The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-02-01
TIKI OIL, OLD STORY.

Betty sighed. Now, why she should
have sighed at this particular momca,
no one on earth could tell. And it was
all the more exasperating because John
had just generously put into her little
lhapely hand q brand-new SO bill. And
here began the trouble.
Whats the matter?' he said, his
lace falling at the faint sound, and his
mouth clapping together in what those
who knew him but little called an sob
stinate pucker"-"now what is itP"
Betty, who had just begun to change
the sigh into q merry little laugh, rip
ping all over the corners Of the red
lips, stopped suddenly, tossed her head,
and, with Z small jerk, no ways concili-
ating, sent out the words: You needn't
insinuate that I'm always trouble
some.'
II didn't insinuate-who is talking
OF i~nsinuating?n cried John, incensed at
Tho very idea, and, backing away a few
Itcps, he glarcd down from his ire
ats you yourself that's forever insinu-
ating. and all that, and 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 FL 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 its
utmost dimensions. Forever insinuat-
ing! l guess you wouldn't have said
that before | married you! Oh, now
you can, of courser'
Didn't you say 1t 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-'I
can't endure everything"
And if you hear more than L do"
cried Betty, wholly beyond control
now, ''why then I'll give up" and she
gave n bitter little laugh, and tossed
her hcnd again.
And hore they were in the midst of a
quarrel! These two, who but a year
before had promised to love and pro-
tect and help each other through life.
Now" said John, and he brought
his hand down with such a bang on the
table before him that Betty nearly skip
ped out of her little shoes, only she CON
trolled the start, for she would have
died before she let John see it, ''we
will have no more Of this nonsenser'
His face was very pale, and the lines
around his mouth were SO drawn that
it would have gone to ones heart to have
seen their expression.
81 don't know how you will change
1t or help it," said Betty, lightly, to
conceal or dismay at the turn affairs
had tai -. I'm sure" and she pushed
back, v q saucy, Indifferent gesture,
the liz waving hair from her fore
head.
THAI r that John always smoothed
when tetted her, when tired or dis
bearter and called her '~'childic."
Her 2, 70 struck to lis heart, as 10
glanced ct the sunny hair, and tho cool,
Indifferent face underneath, and, before
he kncy" it, he was saying: There IL
no help fer it now. suppose
"Oh, yes, tore is said Betty, still
in the cool, calm way That ought not to
have deceived lin. Bstncn know SO
little of womrn's icai!s, although they
may live via; ten f.r years IN closest
friendship. You n~ceau't try to en-
durc il, John Peabody, ii ycu aon't
want t.. Tn sure l don't care
"WEat DO you rcau?' Her husband
HIt>ptt hta d4illo hstN NNlAa ANf va
merry brown ewes 10 look up to him.
Il cen 90 back to mothcr's,n said
Betty T~rDvoLingly. "She wants me any
day, ar1 tien You can live quietly and
live to suit vcurself, aud it will be better
all around"
Inst. II Of bringing out n violent pro-
testati-t. If fond Affection and remorse,
which nc fully expected, John drow
| himsel. ~, looked at her hxcdiy for q
long, = minute, then dropped her
arm, r-,. said through white lips very
SLOWLY:
"Ye.. =. may be as you say-better all
around. You know best n was
gone FROM tho room before she could
| recoyer rom her establishment enough
to utter q sound.
With q wild cry Betty rushed across
the room, first tossing the $40 savagcly
rs far as she could throw it, and fling
ing herself on the comfortable sofa,
broke into q flood of bitter tears-the
first she had shed during her married
life.
..How could he have done it-oh,
what have | said-oh, John, Johnr'
The bird twittered in his little cage
over the window among the plants.
Betty remembered like q flash how John
and she filed the secd-cup that very
morning, how he laughed when she
tried to put it between the bars, and
when she couldn't reach without getting
upon a chair, he took her in his great
arms and held her up just like q child,
that she might fix it to suit herself. And
the ''bits'' that he said in his tender
way, why they had gone down to the
depths Of her foolish little heart. sending
her about her work singing for very
pladness OF spirit. And now!
Betty stuffed her fingers hard into
her rosy cars 10 shut cut tho birds
shirping.
1T lie knew WY I sighed" she
moaned. "Oh, ny 'husband! Birth
days-nothing viii make any difference
low. Oh, why can't | dieP'
How long she stayed there, couched
down Oh the old sofa, she never knew.
Over and over the dreadful scene she
went, realizing its worst features in des-
pair until q voice out In the kitchen said,
betty and heavy footsteps proclaimed
that someone was on the point OF break
Ing in upon her unlimited.
Betty sprang up, choked back her
tobs, and tried with all her might to
tompose herself, and remove all traces
pf her trouble.
The visitor was the worst possible one
The could have under the circumstances.
Crowding herself on terms OF the closest
Intimacy with the pretty bride, who with
her husband had moved into the village
tau.onth Drovioua Miss Elyira