I had been born and brought up in a spacious house, with plenty of bedrooms, closets, and an immense old-time garret.

The forlorn makeshifts for closets, and the absence of all conveniences, annoyed me and added much to the difficulties of my situation.

Added to this, I soon discovered that my husband had a penchant for buying and collecting things which seemed utterly worthless to me, and only added to the number of articles to be handled and packed away.

I begged him to refrain, and to remember that he was married, and that we had not the money to spend in such ways.

He really did try to improve, and denied himself the taking of many an alluring share in raffles for old saddles, pistols, guns, and cow-boy's stuff, which were always being held at the cutler's store.
But an auction of condemned hospital stores was too much for him, and he came in triumphantly one day, bringing a box of antiquated dentist's instruments in his hand.
"Good gracious!" I cried, "what can you ever do with those forceps ?" "Oh! they are splendid," he said, "and they will come in mighty handy some time." I saw that he loved tools and instruments, and I reflected, why not?
There are lots of things I have a passion for, and love, just as he loves those things and I shall never say any more about it.