oC
i Y¢ATERBY remarked to his wife: “I'm still
2% tempted by that set of Poe. I saw it in
, marked down to fifteen
N “Yes?” “said Mrs. Waterby, with a sudden gasp of
emotion, it seemed to him. Py )
y Yes — I believe I'll have to get it.”zF°)
“I wouldn't if I were you, Alfred,” she said. “You have
80 many books now.”
“I know I have, my dear, but I haven't any set of Poe;
and that’s what I've been wanting for a long time. This
edition I was telling you about is beautifully gotten up.”
“Oh, I wouldn't buy it, Alfred,” sh ted, and
there was a note of pleading earnestness er voice, Na
“It's so much money to spend for
a few books.”
“Well, I know, but—" and [==
then he paused for the lack
of words to express his
mortified surprise.
Mr. Waterby had
tried to be an indul- 20
gent husband. He Goa
took a selfish pleas-
ure in giving, and
found it more blessed
than receiving.
Every salary day
turned over to
Waterby a fixed
sum for household
expenses. He added
to this an allowance
for her spending 4
money. He set asidu ||
a small amount for |
his personal copesep
and deposited the
remainder in the Ie
bank. He flattered ! a
himself that he
approximated the
model husband.
Mr. Waterby had no Costly ha ou /[
habits and no prevailirig appetite for anythin,
expensive. Like every other man, hehad ne or two
hobbies, and one of his particular hobbies was Edgar
Allan Poe. He believed that Poe, of all American writers,
was the one unmistakable “genius.”
The word “genius” has been bandied Faround the
country until it has come to be applied to a long-haired
man out of work or a stout lady who writes poetry. In *
the case of Poe, Mr. Waterby maintained that “genius”
meant one who was not governed by the common mental
processes, but “who spoke from inspiration, his mind in-
voluntarily taking superhuman flight into the realm of
pure imagination”—or something of that sort. At any
rate, Mr. Waterby liked Poe, and he wanted a set of Poe.
He allowed himself not more than one luxury a year and
he determined that this year the luxury should be a set
of Poe, Ra > is
Therefore, imaginejjthe hurt to his feelings when his
wife objected to his expénding fifteen dollars for that which
he coveted above ,’ anything else in the world.
As he pr i%his work that day he reflected on
wr Mrs. Waterby's conduct. Did she
IS not ‘have her allowance of spend-
A /ing money? Did he ever find
~ fault with her extravagance?
* Was he an unreasohable husband
spend this small sum for that
A} which would give him many hours
(, of pleasure and which would he
zg to Mrs. Waterby as much
as! to him?
iilt He told himself that many a
usband would have bought the
books without consulting his
wi But he (Waterby) had
big had put him-
, self into the attitude
_ of a mere depen-
The elfishness of Mrs Waterby =
Core Pa ie Acs
I RA TRISTE IEDR
For had she not forbidden
him to buy a few books for
himself? Well, no, she had
not forbidden him, but it
amounted to the same thing.
She had declared that she was ;&
firmly opposed to the purchase a
of Poe. Mr. Waterby won- Th
dered if it were possible tha
he was just beginning op
know his wife. Was she a Wag
selfish woman at heart? Was! / 4
she complacent and good- § }
natured only while she was Ja es 2 OT) Dw Pad
having her own way? Wouldn't s fe Ly \
she prove to be an entirely different sort of! Po
woman if he should do as many husbands da
his income on clubs and cigars and private am
and give her the pickings of small change?
Nothing in Mr. Waterby’s experience as a married
man had so wrenched his sensibilities and disturbed his
faith as Mrs. Waterby’s objection to the purchase of a set
of Poe. There was but one way to account for it. She
wanted all the money for herself or else she wanted him
to put it into the bank so that she could come into it-after
he—but this was too monstrous.
However, Mrs. Waterby’s conduct helped to give
strength to Mr. Waterby’s meanest suspicions.
Two or three days after the first conversation she
asked: “You didn’t buy that set of Poe, did you Alfred?”
“No, I didnyt-buy it,” he,answered, as gay
and with as much hautéur/as possible,\¢
He hoped to hear ity
her say: “ Well, why
don’t you go and get
it? I'm sure that you™ =
)
Y 4
sal) ents,
gee you buy something
for yourself once in
a while.”
