Her Husband's Purse

bride, and discussed freely and constantly her personality, looks, manner, clothes, opinions, and, most impressive of all, her unique s

he bride and groom came to be such a social distinction that people vied with each other in the extrava

wonder" that a woman of such charm and distin

ever put it over a girl like that

gowns, however graceful and becoming, were home-made, and that though the lace on som

ich," was the verdict at first. "Isn't she

occasional drollery, the distinction of her fine breeding,

lesh! He looks ten years younger! Do you notice how spryly he walks? And how radiantly he beams on ev

ent that the maiden sisters, too, looked brighter a

would have dreamed that Miss Jennie and Miss Sadie could get on peaceably with

rrant it's not because Miss Jennie and Miss Sadie are angels. It's Mrs. Danny that's so awfully easy-going they can't quarrel with her. But of

den pensively remarked. "I shouldn't think sh

ave done if tempted," a friend o

e devoted to Danny.

er. Don't take that seriously. As if a stunn

t Danny's devotion and goodness to her made her

Mrs. Leitzel, though lazily good-humoured and apparently happy, had a strained expres

ss, suspicion, and jealousy of their brother's devotion to her. They found her so surprisingly willing to take second place in her husband's house, so disinclined to usurp any of the prerogatives which they had so long enjoyed (and which they knew most people

the discussions they h

on dress, and two evening dresses. And her underclothes ain't fancy like a bride's. When I asked her to show me her wedding underclothes, she said she didn't get any new, she hadn't needed any

lace on your wedding outfit yet! I told her I'd anyhow think she'd buy new for her wedding outfit. And sh

t out she can't afford this an

s, and we're her folks now. She'd k

yhow then!" Sadie

if she didn't hav

does." Sadie

she or didn't she bring Dan

to say," si

out, just yet anyhow. After a w

remarked Sadie. "And how she speaks her words so pretty! Butt

t Hiram's Lizzie will have to say when she sees her on

, I g

ngs than ever when he sees what a g

, an

igh-toned that way; it makes near as mu

ould have married her if she ha

spend the day at Hiram's, you mind?" she told Sadie; "if only you don't take the cold or hav

ram's common table manners. I guess he won't like it, either, bef

ce, what would she think? Danny better consid

ss, too," S

g through a succession of spiritual upheavals and epochs which, under a cal

nd bewildering; for so isolated and narrow had her life hitherto been, that vulgarity in any form had never, up

at she had ever given a thought to the fact that she was a Berkeley. But since to a Southerner of good family, to be well-born was a detail of inestimable importance, she had naturally assumed that any man whom Walter brought into his home and presented to her and Hattie must be worthy of that honour. It was on this assumption that so many of D

on such a matter!" she reflected with some bitterness upon his willi

hem to my heart and be glad for the broadening experience of knowing and loving them. I could get over my prejudices about blood-I recognize that they are prejudices

ore cheerful. She found herself so interested in the novelty of the life and characters about her that it began to seem like the open page of an absorbing story. Indeed, so interested did she become, that for a time she forgot to think of it all in its relation to her own life. That phase was destined to be forced upon her later

way," Jennie would explain with pride. "Ye

ter as "a girl" seemed intended to carry out the

at she'd be better dressed with one frock of good material, simply an

empt reforms, or even suggestions,

n him, as Margaret supposed, Sadie's abundant finery seemed to her

to give one anxious thought to the time when it would all be spent. She was scarcely aware of the fact that the subject of money had never yet come up between her and Daniel, and she would have been amazed inde

e: their obsequious admiration of him, their abject obedience to every least wish of his, their minute attention to his phy

this all his life!

consciousness, any admission of

hem look upon him with envy (and to be looked upon with envy was sweet to his soul), opened up his heart and his purse to the extent of suggesting to his wif

Daniel's offices being closed on Saturday afternoon to give his large staff of clerks a half holiday. Je

have a caterer from Philadelphia," he anno

rer yet!" breathed

l high, Danny!"

