The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-08-21
A USEFUL LESSON.
Taught by the Interference of a
Cosby Spinster.

IdugnC Dy InS interference VI q
Cosby Spinster.
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, brand-new ten dollar
bill. And here began the trouble.
whats the matter, 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
quicker" "Now what is it.
Betty. who just began to change the
sigh into merry little laugh. ripping
all over the corners of the red lips, stop
ped suddenly, tossed her head, and with
small jerk. no way conciliating, sent
out the words:
You needn' insinuate, John, that L m
always troublesomer'
Il didn't insinuate-whO's talking of
insinuatingP" cried he, thoroughly in
censed at the very idea, and backing
away a few steps, be glared down from
his tremendous height in extreme Irrita-
ton. Its you yourself that's forever
insinuating and all that, and then for
YOU to put it on me-it'S really abom-
inable!'
The voice was harsh. and the eyes
that looked down into hers were not
pleasant to behold.
land if you think, John Peabody,
that I'll 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! guess you wouldn't have said that
before l married you. Oh, now you
can. of courser'
Didn't you say it 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; 'Icsn't en-
dure everything!"
..And If you bear more than do, :"
cried Betty, wholly beyond control now,
.'why, then I'll give up" and she gave a
bitter little laugh and tossed her head
again. .
Here they were in the midst of quar-
rel! These two, who, but year before,
had promised to love and protect and
help each other through life!
Now" said John, and he brought
his hand down with such bang on the
table before him that Betty nearly
skipped out of her little shoes, only she
controlled the start, for she would have
died before she had let John see it, ''we'll
have no more of this nonsense
His face was very pale, and the lines
around the mouth so drawn that it would
have gone to any ones heart to have
seen their expression.
y don't know how you will change
il. or help it." said Betty, lightly, to
conceal her dismay at the turn affairs
had taken, I'm surer' and she pushed
back the light, waving hair FROM her
forehead with saucy, Indifferent ges.
lure.
That hair that John always smoothed
when he petted her when tired or dis.
heartened, and called her child" Hel
gesture struck to his heart as he glanced
at her sunny locks and the cool, indif
ferent face underneath, and before he
knew it he was saying:
There is no help for it now, I sup
pose
''Oh, yes there is" said Betty, still ir
the cool. calm way that ought not te
have deceived him. But men know SC
little of women's hearts, although they
may live with them for years in closest
friendship. "You needn't try to endure
it. John Peabody, if you don't want to.
I'm sure Idon't care"
What do you mean?"
Her husband grasped her arms anG
compelled the merry brown eyes to lool
up to him.
Il can 90 back to Mothers" sait
Betty. provokingly. ''She wants me any
day, and then YOU can live quietly anC
live to suit yourself. and it will be bettel
ell around"
Instead of bringing out a violent
protestation of fond affection and re
morse which she fully expected, Johr
drew himself up, looked at her fixedly
for long, long minute, then dropped
her arm, and said, through white lip:
very slowly:
lies, IL may De, as you say, better al
around. You know BEST" and was gone
from the room before she could recovel
from her establishment enough to uttel
sound.
With wild cry Betty rushed across
the room, first tossing the ten-dolla
bill savigely as far as she could throw
it, and. fiinging herself on the com
Portable old sofa, broke into a flood o
bitter tears-the first she had shed dur
ing her married life.
How could he have done it-oh
what have said? Oh, John, joint
The bird twittered in his little Gag,
over ia the window among the plants
Betty remembered like flash how Johl
and she filled the seed-cup that YER
morning, how he laughed when sh,
tried to put it in between the bars. an,
when she couldn' reach without gettin:
upon q chair he took her in his arm
and held her up, just like a child. tina
sfe might fix it to suit herself. And tn
-.bits" that he had said in his tende
way, they had gone down to the depth