The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-01-16
TWO DOZEN BUTTONS.

Betty sighed. Now, why she should
have sighed at this particular mo-
ment no one on earth could tell. And
it was all the more exasperatlng be
cause John had Just generously put IN
to her little shapely hand a brand
new ten-doIlar BILL And here began
the trouble
"What's 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. Nov what Is
it ?"
Betty, who had just begun to change
the sigh into a merry little laugh rip
ping all over the corners Of the red
lips, stopped suddenly, tossed her
head, and, with a small jerk no way
concihatOry sent out the words:
"You needn't insinuate John, that
/ am always troublesome.
81 didn't insinuate-whO's talking
OF insinuating cried he, thoroughly
incensed at the very idea, and back
ing away few steps, he glared down
from a tremendous height, in extreme
irritation. OTIS yourself who is for
ever insulating and all that, and
then for you to put it on me-it,s re-
ally abominable.'
The voice was harsh, and the eyes
that looked down into hers were not
pleasant to behold.
aAnd il you think, John Peabody,
shat 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
to its utmost dimensions. Forever
insinuatingl | guess you wouldn't
have said that before | married you.
On, now you can, OF COurseI'
Didn't you say it first, I'd like to
know" cried John, in great excite
ment, drawing nearer the small Great
ure he called wife" who was gazing
at him with blazing eyes OF indigna-
tion; 81 can't endure everything !"
"And if you bear more than | do, "
cried Betty, wholly beyond control
now, 'why then, III give up" and she
gave a bitter little laugh and tossed
her head again.
And here they were in the midst OF
a quarrel! These two who, but a
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 a bang on
the table before him that Betty near
~ skipped out OF her little shoes
only she controlled the start, for she
would have died before she mao let
John see it, ''we will 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.
II don't know how you will change
it or help it." said Betty lightly, to
hide her dismay at theturn affairs had
taken, 'Pm sureW and she pushed
back the light, waving hair from her
forehead witha saucy, Indifferent gest-
ure.
That hair that John always
smoothed when he petted her, tired or
disheartened, and called her "child.' .
Her gesture struck to his heart as he
glanced at her sunny locks, and the
cool, Indifferent face underneath, and
before he knew it he was saying:
''There IS no help for it now, | sup
pose"
ooh, yes there is" said Betty. still
i'll that cool, calm way that ought not
to have deceived him. But men know
so little OF women's hearts, although
they may live with them for years il
closest friendship. "You need not try
to endure it, John Peabody, if vol
don't want to. I'm sure / don't
care
what do you mean?"
Her husband grasped her arms and
compelled the merry brown eyes tc
look up to him.
II can 90 back t. Mothers" said
Betty, provokingly. "She wants m,
any day, and then you can live quiet
ly ard to suit yourself, and it will b,
better all around
Instead of bringing out q violent
protestatiOn Of fond affection and re
morse, which she fully expected, JOIN
drew himself up, looked at her fxedly
for long, long minute, then dropped
her arm, and with white lips said slow
ly:
'Ges, 1t may be as you say, bette,
allarOund. You know best :" and wa.
gone from the room before she could
recover from her astonishment enoucI
TO utter a sound.
With a wild cry Betty rushed acrOs,
the room, first tossing the ten-dolla,
bill savagely As far as she could throw
1t, and tlInging herself onthe comfOrta
BILE old sofa, broke into a flood OF bit
ter tears-the first she had shed durin,
her married life
How could he have done it Oh
what have said? Oh. John. Jobn .
The bird twittered in his little Gag,
over IN the window among the plants
Betty remembered like a flash how
John and She had filled the seed-cm
that very morning; how he haf
laughed when she tried to put it be
tween the bars, and when she couldn'-
reach without getting upon a chair h,
took her In his great arms and held he,
up, Just like child, that she might fl
It to suit herself.
And the bits he had said in hi,
tender way, they had gone down to tn,
depths OF her foolish little heart. send
ing her about her work singing for very
gladness OF spirit. And now
Betty stuffed her fingers hard into
her rosy ears to shut out the bird,
CHIPPING.
II he only knew why l sighed, she
moaned. "Oh, my husband Birth,
days-nothing will make any difference
now. Oh, why can't | die n"
How long she STAYED there. crouchad
down on the old sofa, she never knew
Over and over the dreadful scene she
went, realizing its worst features each
time IN despair. until a voice out In
the kitchen said: Betty :" and heavy
footballs proclaimed that someore
was on the point OF breaking in upon
her unlimited
Betty sprang up, choking back her
sobs, and tried with all her might 10
compose herself and remove all traces
OF her trouble.