t all the same I'm going to do i

an Ocksreider's, you mind. I like to sit up to a table when I eat. Mrs. Ocksreider's so stout, she hasn't got a lap, and it looked awful

ll tables, then

r solicitously, "sit out of the window dra

ulled her chair aw

l announced; and at

h you a dr

e water she had brought him. This spectacle, a man's remaining seated while a woman st

esses of yours to about enough parties, I guess. Let Sadie help you choose a new one. And get something elegant and showy. I won't mind the cost. Sadie, yo

t, as she glanced at Sadie's ill-fitting, gay plaid blouse of cheap silk, made by a cheap seamstress, and at the coquettish patch o

e talk from clothes, and curious, also, to "try o

her a drink, quite as he would have done before their marriage, and Margaret smiled as she s

as gone, "I've got to try to keep him in

er new dress?" Sadie inquired when

you pay for a

silk cost me s

right. You may spend twenty dollar

ods and take it to Mrs. Snyder, my dressmaker. She charges five dollars to make a dress, but she gives

of one of her "plain" gowns, by a good dressmaker, had cost nearly twice what Daniel "allowed"

"Unless I go to a high-priced dressmaker, I

, Margaret," urged Daniel; "you let

s as you've been wearing. It would really give me a shamed face if you weren't so-well, even in plain clothes, you're

e, she answered pleasantly: "Too bad you don't like my Mennonite taste, for you know, I'd love to adopt the 'plain' garb of these Mennonite women and girls one sees on the streets on market days. What could be more quaint and fetching than their spotl

money?" asked Sadie, astonished, w

his pocket, and rapidly making out a check, "you take this, Ma

it would be to buy with twenty dollars, even at a bargain sale, anything so beautiful as her two gowns

erous. But Margaret, inasmuch as they had been married two months and this was the first money he had offered her, received it as a matter of course; h

s, as she tucked it into the bosom of her blouse, "for I don't need any; the ones I have ar

xclaimed, his eyes bulging. "I want you to h

"you know a lot more about law than abou

of the household entered the room, a

!" said Jennie as she too

tin'!" exclaimed the Pennsylvania Dutch maid. "

Miss Hamilton!" exclaimed Jennie with a

Because she and her parents sent us a little bit of a vase for a wedding gif

vase!" said Margaret eagerly. "It's on

hey're not just to say poor either; her father is the high sch

asked Daniel, "if s

l as her own; and for all of us," expla

per way to do?" aske

olina; I can't answ

that!" wondered Sadie, "wh

arlour. "Are you coming?" sh

Jennie primly, "and don't wish to be. I'll call the hired g

ll I, then, excuse you?" she asked the other two women, moving a step toward the door. But Daniel took her hand to detain her. "Have yourself excused;

for her, Margaret had happened to be out. They had either just thrown away the cards of such visitors, or had explained to Margaret that she must not return their visits. Margaret had not discussed the matt

could select such a thing of beauty as that Venetian vase, I'm sure I shall find much more inte

ourage familiarity in subordinat

t to be excused to her?" she smiled, withdrawing her

hear her voice in the room beyond greeting, wi

wish, she needn't treat her like an equal-actually gush over her. Why! hear the two of them laughing and cha

l, when callers come, 'To this one you can be as common as you want; but to this one, not so common.' But she don't seem to understand; leastways, she don't listen to me; she's the same to everybody, whether or no. Or else she's just as l

zled, "that she wouldn't know

ennie, "and her as tony a pe

w!" corrobo

trouble when we come to send out invitations for your grand party. To be su

to be very exclusive

Trust me to see to t

e two school-girls!" wondered Sadie. "My goodness! And

ldn't let her go, she's too useful; so much better educated than the general run of stenographers. If she

ss Hamilton rising just two dollars' worth. "They say, too, that her father's such a smart h

e! I'd fire her if I could get any one half as good. But she knows she's got the whip-handle. It's much better, much better, for an employee to feel uncertain of his or her place. By the way," he added, drawing a purse from his pocket and taking a dollar from it, "you know we're all to go to Millerstown t

get red booties for the baby, a hair ribbon for Naomi, a game fo

he list of names for our party; for when Miss Hamilton goes, I'm going to 'phone for an automob