Mary Stewart Cutting

“ But come, what makes you look so unhappy, Gladys? Aren't you glad to go off with me—in a new costume?"
"Edward!" said Mrs. Atwood. She rose and stood in front of him, her dark eyes unnaturally large, the colour coming and going in her rounded olive cheek. Her red lips trembled. "Edward, I have something to tell you."
"There's the door bell," said her husband with an arresting hand, as he listened for the outer sounds.
"A parcel, father. A shilling to pay!" cried Sam, as he ran into the room.
"Have you the change, Gladys? It's some clothes I ordered myself for the Scarborough trip ”

“ Atwood. He swooped her into a front place in the circle with his long arm. "Here, look at this, Gladys, and tell me what you think of it."
"Edward!"
"Lined throughout with taffeta, gores on every frill, why—bring your mother a chair, Josephine."
Before the eyes of Mrs. Atwood lay the rich folds of a cloth skirt, surmounted by a jacket trimmed with fur.
She lay back in the armchair with the family clustered around her, their tongues loosened.
"We all knew about it." "We promised not to tell." "We wanted to see you get it." "There won't be anybody as pretty as you, mamma." ”

“ Atwood was constitutionally incapable of adding another straw to her husband's burden, while she stood by consenting sympathetically unto his righteous wrath. A day later, when she spoke of going to town to buy the material for her new costume with outward buoyancy, but inward panic at the rapid shrinkage of her funds, Sam, a boy of twelve, announced the fact that he must have a new suit of clothes at once. As it was Saturday, he could accompany her.
"What is the matter with those you have on? They are not in the least worn out," said his mother. ”

“ She had meant to ask Edward to advance her a little more on the next month's allowance—already largely anticipated—but she had not the face to do so after his generosity to her now. A half-sovereign out of the ten pounds would make very little difference, and she did not need it all, anyway. She almost wept as she thought of Josephine's championship of her, and her husband's thoughtfulness.
Mrs. Atwood adored her husband and her three children. She firmly believed them to be superior in every way to all other mortals ”

“ I try, and I try, but——"
"Yes, yes, I know," said the husband. "All I ask now is that you spend this money on yourself; it's not for other needs, remember. You are to spend it all on yourself."
"Yes, I will," said Mrs. Atwood, with the guilty thrill of the perjured at the very moment of her promise. She knew very well that some of it would have to be spent for other needs. She had but two shillings left of her allowance to last her until the end of the month, five long days away. ”

“ The second quarter of Josephine's music lessons begins next month, and the dancing-school bill comes in, too—besides the coal. I meant to have saved the money for a coat out of my allowance, but I was obliged to fit Josephine out from head to foot, she grows so fast; she takes as much for a dress as I do. But it doesn't make any difference. I can do very well for a while with what I have—really!"
"How about the Scarborough trip with me next month? I thought you said you couldn't go anywhere without a new costume?" ”

“ It is certain that the children, truthful, loving and obedient as beyond tolerance if it were not that the very strength of her admiration made it innocuous. They were so used to being told that they were the loveliest and dearest things on earth that the words were not even heard. ”

“ Atwood.
"The Club goes to Scarborough on the fifth of the month, it was decided to-day. Nearly all the men are going to take their wives with them. I'm looking forward to showing off mine."
"My mamma will look prettier than any of them," said Eddy belligerently.
"And lots younger," added Sam.
"Have you ordered the costume yet?" asked the voice of Josephine. Oh, how her mother dreaded it!
"No, I haven't—yet," she felt herself forced into saying.
"I don't believe there is any money left for it," pursued the pitiless one. "She spends it for other things, papa. ”

“ No one but the mother of a family on moderate means realises what the demands for pencils, bootlaces, postage stamps, hair ribbons, medicines, mended boots, and such like can amount to in that short time. ”