“DEAR SIR: No doubt you have expected to hear from me ere this; I have been waiting for the opportunity which your popularity has just now afforded me. If the monotony of my humdrum existence has taken me entirely out of your life, it is only the more reason why your rise to prominence has been more plain to me; I have no favors to ask, but a request to make, hence this letter. I can see no happiness in having for a husband a man who on the stroke of five in the morning rolls out of his bed, hurries into his clothes and rushes away to his stall, where he deals out potatoes and codfish to the dictation of those to whom he must humbly bow in order to retain their patronage; remaining away all day without his lunch and only arriving home in the evening in time to eat dinner, which has been spoiled by being kept warm, and then tired, cross and peevish, he goes off to seek the rest from the day’s toil and worry, only to rise and repeat the program as the days go by. The man is all right, I have no fault to find with him, but his ill health and the overwork have sapped his vitality until ambition in him is a gone and forgotten element. You have power and my husband is well qualified to fill some office, which would be an honor to him and a glory to me. He is educated and I want you to have him appointed to a position. I also want you to arrange to have _our_ boy sent to school. “These things I _know_ you will take pleasure in doing, believing as I do, that my wish is your pleasure. I remain, ⸺ nee Mary Dalby.” “He came to me upon receipt of the letter ready to advance me money, anything, that he could do, but the appointment was out of the question. “‘No,’ I said, ‘it is not; I shall expect you to do as I say.’ “‘But, listen, Mary, the positions which I did control have all been tendered to others since I accepted my appointment, and the only way I could get any favors now would be to withdraw.” “‘All right, sir, withdraw,’ said I. “‘But now, dear, be reasonable. My family is all ready to sail.’ “‘Well, let them sail.’ “‘Yes, I—I know,’ he stammered. ‘But they can’t sail without me and I can’t disappoint them now.’ “‘You can send them and join them later.’ “‘No, I cannot afford it.’ “‘Cannot afford it,’ I gasped. “‘No. You see, Mary, I have to spend so much keeping pace with the crowd, that money is not at all plentiful with me.’ “‘And this appointment is the only means you have of going abroad?’ “‘Yes, Mary.’