“But, Lillie, _please_ let me show you,” persisted John. “I’ve made it just as simple as can be.” [Illustration: “I never had the least head for figures.”] “O John! now—I just—can’t—there now! Don’t bring that book now; it’ll just make me low-spirited and cross. I never had the least head for figures; mamma always said so; and if there _is_ any thing that seems to me perfectly dreadful, it is accounts. I don’t think it’s any of a woman’s business—it’s all _man’s_ work, and men have got to see to it. Now, _please_ don’t,” she added, coming to him coaxingly, and putting her arm round his neck. “But, you see, Lillie,” John persevered, in a pleading tone,—“you see, all these alterations that have been made in the house have involved very serious expenses; and then, too, we are living at a very different rate of expense from what we ever lived before”— “There it is, John! Now, you oughtn’t to reproach me with it; for you know it was your own idea. I didn’t want the alterations made; but you would insist on it. I didn’t think it was best; but you would have them.” “But, Lillie, it was all because you wanted them.” “Well, I dare say; but I shouldn’t have wanted them if I thought it was going to bring in all this bother and trouble, and make me have to look over old accounts, and all such things. I’d rather never have had any thing!” And here Lillie began to cry. “Come, now, my darling, do be a sensible woman, and not act like a baby.” “There, John! it’s just as I knew it would be; I always said you wanted a different sort of a woman for a wife. Now, you knew when you took me that I wasn’t in the least strong-minded or sensible, but a poor little helpless thing; and you are beginning to get tired of me already. You wish you had married a woman like Grace, I know you do.” “Lillie, how silly! Please do listen, now. You have no idea how simple and easy what I want to explain to you is.” “Well, John, I can’t to-night, anyhow, because I have a headache. Just this talk has got my head to thumping so,—it’s really dreadful! and I’m so low-spirited! I do wish you had a wife that would suit you better.” And forthwith Mrs. Lillie dissolved in tears; and John stroked her head, and petted her, and called her a nice little pussy, and begged her pardon for being so rough with her, and, in short, acted like a fool generally. “If that woman was _my_ wife now,” I fancy I hear some youth with a promising moustache remark, “I’d make her behave!” Well, sir, supposing she was your wife, what are you going to do about it?