How lovely it would have been with this sum available, to have forestalled events by laying in every class of commodity! In order to supplement the domestic scrimping, he again had to solicit the aid of Dona Luisa.

War had lessened Don Marcelo's precautions, and the family was now living in generous unconcern.

The mother, like other house mistresses, had stored up provisions for months and months to come, buying whatever eatables she was able to lay hands on.

Argensola took advantage of this abundance, repeating his visits to the home in the avenue Victor Hugo, descending its service stairway with great packages which were swelling the supplies in the studio.
He felt all the joys of a good housekeeper in surveying the treasures piled up in the kitchen--great tins of canned meat, pyramids of butter crocks, and bags of dried vegetables.

He had accumulated enough there to maintain a large family.