The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-03-02
The Old. Old Story.

tell. And it was all the more e1
asperating because John had iup
generously put into her little shape
ly hand brand new $40 bill. An,
here began the trouble.
" What's the matter p he said
his face falling at the faint sound
and big mouth going together IL
what those who knew him but littl,
called an obstinate pucker-"now
what is it 2"
| Betty, who had just begun t.
change the sigh into a merry laugh
ripping all over the corners of tn,
red lips, stopped suddenly, tossed
her head, and, with a small jerk, nc
ways conciliating, sent out the
words: "You need not insinuate
that I'm always troublesome.
~ didn't insinuate-who is talk
ing of insinuating ?" cried John, in
censed at the very idea, and back
ing away few steps, he glared
down from his tremendous height
in extreme irritation. "It's your
self that's forever insinuating, and
all that, and then trying to put it
on me. It's abominable."
The voice was harsh, and the eyes
that looked down into hers were
not pleasant to behold.
"And if you think, John Peabody.
that I'll stand and have such things
said to me, you miss your guess
that's all?" cried Betty, with two
big red spots coming in her cheeks,
as she tried to draw her little erect
figure up to it's utmost dimensions.
Forever insinuating! l guess you
wouldn't have said that before
married you! Oh, now you can, of
course
Didn't you say it first, I'd like to
knOw?' cried John in great excite
mont, drawing near to the small
creature he called "wife," who was
gazing at him with blazing eyes of
indignation-'I can't bear every
ting"
"And if you can bear more than
l do" cried Betty wholly beyond
control now, "why then I'll give it
up" and she gave a bitter little
laugh and tossed her head again.
And here they were in the midst
Of a quarrel! These two, who but
a year before had promised to love
and protect and help each other
through life.
"Now," said John, as he brought
his hand down with such a bang on
the table before him that Betty
nearly skipped out Of her little shoes,
only controlled the start, for she
would have died before she let John
see it, "weH have no more of this
!" His face was very pale,
and the lines around his mouth so
drawn that it would have gone TO
ones heart to have seen their ex-
preston.
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, "I'm sure )"
and she pushed back, with q saucy,
Indifferent gesture, the light waving
nair from her forehead.
That hair that John always !
he petted her, when tired |
or disheartened, and called her "Shil-
iie." He gesture struck to his |
leart, as he glanced at the sunny |
lair, and the cool, Indifferent face |
and before he knew it, |
ne was saying: "There is no help |
or it now, suppose"
ooh, yes, there is" said Betty, |
till in the cool way that ought not
% have deceived him. But men |
know so little of women's hearts,
hOugh they may live with them for
years in close friendship. "You
leedn't try to endure it, John Pea
,ody, if you don't want to; I'm sure
don't care. :"
"What do you mean ?" John
,rasped her arm and compelled the
,rown eyes to look up to him.
II can go back to mothers" she
aid provokingly. "She wants me
ny way, and then you can live
uietly and to suit yourself, and it
viii be better all around"
Instead of bringing out violent
of fond affection and re-
morse which she fully expected, |
ohm drew himself up, looked at
ere fxedly for a long, long min
te, then dropped her arm and said
trough white Ii ps very slowly:
ayes, it may be as you say-bet-
er all around. You know best,
nd was gone from the room before
he could recover from her astonish-
1ent enough to utter sound.
With wild cry Betty rushed
cross the room, first tossing the $40
avagely as far as she could throw
!, and finding herself on the com
1rtable old sofa, broke into food
f bitter tears-the first she had
he'd during her married life.
Chow could he have done it-Oh,
that have I said-oh, John, John !"
The bird twittered in his little
ase over in the window among the
lants. Betty remembered like a
ash how John and she filed the
that very morning, how
g laughed when she tried to put it
etween the bars, and when she
Ouldn't reach without getting upon
chair, he took her in his great
rms and held her just like child,
nat she may fix it to suit herself
md the "bits" that he said in his
snder way, why they had gone
own to the depths of her foolish
tile heart, sending her about her
'ork singing for very gladness of
pirit. And nowl
Betty stuffed her fingers hard
ITO her rosy ears to shut out the
ird's ehirping. II
"If he knew why sighed" she
loaned. "Oh, my husband Birth !
ays-nothing will make any differ
nee now. Oh, why can't l die ?"