r spilt millt, Edward," replied Mank "I know tlmt, but we needn't s.iill any moro milk. I liave been very economioal tlie p.oat year;" and ho proceeded to detail fche'retrencliments he had made. " You have done very wtU, Edward." " Yes, my deur, better Ihiui you iiave done. Who wouldhavethonghtlshoiüd ever preaoh ceonomy to you?" hc laughed. " Wht v;ui the use for me to bc in-uilcut whilo. you scatter your möney iike chaff?" aekod the wife with infinito good humor. " No ase, l coufe.au." "I will turn over a newleaf' if youwill. You used to i'md fault with me because T wi mldn't buy strawberries at fiixty ecnt a box." " I haven't lately." " No, yon haven't." "And I never will ogain. Now, Maria, I was thinking it' we coold save up four or flve hundxed a year for three or four yearawe raight bny a house." "Very trae, we will begin now, if you S Iike." " With all my heart." "You shall allow me a fixed sum for my personal expenses." "ttav fcwo hundred dollars "Half thut Hum will (!" "Bttt yon can't come down all at once froiu eight hundred to one hundred." ■■Yes, J can," replied the pretty vroman, tho miscHef glcaming in per radiuiit eyea. "Tli'enwé eau bny :i house in thrco years." " Suppose you buy Rayinond's now !" "But f cmiiiot. I haven't a dollar in tho woild after my bilis are paid." " ïhon I will let you havo uiteen hundred dollars to pay down." "Xou? You are faoetious, Maria, Wbat ure you laughiug at ?" Maria, tor some reason or otlior, had burst jnto a violent Ht of Imigliiug. " You sliall have the monoy, Edward. But you must promise me not to tellany ono whaf on extravagant wife you havo, as you did Dr. Smith." ' ' What do you mean , Maria ? Forgivo inofor that?" "IwilJ, my dear," repUefl she ; and (Toing to a draver 8he produoed two bank booka and plftoed thetn in lier husband'a hand. One of theifl indicated that she bad a thousaud dollars iu one savings bank, and the other six hundred in nnother bank. Of course, Edward was astonished - it was his duty to be astonished. " Your extravagant wifo has satrfld teeu hundred dollars of your raoney in spite of your teeth, besides curisg you I of smidry recklesa habits." And slie tkrëw hereelf upon a sofa and laughed until she had nearly gone iuto a ñt. "Maria, you are a jo wel ! I in amazed. You paid Dr. Sirtithi" "Idid." " He lied to mo then." "No, hc didu't; you and I ave otie, Ho of course yon paid it. I had to ttïll hiin my secret, and in return he informad me wiint an excellent charaoter you had given me for prudenco and economy." " Forgive me, Maria. You have made j ine tho happiest man iu tho world." "And I urn revenged." "llcvciigcdS" " Tou found ftxult with me every day whcu you carne home, and I resolved to punish you. I kuew you would not refuse me moiioy, and I have at length brought you to your senses." "I seo where the money went to, now." " Do you, indeed ?" " To teil the truth, I thought thero was very little show for the money I gave yu-" Sixteen hundred dollars, ïuont-y m hand, was a largo suni to Êdwai wlu had spent evei-ylhing as fust as ho gotit. He feit like a new man - like a rich man. "What a treasurc was ÜMai-ia, who, besidos being pretty, sweet-tempered and dovoted, was a thorough ñnancior. For my part, I should not like a íinnncier on ány other terms. A prudent, but gro-vling, ill-tempered shrew, would be my abomination; and before her I shouid profer x pretty, sweet-tempered, dovoted woman, who would spond all I could get. The Kaymond place, and a dolightful place it was, immediatoly eani( iuto Edward's posaoasion. Ifc is pnid i'or now, and onr f riends are as happy as during their honeymoon. "