The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-02-04

wife as lady should be treated; not as

"Nog Then in that case I hope you
dol't find the atmosphere at all oppres.
sive there, as ] think it probable you
will remain there some tilner'
Another sixty seconds of dead silence,
then sudden rain Of heels and hands
against the relentless wooden panels.
Let me out, say, Mrs. Darcy"
madam, how dare you perpctratc this
monstrous piece of audacity?'
"My dear Luke, how strongly you
do remind me Of Freddy You see there
is nothing have so little tolerance for
as bad temper. 1t ought to have
been checked long ago, only you know
I'm so ridiculously indulgen;."
Mr.. Darcy WINGED little at the ia.
miliar 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.
"Plcase, man, there's some gentle
men at the Office in o great hurry to sec
Mr.. Darcy. It's abou. the Applcgate
will case !"
Mrs Darcy hcsitated an instant; there
was a triumphant rustic in the closet,
and her determination was taken.
Tell the gentlemen that your master
has bad headache, and won't be down
town this morning"
Luke gnashed his teeth audibly, as
soon as the closing of the door adnon.
ished him that he might do SO with
safety.
Mrs. Darcy, do you presume to in.
teriere with the transaction of business
that is vitality important, ma'am, vitality
Important" !"
Mrs. Darcy nonchalantly took up the
little opera air where she had left it,
letting the soft Italian words ripple
musically off her tongue
Evelyn, dcar!'
what's it, Luke 2" she asked mildly.
"Plcase let me out. My dear, this
may be joke 10 you, but"
- | assure you, Luke, it's nothing Of
the kind; it's the sobcrcst of serious
matters to me- 1t is question US to
whether my future life shall be misera-
bic or happy"
There was u third interval of silence.
Evelyn" said Luke, presently, in
subdued voice, "will you open the
Coor p
"On one condition only"
"And what is hat
"Ah! ah 7" thought the little licuteu-
ant general, "he's beginning to enter
tain terms of capitalization, is he? 0n
Conditions" she added aloud, "that
you will break yourself Of the habit of
speaking GROSSLY and sharply to me, aud
on all occasions keep your temper"
MY temper, indeed" sputtercd
Luke"
"Just your temper" returned his
wife, screnely. "Will. you promise 7"
Never, madam
Ms. Darcy quietly took up pair of
hose that required mending, aud pre-
pared to leave the apartment. As the
door creaked on its hinges, however, n
voice came shrilly through the opposite
keyhole.
Mrs. Darcy, Evelyn! wife wife :"
eyes"
"You are not going down stairs to
leave me 10 this place."
d / am."
"Well, look hcrc-I promise
GAN and everything that require?"
"Yes, all and everything that you re.
quire-conlound it all =
Wisely deaf to the muttcred sequel,
Mrs. Darcy opened the door, aud Luke
stalked sullenly out, looking right over
the top Of her shining brown hair.
Suddenly little OBTAINING hand was
laid on his coat sleeve.
Luke, dear :"
"Well p,
"Won't you give me kiss 7"
And Mrs. Darcy burst out crying on
her husbands shoulder.
SWELL" calculated the puzzled Luke,
eff you aren't the greatest enigma GO
ing. A kiss? Yes, half dozen of EN-
if you want, you kind.hearted little
turnkey. DO not cry, pet, I'm not angry
with you, although | suppose | ought
to be-"
"And may | let Freddy out ?"
"Yes, on the fame terms that his
papa was released. Evelyn, was very
intolerablt?"
al you hand't been, Luke, / never
should have ventured on such violent
remedy"
Did make you very unhappy :"
every"
And the gush of warm sparkling
tears supplied a dictionary full Of words.
Luke Darcy buttoned up his overeoat,
put on his hat, shouldered his umbrella,
and went to the Applegate will case,
musing as he went upon the new state
Of affairs that had presented itself for
his consideration.
"By Jove," he calculated, "that lit
tie wife of mine is a bold woman aud
plucky oee !"
And thus he burst out laughing on
the steps.
1t is more than probable that he left
his stock of bad temper in the law
buildings that day, for Evelyn and Clara
never saw any more it il; and Freddy
is daily getting the best Of the pcppery
clement in his infantile disposition.
Men, after all, are but children of
larger growth; and so Mrs. Evelyn
Darcy had reasoned.
A Quaker and Baptist were travel
ing together in a. stage coach. The
latter took every opportunity Of ridicu-