ew worse and worse.

And this penuriousness extended to himself. He grudged himself, as
well as wife and children, clothing suitable to his means and station,
and went about looking so rusty and shabby that Mrs. Taggard often
felt ashamed of him, inwardly wondering if he could be the same man
who had wooed and won her.

With a heavy sigh Mrs. Taggard took up the roll of bills upon the
table, hoping to find enough to pay what was already due--she did not
look for more.

An ejaculation of astonishment burst from her lips as she unrolled the
paper in which it was folded. It contained $500 in bills, and a check
for $500 more.

With a look of quiet determination in her eyes, Mrs. Taggard arose to
her feet. "The family should now have some of the comforts to which
they were entitled, if they never did again."

First, she settled every bill; a heavy weight being lifted from her
heart as she did so; besides getting a fresh supply of fuel and other
comforts. Her next move was to order new furniture for the
sitting-room and parlor, have the hall recarpeted and papered, the
broken door-step mended, and the fence and blinds repaired and
painted. She then took the children out, and got them new garments
from hats to shoes. She bought herself three new dresses; a neat
gingham for morning wear, a delaine for afternoons, and something
nicer for best. And before going home she took the children into a
toy-shop; delighting the boy with the skates he had so often asked
for, and giving the girl the chief wish of her heart, a doll and
doll's wardrobe--not forgetting some blocks for the baby. For, like a
wise, as well as kind, mother, Mrs. Taggard desired to make their
childhood a happy one; something to look back upon with pleasure
through their whole life. Neither was John forgotten; by the aid of
some old garments, for a pattern, she got him an entire new suit,
together with stuff for dressing-gown and slippers.

The day on which Mrs. Taggard expected her husband's return was a very
busy one; but at last the carpets were down, the paper hung, and
everything in the best of order.

He was expected on the five o'clock train, and Mrs. Taggard set the
children, attired in their pretty new dresses, at the window to watch
for papa, while she went below to assist Jane in preparing something
extra for supper. She had just returned when Mr. Taggard was seen
approaching the house.

It looked so different from what it did when he left, tha