Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-06
A JEALOUS WIFE.
The Interesting Story Of a Cryp-
tOgram.

MI. hHu WITS. AeOitdy NC were gun
orally considered by their friends and
acquaintance to be an exceptionally
happy and fortunate couple. They
had pretty house at Chiswick,
got up in the latest nsthetico-fashion-
able style. Mrs. Ronayne drove out
daily either in her neat victoria or
neater brougham, drawn by the most
spanking pair of chestnuts that ever
came out of Tattersall's. Mr.. Ro-
nayne was known to be something in
the city, though what the ''some-
thing" was no one knew precisely;
but the resulting income must be,
every one argued, considerable. No
small economies were apparent in
their menage, even to the eyes of the
most critical and prying of spinster
ladies. Mrs. KOnayne had her gowns
made at the best of West End
'.houses," and her bonnets and other
accessories of attire were quite beyond
reproach. As for Ronayne himself.
Poole and Smalpage tailored for him,
Hoby shod him and Lincoln and Ben
nett covered his slightly bald Uranium
with the most immaculate and glossy
Nf silk hats.
The little dinners given by this
fortunate pair We're quite epicurean in
their way. Though limited as to the
number of guests-for it was seldom
that more than ten or twelve sat down
to the Ronaynes' exquisitely decked
table-the hostess was noted for her
skill in getting pleasant people to-
gether, and therefore her invitations
were rarely, If ever, declined, and her
guests were never bored All the
married folks of their acquaintance
quoted them to each other as a realized
ideal of matrimonial felicity.
''Oh Arthur, if you treated me with
half the Difference and affection with
which Mr.. Ronayne treats his wife"
said Mrs. Fitzsharp to her mild-faced
lord and master, what a happy
woman should ber'
MY dear Mathilda, can't you get a
gown to fit you as Mrs. Ronayne's Fl,
her? But suppose it's not the fault OF
your gowns, after all; it's the dowdy
woman inside Them" snarled Mr..
Brown to his patient spouse, whose
only answer was weary sigh. '.Ro
nayne is a lucky fellow"
And SO the Fitzsharps and the
Browns thought themselves very
much to be pitied, while their more
fortunate neighbors were to be envied
admired-and toadied.
Every body was civil, nay, more
than civil to the Ronaynes. Mrs
Ronayne's gowns and bonnets were
copied by all the maids and matrons il
Linden Park; her drawing-room wa.
always full to overlooking on her "A
Home days, and compliments ant
pretty speeches foated like incense OF
the air whenever she put her daintily
shod foot inside her neighbors' doors.
The fortunate Mrs. Ronayne Lacked
nothing; her two children were a
pretty and picturesque as any to b.
seen portrayed in all the glory Of gold
en- hair. plush and well-turned legs OF
the walls Of Burlington House. Jus
as rose looks best with an unfolde,
bud or two near it, SO pretty woman
never looks more charming than whel
a fower-faced child or two hangs abou
her. Mrs. Ronayne knew this, an,
darling EVE" and darling Robbie
were generally to be seen in the draw
ing-room on her Thursday afternoons
or in the carriage when she drove il
the Park. Was there any locked cup
board holding its grinning. bony in
mate in that gorgeously furnishe
suburban villa? Was there one littl
rift in the lutte that made music for tn
Ronaynes? one crumpled leaf in thei
couch of roses? one black. coars
! thread in the cloth-of-gold web OF thei
lives? Let US peep. like Asmodeus, VI
der the Ronaynes' roof and see.
The breakfast hour at Honeywoo