n talk with you about
my affairs.' I flared right up. I couldn't have helped it, if I'd died
for it the next minute."

"Well; what then?"

"Oh! the old story. Of course he got angry, and went off like a streak
of lightning. I cried half the evening, and then went to bed. I don't
know how late it was when he came home. This morning, when I got up, he
was sleeping as heavy as a log. It was near ten o'clock when I heard
him moving about in our chamber, but I did not go in. He had got
himself into a huff, and I was determined to let him get himself out of
it. Just as I supposed he would come into the nursery, where I was
sitting with the children, awaiting his lordship's pleasure to appear
for breakfast, he opens the door into the passage, and walks himself
off."

"Without his breakfast?"

"Yes, indeed. And I've seen nothing of him since."

"That's bad," said the friend. "A little tiff now and then is all well
enough in its place. But this is too serious."

"So I feel it. Yet what am I to do?"

"You will have to manage better than this."

"Manage?"

"Yes. I never have scenes of this kind with my husband."

"He's not so close with you as Henry is with me. He isn't so mean, if I
must speak plainly, in money matters."

"Well, I don't know about that. He isn't perfect by many degrees. One
of his faults, from the beginning, has been a disposition to dole out
my allowance of money with a very sparing hand. I bore this for some
years, but it fretted me; and was the source of occasional
misunderstandings that were very unpleasant."

Mrs. Claxton paused.

"Well; what remedy did you apply?" asked Mrs. Ellis.

"A very simple one. I took what he was pleased to give me, and if it
didn't hold out, I bought what I needed, and had the bills sent in to
the store."

"Capital!" exclaimed Mrs. Ellis. "Just what I have been thinking of.
And it worked well?"

"To a charm."

"What did Mr. Claxton say when the bills came in?"

"He looked grave, and said I would ruin him; but, of course, paid them."

"Is that the way you got your new carpets?"

"Yes."

"And your new blinds?"

"Yes."

"Well, I declare! But doesn't Mr. Claxton diminish your allowances of
money?"

"Yes, but his credit is as good as his money. I never pay for dry
goods, shoes, or groceries. The bills are all sent in to him."

"And he never grumbles?"

"I can't just say that. It isn't a week since he assured me, with the
most solemn face in the worl