Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-07-05
BEHIND THE DOOR.
Mrs. Wards Discovery, and the
Lesson It Taught.

Lesson 1t Taught.
Mrs Ward and Mrs. Birdseye were
friends-Were, and are still despite g
little circumstance which threatened
a rupture between them. 1t hap.
pened in this wise:
The two ladies boarded in the same
house, and occupied apartments on
the same floor-Mrs. Ward front. Mrs.
Birdseye back. They We're as init
mate as sisters; ran into one another S
rooms every hour in the day during
the absence of their husbands, and
went out constantly together; in short.
Were SO inseparable as to be jestingly
styled 1.-The Siamese Twins by
themselves and others Mrs. Ward
didn't know how she could exist with
out her dear, charming. lively Mrs.
Birdseye: and Mrs. Birdscye enthusi-
astically declared that there never was
such a dear, good creature as her lit
tie. sweet, lovely. darlin g Mrs Ward.
One morning Mrs. Ward had occa-
sion to step into one of her closets
which had originally been designed as
passage between the two rooms.
OF course. the disused door was tight
ly closed, and garments were hanging
over it; yet sounds were not vet quite
excluded, and, as her neighbors on
the other size CHANGED to be speaking
in unusually incautious tones, it was
impossible for her to avoid hearing
something of what was said. She had
her hand upon drawer to open it
when her attention was arrested. and
involuntarily. almost unconsciously,
she paused to listen.
Il cant imagine what you two can
have in common" Mr.. Birdseye was
saying. ''Such a plain. quiet. almost
stupid little woman. You must have
gotten up YOUR friendship on the old
principle-'the love of opposites.
"Oh. no. not stupid. Robert; YOU
would not say that if you knew her as
well as do. But she is frightfuny
shy by nature; and then. brought up
so in the country, what can YOU eN-
pectn'
Mrs. Ward fairly held her breath,
OF whom could they be talking?
II do wish she had a little more |
taste in dress" came next, .'or that |
she would wear her hair differently.
However,
Here few sentences were lost. as
the speaker seemed to be moving to
another part of the room; then, in the
masculine voice this time:
Yet you pretend to be so fond of
her. my dear"
$50 am really. But, of course, /
can see that she is not beauty, and
has none of that air or manner which
you admire SO much. One must be born
to that"
LAS yo1 were, Nel!ie?"
''Of course. or l should never have
been your WIFE
Ward is making money like every
thing, they say" came again from Mr..
Birdseye.
What pity that his wife doesn't
know how to make better use of
it!'-with the little laugh which Mrs.
Ward had always thought so musical
before. lit ought to have fallen to
my lot instead of hers. do think"
"fou ought to be thankful that You
have the art of max ing so much show
on SO little"
$50 am. l would rather have nv
gift. as cousin Alice calls it, than all
my poor little friends money, if l can
not have but one
Mrs. Ward at length recollected that
she was doing very dishonorable
thing in listening to conversation not
intended for her ears. She stepped
back into her room and closed the door
noiselessly. Her cheek was burning,
and her first feeling was one of extreme
modification and resentment.
$50 that was what Mrs. Birdseye
thought of her in her secret heart, was
it +? and that was the way she talked of
her behind her back She guessed she
should just let Mrs Birdseye know"
Here Mrs. Ward stopped and began
to reflect more calmly. After all. had
her friend said any thing more than
the truth She was not a handsome
woman. and she knew it her glass
told her SO every day. She was not
elegant, and nothing would ever make
her say so; she knew that, too. She
was shy. and her manners in the pres
ence Of strangers were often con-
strained and awkward. She had felt
bitter, bitter modification many times