Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-17
She was accustomed to buying her supplies by

John glanced about him. Thirty pairs Of eyes
were ieveied at them; thirty pairs Of hands
paused an instant In their monotonops labors.
The greatest pleasure of my ifs, I'm sure"
growled the awful brute. before Maria could
trample on his cOrns. The little wife had
woman's shrewdness. She knew that to step
his mind from every other misery, and his pride
would cause him to muffle an Outburst at the
real nature Of the latest suffering From the
dim recesses Of the china closet came the
Mileslan mandate, Take them peoples orders,
Kate!"
John glanced at his wife He forgave the
pedal Indemnity, for he noted quivering of that
tell-tale chin. Still, the masculine malice pre-
vailed over silence, and he muttered:
Genus, mealers out; species, them people,
class third. waiters-for-seats'
The Kendalls entered, and the momentafy
burst of feminine JOY at seeing remembered
face (they had not met since nOon) dispelled the
gloom of the occasion.
From about the board came scraps Of wisdom,
gossip and fashion news.
-"Arthur's the man." sententously declared
the pale youth. whose necktie would persist in
riding on the top of his collar.
Not at all, said the bald man; "Blaine
has"
"Three rows and then"
1.-The butter Is always nice. for"
wheat took big tumble. and"
HAS the measles dreadfully, but"
take tea or coffee, sir?"
"Measles-coffee, mean," stammered John,
and the table was instantly as silent as an ice
house.
A still later conner than themselves entered.
She wore widows cap and boomed out under
that sad aureole with robust freshness. Sorrow,
In her case, must have had nutritve properties
for she looked Immensely well fed and comforta-
Die. Ii lncipient crows feet had scratched line
or two in the radius about her eyes it was
scarcely observable under the yellow luxuriance
of her Langtry wig.
She confronted the Skipplngs directly upon
her entrance. She gave start, turned pale, and
lost her pOse for an instant, but a ready smile
quickly concealed her embarrassment, and she
bowed a gracious GOOD evening"
John also changed color and betrayed sensible
perturbation, whether of surprise or some other
emotion it was hard to determine.
Maria was bewildered.
The widow seated herself opposite and opened
rafting fire of small shot all around the table
She blew like fresh breeze in that heated
steaming atmosphere. She made her salad with
flourish of white hands; she clinked her glass
of ice-water; she peppered and sailed and
sugared her food as If spices were life and sweets
an elixir.
But through it all Maria detected something
that no one else seemed to perceive; an atmos-
phere that only the widow and John breathed
together. She could not have put her finger on
single point. yet 80 papable was that secret
interchange of-shall we say electricity? between
them, that had there been teegraphic click
ing she could not have been more positive of an
undercurrent of understanding.
John was usually the embodiment OF reserve
in public places, but he began an animated con-
versatiOn with Maria on the most absurd and
Irrelevant subjects. meanwhile answering the
widow gayly when she sent a shaft that way
Marias appetite failed. The food was taste
less; the general conversation a buzz of I'M
meaning sounds. She had attention only for
the forid face opposite, while the cognizance
which we usually call "eyes in the back Of ones
head" was conferred on John. And he BETRAYED
himself in ways that only wife could know-he
sweetenedfis tea when he hated sugar; he ate
onions, when his superCillious nose was wont to
ton of them he deyoured beets, when he had
repeatedly avowed that OF all Natures decep-
tiveness nothing equaled beet In way of yul-
gar texture under delusive color.
Maria saw every symptom. She could even
note an unusual light in his eye; and he
laughed, tOO-a nervous and she felt sure
guilty laugh.
Dinner over they went out upon the street.
in the chill May twilight.
Pull your wrap about your shoulders, Maria;
you'll get sore throat"
She made no response and let her Wrap re-
main where it was
THAT really wasn't a bad dinner, Maria!"
An austere silence.
Il see you are disappointed in your expecta-
tions. aren't you? Do you feel sick? Does your
head ache?"
NO: am very we'll"
She walked rather faster than usual and John
had to increase his pace to keep up with her.
They entered their house. Maria went with
firm. sef-reliant step up the two long flights of
stairs, whereas her playful habit was to make
John do good deal of carrying. Usually there
We're whispered standings, some totterinq and
a general helplessness; but now she seemed
self-sustaining and independent John dragged
on after her, with an ''Ah, hum" at every land
Ing.
He then unlocked the door for her and then
said:
Maria, you'll excuse me for about halt an
hour III step down to the Office There's a
matter forgot to attend to. I'll be back pres
emily"
Not waiting for either dissent or approyal he
hurried down the stairs, and she caught the
sound of the front door banging peremptoriIy
after him.
She lighted the gas and passed long time in
putting away her wraps. fire was klndled in
her heart the fuel for which was anger and ter
ror. She had trusted John and now he had a
secret-a black secret about woman! What
should she do: OF course he would be gone
till midnight.
But he was not He was back within the
hour, rather GREATNESS, quite pale and very
tired.
But his slippers were net forthcoming. his
cigar was not brought out and the end bitten
OIL for him, nor was his embroidered foot-rest
placed Where he could stretch his long legs in
discomfort across it,
Maria sat with paper in her hand and pre-
tended to be reading. She merely glanced at
him, without speaking
what IS the matter. Maria HOmesick ?"
"Nothing Is the NATTER
But there is-something. Has ANYTHING
happened'"
Nothing rather CURLY. with touch of sar-
castle bitterness.
John, seeing it was a furry Of the pouts, tried
coaxing. He flicked her across the nose with a
straw from his brush broom, that happened to
lie on the table; he pulled her ear he nut his
hands over the page she prOfessed to read. She
pushed him grimly away.
oh we'll, said he. amiably, "if you are yexed
can't help it. Go ahead. Maria"
He lighted cigar, flshed out his slippers. and
with imperturbable good humor began to rock
and hum an Old-fashioned Methodist hymn
That on ordinary occasions would quite van.
quish Maria's sulks, and bring them to an end
in laugh.
But no.. This was evidently an extraordinary
attack. John rocked, and hummed, and rolled
his eyes at her now and then to watch progress
But the set look on her face did not relax
III It's trifle. Maria l wouldn't mind II II
were YOU. he said. You know it uses nm
so much vitality that might be applied in other
directions"
The fortress was impregnable. Then John got
out of patience.
''Oh. WE'LL" he said holly, ~ don't care a con-
tinental."
He picked up book and began to read.
1t was dreary hour to both. A scOwl dinted
the smooth expanse of Johns forehead. Maria
grew nervous all over.