Clayton herald. (Clayton, Del.) 1867-1870, 1869-04-03

the bedroom floor.
"rd like to know where my silk
handkerchiefs are, Mrs. Darcy he fun
ed. "Such a state as my bureau is in is
enough to drive man crazyl"
"It's enough to drive woman crazy,
l think" said Evelyn, hopelessly, stop
ping to pick up few of the scattered
articles.
"You were at the bureau last, Luke.
1t is your own faultl
"My fault--of course it's my fault"
snarled Luke, giving Mrs. Darcy's
poodle kick that sent it bowling to its
mistress. "Anything but a woman's
retorting and recriminating tongue. Mrs.
Darcy, 1 won't endure it any longer"
"Neither will L ~ said Evelyn, reso-
lutely advancing as her husband plugged
into the closet for his business coat, and
promptly shutting and locking the door.
II think have endured it quite long
enough-and here is'ansend of i'll"
"Mrs. Darcy, open the door," said
Luke, scarcely able to credit the evil
dence of his own senses.
81 shall do no such thing" said Mrs.
Darcy, composedly beginning to rear
range shirts, stockings and flannel wrap
pers in their appropriate receptacles.
Mrs. Darcy" roared Luke, at a fever
heat of impotent rage, "what on earth
do you mean ?" M
81 mean to keep you in that clothes
press, Mr.. Darcy, until you have made
up your mind to come out in more
amiable frame of mind. If the system
succeeds with Freddy, it certainly ought
TO with you; and 1 am sure your tenn
per is much more intolerable than his"
There was dead silence of fully sixty
seconds in the closet, then asudden burst
of vocal wrath.
Mrs. Darcy, open the door this in
slant, madamp'
But Evelyn went on humming a sau-
cy little opera air and arranging her
clothes i2t
"Do you hear me?"
"Yes, l hear you"
"Will you obey me2" ..
"Not until you have solemnly prom
ised mo to put some sort of control on
that temper of yours; not until you
pledge yourself hereafter, to treat your
vi, aTS ladv should he treats-d ,,..t =.
IncnfaI.
az won'tp
"No? Then in that case hope you
don't find the atmosphere at all oppres-
sive there; think it probable you will
remain there some time.
Another sixty seconds of dead silence,
then sudden rain of heels and hands
against the wooden panels.
LET me out, say, Mrs. Darcy, mad
am, how dare you perpetrate this mon
strous piece of audacity?''
"My dear Luke. how strong you do
remind me of Freddie! You see thereis
nothing have so little tolerance for as
bad temper. 1t ought to have been check
ed long ago, only you know am so ri
diculously irdulgent."
Mr.. Darcy WINGED little at the famil-
lar sound of his own words.
Tap, tap tap, came softly to the door.
Mrs. Darcy composedly opened it, and
saw her husbands little office boy.
"Please, mem, there's some gentle
men at the office in great hurry. It's
about the Applegate will case"
Mrs. Darcy hesitated an instant; there
was triumphant rustic in the closet,
and her determination was taken.
"Tell the gentlemen that your master
has a bad headache, and won't be down
this morning"
Luke, gnashing his teeth audibly, as
soon as the closing of the door admon-
ished him that he might do so with safe
ty.
"Mrs. Darcy, do you presume to in
terfere with the transaction of business
that is vitally important, ma'am, vitality
Important"
Mrs. Darcy nonchalantly took up the
little opera air where she had left it, let
ting the soft italian words ripple musi-
cally ON her tongue.
Evelyn, dear"
"What is it, Luke % she asked, mild
ly. 9 h1a
"Please let me out. My dear, this may
be joke to you, but"
assure you; Luke, its nothing OF
the kind; it is the soberest of serious
T matters to me. 1t is a question as to
whether my future life shall be misera-
ble or happy"
There was a third brief interval OF
, silence.
: "Evely," said Luke, presently, in a
. subdued voice, "will you open this
t door?"
t "on one condition onlyp'
3 "And what is that?"
: "Ah iah /" thought the little lieuten.
ant-general, he's beginning to entertain
D terms Of capitulation, is he? On condi.
I tions," she added aloud, "that you will
break yourself of the habit of speaking
t sharply and GROSSLY to me, and on all oc
casions keep your temper.' f",i'.
"My temper, indeed" sputtered
: Luke. ia1 eaa sH .rei4slnf sdi ustti 81.
u "Justyour temper, returned his wife
9 sternly,. "''Will you promise ~ s2i9 ...l,!
Q Never, madam - anais.. a,r a,a@r
: Mrs Darcy Quietly took up pairo
= hose that required mending, and prepai
I ed to leave the apartment. AS the dooi
cracked ondits hinges, however, voic,
:, came shrilly through the opposite key
y hole. ,r,..,..
y f"Mrs. Darcy, Evelynl wife !p..aa u
a l"lYes.,' 1 -es fai .niiHt f.
k "You are not going down stairs I,
leave me in this place 2' Ht rs T4.si,t
+ NJ am.' sfa L'nm u- Ls u