The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-01-27
A LESSON.

A LESSON.
Betty sighed. Now why she shoul
have sighed at this particular moment
no one on earth could tell. And it wa
all the more exasperating because Johl
had just generously put into her shape
little hand brand new ten dollar bill
And here began the trouble.
whats the matter ?" he said, hi
face falling at the faint sound, and hi
mouth clapping together in what thos,
who knew him but little called an COB
stinate quicker" -''now what is it p
Betty, who had just began to change
the sigh into merry little laugh rip
ping all over the corners of her rec
lips, stopped suddenly, tossed her head
and with small jerk, no ways concilia-
ting, sent out the words, ''You needn't
insinuate that I'm always troublesome 7
II didn't insinuate--whose talking OF
insinuating ?" cried John, thoroughly
incensed at the very idea, and backing
away few steps, he glared down from
his tremendous height in extreme irri
tation. "It's yourself, that's forever
insinuating, and all that, and then to
put it on to 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 FL stand and have such things said
to me, you miss your guess-that's all y
cried Betty, with two big red spots
coming in her cheeks, as she tried to
draw her little erect figure up to its
utmost dimensions. Forever insinua-
ting 1 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 excitement,
drawing nearer to the small creature he
called "wife," who was gazing at him
with blazing eyes of indignation 81
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 laugh and tossed her head
again.
And here they were the midst of
quarrel These two who but a year
before had promised to love and protect
and bel p each other through life.
Nov" said John, and he brought
his hand down with such bang on the
table before him that Betty nearly skip
ped out of her little shoes, only she
controlled the start, for she would have
died before she had let John see it,
"well have no more of his nonsense p
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. "Pm sure" and sh epushed
back with a saucy, Indifferent gesture,
the light waving hair from her fore
head
That hair that John always smoothed
when he petted her when tired or dis
heartened, and called her ''childie."
Her gesture struck to his heart as he
glanced at her sunny hair and cool, in
different face underneath, and before he
knew it he was saying, ''There is no
help for it now, suppose"
"Oh, yes, there is, !" said Betty, still
in the cool, calm way that ought not to
have deceived him. But men know so
little of women's hearts, although they
may live with them for years in closest
"You needn't try to endure
John Peabody, if you don't want to, I'm
sure / don't care y
"What do you mean ?" Her husband
grasped her arms and compelled the |
merry brown eyes to look up to him.
81 can go back to mothers" said |
Betty proyokingly. She wants me
any day, and then you can live quietly |
and live to suit yourself, and it will be
better all around"
Instead of bringing violent protesta-
ton of fond affection and remorse, which |
she fully expected, John drew himself |
up, looked at her fxedly for long, long
minute, then dropped her arm, and said |
through white lips, very slowly:
Eyes, it may be as you say, better |
gone from the room before she could re-
cover from her establishment enough to |
utter a sound.
With wild cry Betty rushed across
the room, first tossing the ten dollar
bill savagely as far as she could throw
it, and fiinging herself on the comfort
able old sofa, broke into flood of bit
ter tears, the first she had shed during
her married life.
sHow could he have done it-oh,
what have 1 said-oh John, joint"
The bird twitted in his little cage
over in the window among the plants.
Betty remembered like flash how John
md she filed the seed-cup that very
morning, how he laughed when she
ried to put it in between the bars, and
when she couldn't reach without getting
lpon chair, he took her in his great
rms and held her up, just like child,
hat she might fix it to suit herself.
And the ttbits" that he said in his ten
Ter way, why they had gone down to
he depths of her foolish little heart,
ending her about her work singing for
rery gIandness of spirit. And now!
Betty stuffed her fagers hard into her
osy ears to shut out the birds chirP-
ny.
IF he knew why sighed, she moan
d. "Oh, my husband ? Birthdays
nothing will make any difference now.
lh. why can't die :"
How long she stayed there, crouched
Iown on the old sofa, she never knew.
over and over the dreadful scene she
rent, realizing the worst features E
ach time In despair, until q voice out
n the kitchen said f
Betty and heavy footsteps pro-
laimed that some one was on the point
f breaking In upon her unlimited.
Betty sprang up, choking back her ]
obs, and tried with all her might to
ompose herself and remove all traces
i her trouble.
ID could have under The circumstances,