is wife bore to each other and society. They had been
married about six years, and had three children, the oldest a boy, and
the other two girls. Ellis kept a retail dry-goods store, in a small
way. His capital was limited, and his annual profits, therefore, but
light. The consequence was, that, in all his domestic arrangements, the
utmost frugality had to be observed. He was a man of strict probity,
with some ambition to get ahead in the world. These made him careful
and economical in his expenditures, both at home and in the management
of his business. As a man, he was social in his feelings, but inclined
to be domestic. While unmarried, he had lived rather a gay life, and
formed a pretty large acquaintance among young men. His associations
led him into the pretty free use of intoxicating drinks; but the
thought of becoming a slave of a vicious appetite never once crossed
his mind with its warning shadow.

The first trial of Henry Ellis's married life was the imperative
necessity that required him to lay a restraining hand upon his wife's
disposition to spend money more freely than was justified by their
circumstances. He had indulged her for the period of a whole year, and
the result was so heavy a balance against his expense account, that he
became anxious and troubled. There must be a change, or his business
would be crippled, and ultimate ruin follow. As gently as he could,
Ellis brought the attention of his wife to this matter. But, she could
not comprehend, to its full extent, the point he urged. It then became
necessary for Ellis to hold the purse-strings more tightly than he had
formerly done. This fretted the mind of his wife, and often led her, in
the warmth of the moment of disappointment, to utter unkind
expressions. These hurt Ellis; and, sometimes, made him angry. The
cloud upon Cara's brow, consequent upon these occasional
misunderstandings, was generally so unpleasant to Ellis, whose heart
was ever wooing the sunshine, let the rays come through almost any
medium, that he would spend his evenings abroad. Temptation, as a
natural consequence, was in his way. His convivial character made him
seek the company of those who do not always walk the safest paths. How
anxious should be the wife of such a husband to keep him at home; how
light the task would have been for Cara. Alas! that she was so selfish,
so self-willed--so blind! The scene that occurred on the evening of
Ellis's return home with the book he w