But she merely
said: “That's right;
don't buy it,” and he
was utterly unhappy,
for he realized that he
had married a woman
who did not love him
and who simply desired
to use him as a pack-
horse for all household
burdens.
As soon as Mr.
Waterby had learned
the horrible truth about
his wife he began to
recall little episodes dating back
years, and now he pieced them to-__
gether to convince himself that
he was a deeply wronged person. £
Small at the time and almost
unnoticed, they were now accumulating
Mrs. Waterby had no real anxiety for &¥ her husband's
happiness. Also, Mr. Waterby began(to observe her
closely, and he believed that he found new evidences of
her unworthiness. For one thing, while he was in gloom
over his discovery and harassed by doubts of what the
future might reveal to him, was content and even-
tempered a
The holiday season approached and Mr. Waterby
made a resolution. He decided that if she would not
permit him to spend a little money on himself he would
not buy the customary Christmas present for her.
- Selene is a game No which two can play,”
BO ors, ro Re dnadetiim
A for any extra money for
Christmas he would say: “I'm
sorry, my dear, but I can’t
/ spare any. I am so hard up
: that I can’t even afford to buy
a few books that I've been
fot a long time. Don’t
you remember that you told
me that I couldn’t afford to
buy that set of Poe?”
Could anything be more
biting as to sarcasm or more
rushing as to logic?
He rehearsed this speech
ILLUSTRATED 4, M.G.KETTNER /
COPYRIOHT BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE 8 COMPANY | Ye
the children.
¥
eee as eerste ee ——————— —
x
and had it all ready for her, as he pictured to himself her
humiliation and surprise at discovering that he had some
spirit after all and a considerable say-so whenever money
was involved.
Unfortunately for his plan, she did not ask for any
extra spending money and so he had to rely on the other
mode of punishment. He would withhold the expected
Christmas present. In order that she might fully under-
stand his Purpose, he would give presents to both of
SALI wr
It was a harsh measure, The admitted, but perhaps it
would teach her Rn have consideration for the
wishes of others. 25N7a.s TERY, 5 ON
It must be said that Mr. Waterby was not wholly
proud of his revenge. when he arose on Christmas
morning. He felt that he had accomplished his pur-
pose and he told himself that his. motives. had been
good and pure, but still he was not satisfied with
himself.
He went to the dining room and there on the table
in front of his plate was a long paper box containing ten
books each marked “Poe.” It was the edition he had
coveted.
“What's this?” he asked, winking slowly, for his
mind could not grasp in one moment the fact of his awful
shame.
“I should think you ought to know,
Waterby, flushed and giggling like a
Alfred,” said Mrs.
school girl. {
“Oh, it was you—" ~~
“My goodness, Ju yiffad me frightened. That
first day" whe you rolls of buying them
hod you jnot to, I was just
sure that you suspected
= something. I bought
we —_ them a week before
\ [lthilthat.”
| “Yes —yes,” said
L ™~, Mr. Waterby, feeling
“the salt water in his
eyes, At that moment
: he, hau the soul of
"ba wretch being
. whipped at the stake.
as gt was determined
% net to ask you for any
< money to pay for your
: n presents,” Mrs.
Ns ~ Waterby continued.
lI Do you know I had to
| save for you and the
children out of my
— allowance.
Why, last week I
= RE starved you and
you never noticed it
ve all, I was afraid you would.”
“No, I— didn't notice it,”
ge Mr. Waterby brokenly, for he
Ys was confused and giddy. This
self - sacrificing angel—and he had
hristmas present for her!
a fearful situation, and he lied his way
NN
BN
.-
gn Hi
OCCA A
= D NNN
out of it.
“How did you like your present?” he asked.
“Why, I haven't seen it yet,” she responded, look-
ing across at hirn in surprise.
i You haven't? I told them to send it up yesterday.”
The children were shouting-andSlaughing over their
gifts in the n £0om aud he fale ¢ his duty to lic for
their sake.
“Well, don’t tell 5 me |
what it is,” interrupted
Mrs. Waterby. “ Wait
until it comes.”
“I'll go after it.”
He did go after it, |
although he had to il
drag a jeweler away
from his home on
Christmas Day and
have him open his
great safe. The ring
which he selected was
beyond his means, it |
is true, but when a
man has to buy back
his self-respect the W3 CR 2
price is never too high.