The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-09-11
A LESSON.

Betty sighed Now, why she should have
sighed at this particular moment. no one on
earth could tell. And it was all the more
exasperating because John had just gener-
ously put into her little shapely hand q
brand new $40 bill. And here began the
trouble.
Whats the matter?' he said, his face
falling at the faint sound, and his mouth
clapping together in what those who knew
him but little called an obstinate pucker'
--"now, what is it?"
Betty, who had just begun to change the
sigh in merry little laugh ripping all
over the corners of her red lips, stopped
suddenly, tossed her head, and with small
Jerk. no ways conciliating, sent out the
words, "You needn't insinuate that I'm al
ways troublesomel'
II didn't insinuate-whos talking of in
sinuating7" cried John, thoroughly incensed
1T the very idea; and backing away few
steps, he glared down from his tremendous
height in extreme irritation. Its You, your
self, that's forever Insinuating, and all that
and then to put it on me-its abominableI'
The voice was harsh, and the eyes that
'ooked down into hers were not pleasant to
behold
And if you think, John Peabody, that
I'll stand and have such things said to Inc,
you miss your guess-that's alp cried
betty, with big red spots coming in her
cheeks as she tried to draw her little, erect
figure up to its utmost dimensions. For
ever insinuatingl guess you wouldn't
have said that before l married you'll Oh,
now you can, of coursel'
''Didn't you say it first, I'd like to
known" cried John in great excitement,
drawing nearer to the small creature he
called "wife," who was gazing at him with
blazing eyes of Indignation; Il can't endure
everything"
"And if you bear more than DO" cried
Betty. wholly beyond control now, "why
then I'll give it up" and she gave bitter
little laus and tossed her head again.
And here they were in the midst of a
QUARREL These two who but year before
rad promised to love and protect and help
each other through life.
"Now," said John, and he brought his
band down with such q bang on the table
before him that Betty nearly skipped out of
her little shoes, only she controlled the
start, for she would have died before she
had let John see, well have no more of
this nonsensep His face was very pale
and the lines around the mouth so drawn
that it would have gone to any ones heart
to have seen their expression.
II don't know how you will change it or
help it." said Betty, lightly, to conceal her
dismay at the turn affairs had taken, '1m
sure" and she pushed back with saucy,
Indifferent gesture, the light waving hair
from her forehead.
That hair that John always smoothed
when he petted her when tireu or disheart-
ened, and called her "childie." Her gesture
struck to his heart as he glanced at her sun
ny hair and the cool, Indifferent face under
meath, and before he knew il he was saying,
There is no help for it now, 1 suppose"
"Oh, yes, there is, said Betty, still IN the
cool, calm way that ought not to have de-
ceived him. But men know so little OIL
women's hearts, although they may live
with them for years in closest friendship
"You needn't try to endure it, John Pea
body if you don't want to. I'm sure don't
caren
what do you mean?" Her husband
grasped her arms and compelled the merry
brown eyes to look up to him.
Il can go back to Mothers" said Betty
provokingly. "She wants me any day, anC
then you can live quietly and live to sui
yourself, and it will be better all around"
Instead of bringing out violent protests
ton of fond affection and rernorse, which
she fully expected, John drew himself up
looked at her fxedly for long, long min
ute, then dropped her arm, and said through
white lips very slowly:
ayes, it may be as you say, better al
around. You know best" and was gon
from the room before she could recover from
her establishment enough to utter sound.
With a wild cry Betty rushed across tn
room, first tossing the ten.dollar bill savage
ly as far as she could throw it. and fiingin,
herself on the comfortable old sofa, brok
into food of bitter tears, the first she hat
shed huring her married life.
How could he have done it-oh, wha
have | said--oh John, Johnp
The bird twittered in his little cage owe
in the window among the plants. Bett,
remembered like a flash how John and sh
filled the seed cup that very morning, hoy
ne laughed when she tried to put it in be
tween the bars, and when she couldn't reac
without getting upon chair, he took her i
his great arms and held her up just like
child, that she might fix it to suit herse
And the "bits" that he said in his tende
way. why they had gone down to the depth
of her foolish little heart, sending ner abou
her work singing for very gladness ofspiri
And nOwl
Betty stuffed her fingers hard into he
rosy ears to shut out the birds chirping.
"If he knew why sighed" she moane(
"Oh, my husbandi Brthdays-nothin
will make any difference now. Oh, VIII
can't die?"
How long she stayed there, crouched dow
on the old sofa, she never knew. Over an
over the dreadful scene she went, realizin
its worst features each time in despair unit
a voice out in the kitchen said:
Betty" and heavy footsteps proclaime
that some one was Oh the point Of breakin
in upon her unlimited.
Betty sprang up, choked back her sob
and tried with all her might to compo:
herself and remove all traces of her troubl
The visitor was the worst possible one 81
could have, under the circumstances. Crow
ing herself on terms OF the closest intimac
with the pretty bride, who. with her hu
band, had moved into the village previou
Miss Elvira Simmons had made the very mo
80 har oynortunities and by dint of makir