The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-06-12
door, "I think I've endured il lone

acncSe Of his Litoag own scr Senses "ool at bios a'91
~ shall do no such thing" " said Mrs.
Darcy. comppscdly, beginning to rear
range shirts, stockings and flannel wrap
pers in their appropriate receptacles.
Mrs. Dar-cy !" roared Luke, at a
fever heat of ,impoteut rage, "what on
earth do you mean l"
81 mean to keep you in that clothes
press, MIR. 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; | am sure your temper is
much more iutolerablc than his"
There was dead silence of full sixty
seconds in the clost, thon sudden burst
of vocal wrath.
"Mrs. Darcy, open the door this in
slant, madam -
But Evelyn went on humming saucy
littly opera air, and arranging her
clothes.
ado you hear me 2"
"I Ies-I hear you"
"Will you obey me?"
"Not until you have solemnly prom
iscd me to put some sort Of control on
that temper of yours; not until you
pledge yourself to treat your wife as
lady should be treated; not menial."
II WON'T"
"No? Then in that case l hope you
don't find the atmosphere at all oppres-
sive there, as l think it probable you
will remain there some time ~
Another sixty seconds of dead silence,
then a sudden rain of heels aud hands
against the relentless wooden panels.
"Let me out, l say, Mrs. Darcy mad
am, how dare you perpetrate this mon
strous piece of audacity?"
My dear luke, how strongly you do
remind iao Of Freddy. You see there is
gotl;;ss T have tale-,eassi,.. assi,...sss.---<
a bad temper. 1t ought to have been
checked long ago, only you know I'm so
ridiculously indulgent."
MIR. Darcy WINGED little at the famil-
lar sound Of his own words.
Iap-tap-tap came softly at the door
Mrs. Darcy composedly opened it, and
saw her husbands little Office boy.
"Plcase, mem, there's some gentlemen
at the office in great hurry to see Atr,
Darcy It's about the Applegatc will
case"
Mrs. Darcy hcsitatcd an instant; there
was triumphant rustic in tic closet,
and her determination WAS taken at
once.
"Tell the gentlemen that your master
has a bad headache, and won't be down
town this morning"
Luke gn.shcd his teeth aulbly as
soon as the closing of the door admonish
cd him that he might do so with safety
Mrs. Darcy, do You presume to inter
ltrc with The transaction of business that
Is vitally important, ma'am, vitally i'm
portant |"
Mrs. Darcy nonclalantly took up the
little opera air where she had left it let
ting the soft Italian words musically OF
her tonguc,
Evelyn, dear !"
"What is it, Luke ?" she asked mild
IY.
Please let INC out. My dear, this
may be a Ike to you, but ="
Il assure yoa, Lake, its nothing Of
the kind 1t is the sobcrcst of serious
matters to me. 1t is question whether
my future life shall be miserable or hap.
py.
There was third interval of silence.
Evelyn" said Luke, presently, in
suddued voice, 'will you open the door,
"On one condition only"
"And what is that -
"-Ah, ha !! thought the little licuten
ant-gcncral, hes beginning to entertain
conditions of captulation, is he? On
condition." she added aloud "that you
will break yourself Of the habit Of speak
ing GROSSLY and sharly to NE, and on all
occasions keep your temper
my temper, indcod :" sputtercd
Luke
just your temper returned his
wife, screnely. will you promise 2"
"Nevcr, madam !"
Mrs. Darcy quietly took up a pair of