The Brookhaven leader., 1883-05-10
Z" TIT FOR TAT.o

Pretty Belle Sutherland sat before the
fire that evening with the traces of tears
on her cheeks, and bright drops still
shining in the brown eyes, that her
lover used to look so fondly into, and
call sweetest eyes were ever seem"
And this same lover, now transformed
into her liege lord and master, stood be-
fore a mirror ON the opposite side of
the room, tying his elaborate tie, with
an unmistakable frown on his handsome
face.
II must say, Belle" he was saying
just then, II think you are extremely
foolish. Because you will not go any
where, of any evening, but are content
to bury yourself here at home with the
children, who have good nurse to look
after them, Is no reason that l must do
the same, and what is more you needn't
expect it. / need some relaxation of an
evening, and am going to take it,
"You know very well, Arthur" said
the little woman, blazing up at last,
that it's not your going out that OBJ
ject to at all. It's the way you act
when you are out. Didn't Mrs. Stetson
tell me the other day that she was per-
fectly astonished when she found YOU
were married man, you acted so like
single one? And didn't Hettie Wilson
tell me that that hateful little cat of a
widow, Mrs. Ralston, declared that she
was perfectly carried away with you,
and her every other word was some
thing Mr.. Sutherland had said or done?
Didn't you dance every set with her.
night before last, while / was at home
nursing baby through the croupP"
And here the brave voice broke down
in genuine sobs.
THAT little cat of a widow, as YOU
call her, is the prettiest woman l have
seen in many a day, and those other
women are meddlesome gossips," and
her husband slammed the door emphat-
ically as he left the room.
Poor Belle felt as if her heart was
broken, and was rising to go to her own
room, where she could indulge her grief,
when a gentle hand was laid on her
shoulder, and she turned to face her
sister.
Belle, will you forgive meP' she
said. I have heard all between YOU
and Arthur, for l could not make you
hear me when l came in. Listen to me.
want you to treat your husband to
SduIC VI tlI IOf IdU
But, Katie, began Belle.
But me no buts," said the girl.
Listen to my plan, and you will see
how it will work." and rapidly she un-
folded it. "All you have to do, YOU
see, is to 60 to Mrs. StetsOn's party to-
morrow night, and 1 will manage the
rest"
But, Katie, the children
Didn't l say would come every
night and stay with them? Can't you
trust them with me?''
At last Belle, conscious that some
thing must be done, entered eagerly into
her sisters plans, and the next day was
spent by the two conspirators in ar
ranging costume that should make
Mrs. Sutherland the admired of all ad-
mirers. And, indeed, she was worth
turning twice to look at, as she came
sweeping into the room where her hus-
band was putting the finishing touches
to his toilette. Her dress, one of the
ravishing new shades of heavy silk, fit
ting her still fine figure to perfection;
her beautiful brown hair elaborately
dressed by Katie's deft fingers, with a
single heavy dropping rose among the
braids; and surely no eyes could be
brighter than the brown ones that
looked up at her husband, no lips red
der than the ones that smiled at him.
"Why, Belle, what does this meanP"
he said, looking at her in astonishment.
"Oh, nothing, only l have concluded
to 60 with you tonight" was the reply.
"Will l doP"
"Yes, but the children" he said,
slowly.
"Oh, nonsense" she said, Struggling
her shoulders. "It's all foolishness my
staying with them every night when
they have such good nurse. Come!
are you not readye"
clamations of delight, as they entered
the already crowded room. But Mr..
Sutherland soon found it was not his
presence that had called them forth,
but that of his wife, who soon found
herself the center of an admiring circle;
while her husband soon found himself,
to use an expressive slang phrase, ''no-
where" Not even the entrance of his
charmer, the widow, could help him
out, for she of course had an anxiety to
see Mr. Sutherland's wife, and was soon
standing at her side, having been intro
duced by their mutual friend" Mrs.
Stetson. And Belle, now thoroughly
entering into the spirit of the thing, was
smiling down at her, from her few
superior inches of height, and talking in
her most charming way, while she
mentally decided that the widow was
mot bit pretty after all; green eyes
and red hair! Pah! That she should
even bs jealous of that creature" And
the widow, in asecret rage, was won
dering how on earth some women