The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-01-26
A LESSON AND dOw TWO LEARNED
1T.

Betty sighed. Now why she should
have sighed at this particular moment,
no one on earth could tell. And it was
all the more exasperating because John
had just generously put into her little,
shapely hand a brand new ten-dollar
bill. And here began the trouble.
"What's the matterl'' he said, his
face falling at the faint sound, and his
mouth clapping together in what those
who knew him but little called an
obstinate pucker''-"now what is itl''
"Betty, who had Just began to change
the sigh into merry little laugh, rippl-
ing all over the corners of the red lips,
stopped suddenly, tossed her head. and
with small jerk, no ways conciliating,
sent out the words, "You needn't
nsinuate that I'm always troublesomel'
81 didn't insinuate-who's talking of
insinuating2" cried John thoroughly
incensed at the very idea, and backing
away few steps, he glared down from
his tremendous height In extreme lrr1ta-
tion. "It's you yourself that's forever
insinuating, and all that, and then to
put it on me-it's abominablel"
The voice was harsh, and the eyes
that looked down into hers were moi
pleasant to behold.
Sand if you think, John Peabody
that I'll stand and have such things
said to me, you miss your guess-that''
alp cried Betty, with two big ret
spots coming on her cheeks as she tried
to draw her little erect figure up to it
utmost dimensions. "Forever insinuat
ing2 1 guess you wouldn't have sale
that before 1 married you'll Oh, nov
you can, Of coursep
"Dldn't you say it first, I'd like h
know?" cried John in great excitement
drawing nearer to the little creature b
called "wife," who was gazing at hin
with blazing eyes Of indignation; I"
can't endure everything"
Sand if you bear any more than
do" cried Betty, wholly beyond contrc
now, "why, then, I'll give up, "and sh
gave a bitter little laugh and tossed he
head again.
And here they we're in the middle G
a quarrel. These two who, but yea
before, had promised to love and protec
and help each other through life.
"Now," said John, and he brough
his hand down with such bang on tn
table before him that Betty nearl
skipped out of her little shoes, only sh
controlled the start, for she would hay
died before she would have let job
see it, "we'l have no more Of this nor
sensel" His face was very pale an
the lines around his mouth so draw
that it would have gone to any one
heart to have seen their expression.
81 don't know how you will chang
1t or help it," said Betty, lightly, t
conceal her dismay at the turn affail
had taken, "I'm sure" and she pushe
back, with saucy, Indifferent gestur'
the light waving hair from her forehead
That hair that John always smoothe
when he petted her when tired or di
heartened, and called her "childie.
Her gesture stuck to his heart as b
glanced ut her sunny hair and the coo
Indifferent face underneath, and befor
he knew it he was saying: "There
no help for it now, suppose.
ooh, yes, there is" said Betty, /
the cool, calm way that ought not I
have deceived him. But, men know S
little of women's hearts, although the
may live with them for years in closei
friendship. "You needn't try to endul
it, John Peabody, if you don't want t,
,, Pm sure / don't care.''
"What do you meanP" Her husban
grasped her arms and compelled IL
merry brown eyes to look up at him.
, 81 can go back to mother's," +" sal
Betty, provokingly. ''She wants n
? any day, and then you can live quiet,
, and live to suit yourself, and it will |
3 better all around"
Instead Of bringing out a violei
protestation of fond affection ar
l remorse, which she fully expecte,
l John drew himself up, looked at h,
t fixedly for long, long minute, the
dropped her arm, and said throuQ
, white lips, very slowly:
! eyes, it may be as you say-bettt
) all around. You know best, I" and WI
. gone from the room before she coul
3 recover from her astonishment enoue
: to utter sound.
: With a wild cry Betty rushed aero
5 the room, first tossing the ten-dolli
: | savagely as far as she could thro
: and tiinging herself on the comfor
abl old sofa, broke into flood of bitt,
, tears-the first she had shed during h,
married life.
e "How could be have done it-ol
t what have 1 said-oh, John, Johnl"
The bird twittered in his little cas-
: : over in the window among the plant
: Betty remembered like fash no
John and she filled the seed-cup thi
very morning, how he laughed whe
!, she tried to put it IN between the bar
and when she couldn't reach witho,
T getting upon chair, he took her in b
reat arms, and held her up, Just like