Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-12-06
A W0MAN'S PLAN,


Pretty Mrs, Floyd was standing at the
gate, IN q marvellous morning robe. A
charming black Lace achu was dfaped
across her lIeasi her beautiful hair
flowed IN heavy eufls down TO her should
efs and fhG wore the most bowltching
little bfosklasteap you ever saw, In
short, She was u perfect vision OF lowell
ness,
She seemed tohO all ibbons and ace,
aud sho shonld have been all smiles, As
she Usually was, Eut thGn her liCgr
lord had inst gone oii IN high dudgcon
and rho stood locking down the avenue
after him, Yet what pretty picture
she made, with the tleea and sky for
background,
"How perfectly absurd" she cXclaim'
oil. ~ wonder why II is that American
husbands arc all NO unnecessarily exact
lug. In Europe, tho married women
are the charm oI e0cetyi and don't seo
tha. the rrOprrties suler IN conse
queuce, But here ono Is ccnsured for
appearing natural Ono cannot bo at
,so in Pontcmens society, but mus To
pruiish to tho last extreme, Tho idoa
Of my having llirtci with Kenneth Gray !
Why, am sure never dreamed ofsuch
u thing. I hope have moro regard for
my reputation, Lester ought to know
that, too"
Whether Mrs. Floyd was more sinnod
against than SHINING, in this matter, is
rather difficult TO decide, To DO sure,
Lester, who loved her after tho manner
OF few husbands, was somewhat prone
to be Jealous but thcu Mrs. Floyd hal
certain little coquettsh ways, which,
while very becoming to hor beauty
were not at all conducive to Testers
peace Of mind, On tho whole, they
were equally culpablo, II so strong n
word can be used.
In tho particular case OF Kenneth
Gray, Mrs, Floyd may have been unus'
ually culpable, il so strong a word can
be used.
In the particular case Of Kenneth
Gray, Mrs, Floyd may have been unus'
ualy provoking (; for that handsome
young physician had once been her
fiance, and she might have known that
Lester would eye him with disfavor.
But she had taken no pains to avoid a
misunderstanding.
She had danced with Kenneth Gray
at Mrs. Lathrop's lawn'party; she had.
talked to him on numerous occasions
and once or twice, when she had met
him on the street, she had allowed him
to walk home with her. But the crown.
ing ofiense, in Testers eyes, had been
the acceptance of II beautiful basket OF
flowers from the young physiciaD.
To be sure, this was only the payment
OF bet ; but Lester argued that mar
ried woman had no right to make bets
with marriageable young man and in
particular, Mrs. Floyd should not do
such thing with Kenneth Gray.
Now the truth OF it was, that as the
rupture OF her engagement with this
man had occurred under circumstances
which left her in rather disagreeable
position, Mrs. Floyd was bent upon
showing him that he had passed entirely
out OF her regard, and that she could
meet him on u familiar footing without
the slightest concern.
But Lester could not appreciate this
motive hence the stormy scene after
breakfast, and Mrs. Floyd's indignant
soliloquy.
"a man who is 80 unreasonably jeal.
ous,' she said, as she stood listlessly at
the gate, after her husbands disappear
ance, sought to have something to be
Jealous about. l think that if Lester
vera made thoroughly miserable about
me for once in his life, and were to find
out that there was no occasion for it, it
might cure him of this uncomfortable
weakness. l have thought Of it frequent
ly, and I've half a mind to concoct
scheme of some Sort that would bring
is to pass"
Her thoughts were running in this
channel, when she saw Testers brother,
Terrence, coming up the road. In
stantly her face was wreathed in smiles
and archly smelling at flower she held,
she said half ooquettishly:
II am so glad you ca e, Teddy. l
am just brim-full OF project; and l
must tell it to someone. 1 hope you
are safe confidant Z"
"Tho best in tho world" was the
reply, thinking, as he said it, how
pretty his sister-in.la locked. "It is
one of my accomplishments" :"
"Well - but come into the house
You know" size began, when they were
there, and with little hesitation, "you
know Lester and have just had At"
Grow? No, l didn't know it. But I
might have supposed as much. That is
the conventional thing between married
people, I believe"
Teddy was bachelor.
'It was not a row." Mrs. Floyd said
Grows are vulgar, This was-a--ditfer-
ence, u misunderstanding but it was
very disagreeable all the same. Lester
went oil, this morning, terribly angry.
Would you believe it, Teddy? He
accused me of flirting with Kenneth.
Gray"
"Of course ia believe it," Teddy re.
piled promptly. "You are just thought,
less enough, and Lester is just jealous
enough, for yor to g,t up the semblance
of such thing between you. Why,
there are times when you are the veiy
impersonatiou Of Iiongfellow's: She
gives side-glance and looks down Ii
we're moi your brother.in-law, 1 should
say to myself: Beware as Longieilow
did. The fact is, you are natural born
hirt."
Mrs. Floyd pouted, and almost
CHANGED her mind about telling Teddy
nut she was Modified when he ad-
ded:
"Of course [ know there's nothing in
it its only your way it comes from
your sympathetic nature. You and Les.
ter are 100 fond OF each other for you to
hirt seriously. But sometimes people
arc made very miserable ty what is
really and substantially nothing at ALL"
"Lester is 50 terribly Jealous Mrs.