Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-04-15

I You have spoken nothing but the truth, :,
said Evelyn quietly, with her coral lips COM
4 pressed, and scarlet spot burning on either
cheek. Clara, l sometimes wonder how I can
endure that daily cross in my husbands
temper"
Temper repeated Clara, with a toss of her
/ chestnut-brown hair. "And the poor dear fell
low hasn't the least idea how very disagreeaLle
he makes himself
| "OnIy this morning" !" said Evelyn, he punish
ed Freddy with unrelenting severity for a dt OF
| i'll humor which he himself duplicated within
The last half hour. i am not a moralist, but it
strikes me that a fault should be censured more
| in a full-grown, reasoning man than in child"
Evelyn" said Clara, gravely. ''do you sup
pose ne is beyond the power of cure?'
! "Ihope not But what can 1 do? Shut him
up, as he shut up little Freddy?"
j Evelyn's merry, irrepressibie laugh was
/ checked by the arch, peculiar expression
Clara's blue eyes.
| s.The remedy needs to be something short and
sharp said Clara I" and this dark closet system
certainly combines both requisites. Tears and
histories were played out long ago in matrimo-
nial skirmishes, you know, Evy"
"Nonsensey' said Mrs. Darcy, rising from the
breakfast table in obedience to her husbands
peremptory summons from above stairs, while
| Clara shrugged her shoulders and went to work
to look for her work-basket.
Luke was standing in front of his bureau
drawer, finging shirts, collars. cravats and
stockings recklessly upon the bedroom floor.
I "rd like to know where my silk handker-
chiefs are, Mrs. Darcy" he fumed. "Such a
state as my bureau is in is enough to drive
man crazy -v--
| Its enough TO drive woman crazy, should
think" said Evelyn, STOPPING down 10 pick up
few scattered articles.
"You were at the bureau last, Luke. Itsyour
own fault"
MY fault-of course it's my faultr' snarled
Luke giving Mrs. Darcy's poodle kick that
sent him bowling to his mistress. Anything
but woman's retorting, recriminatingto tongue.
Mrs. Darcy, L won't endure it any longer"
Neither will 1, said Mrs. Darcy, resolutely
advancing as her husband plunged into the
closet after her business, and promptly shutting
the door, 81 think I've endured it long enough,
and here's the end of it,"
Mrs. Darcy, open the door, said Luke,
scarcely able to credit his senses.
Il shall do no such thing" said Mrs. Darcy,
composedly beginning to re-arrange shirts,
stockings and flannel wrappers in their appro-
pirate receptacles.
Mrs. Dar-cyr' roared Luke at a fever heat
of impotent rage, what on earth do you
mean?"
"Imean to keep you in That clothes press, Mr..
Darcy until you have made up your mind to
come out of there in a more amiable frame of
mind. Ifthe system succeeds with Freddy, it
certainly ought to with you. I'm sure your
temper is more intoleraole than his"
There was dead silence ofsome sixty seconds,
in the closet then a sudden burst Of vocal wrath.
MRS. Darcy, open the door this instant,
madam"
But Evelyn went on humming a saucy little
opera air, and Ieisurely arranging her clothes.
Do you hear me ?"
"Yes, 1 hear you."
"Will you obey me?"
"Not until you have solemnly promised to
put some sort of control on that temper of yours;
not until you pledge yourself to treat your wife
as lady should be; and not as a menial.'
-"I WON'T"
mol Then in that case hope you will not
find the atmosphere at all oppressive there, as
think 1t quite probable you will remain there
for some time. g
Another sixty seconds ofsilence, and then a
rain of heels and hands against the relentless
wooden panels. RON
"Let me out. say, Mrs. Darcy, madam, how
dare you perpetrate this monstrous piece of
impudence." $50
any dear Luke, how strongly you do remind
me OF Freddy. You see there is nothing have
so little tolerance for as bad temper; it ought
to have been checked long ago, only you know
am so ridiculously indulgent.
Mr.. Darcy WINGED little atthe familiar sound
ofhis own words. ,fr.. a5a-.iT .t1..- a.
Tap tap-tap came softly 10 the door. Mrs.
Dairy composedly opened it and there she saw
her husbands little Office boy.
please mann, there's some gentlemen at the
Iffice in great hurry to see Mr.. Darcy. It Is
about the Applegate will case"
Mrs. Darcy hesitated an instant. There was a
triumphant rustic in the closet, and her deter
mination was at once taken.
iTell the gentleman that your master has a
bad headache, and wont be down town this
morning. "a .i..t a't- li' Hs
Luke gnashed his teeth audibly as soon as the
closing of the door admonished him that he
might do so with safety, l1 .-t11 i-
"Mrs. Darcy, oyou presume to interfere with
the transaction of business that is vitality i'm
portant. maam, vitality important"
Mrs. Darcy nonchaientIy took up the little
opera where she had left of, letting the soft
Italian words ripple musicaIIy on her tongue.
Evelyn, DEAR,
"What is it, Luke" she asked mildly.
"Please let me out. My dear, this may be a
joke to you, but -t.......I b o.. -
,,'-. ~ y - - ~
- = - -,
aqu.e'ou my '"'0-e --te ''-''-- ~
- -, y ,-.,. -,,.,,. ..=-
Evelyn" said Luke, presently, in subdued
tone. twill you open the door?y
H +" On one condition only -
"And what is that?"
an, na! oun. .ne l,.'-e ,as,ss ~ -
esai, ne ocsintiis W ~ 60 -,--o', y
p,'pia',or' - nc 80,
aLouu' .Hss ~ /" III es.A VI VIC
Oh lspeahihs crossls 1i.q shai ply W me- anu on
all occasions keep your 'eiipef, --,i
My temper lndeedF sputtereo LuKe'
Just your temper, returned MS "iie
serenely. WIN you promlseF, r..- -,-..