Wichita eagle., 1889-10-25
A MODERN PETRUCHIO.

He had been devoted to the stage. Wher
new company came to town be would be
found among its audiences from the first te
the last. He would rather see a bad play
than no play at all, and when he was not a,
the theatre, he read plays Notwithstanding
his peculiarities, all of his set loved him. He
was kind-hearted, impulsive, generous. His
face was a mirror for his feelings, and no one
ever saw it reflect aught except what was
ingenious. This was the man / had parted
from, five years before, upon leaving college.
Now be was a new mana new man, and
yet the same old Peter Brown. He was
married He had just entertained me at
dinner. The wife, decided looking little
woman, sat at the board, plainly its mistress.
There was no wine; and when we left the
table, we all left it together, and without a
suspicion of the odor of tobacco.
We had chatted perhaps half an hour in
the drawing room, when Peter rose and, sig
mailing me to follow him, led the way up
three flights of stairs to little chamber with
but one window. All the furniture it con-
tanned was two easy chairs, a table, and a
cupboard hanging against the wall The
door closed, Peter drew long sigh. Then
he went to the cupboard and took out a
bottle, some glasses, and box of cigars
Come, Peter" said, lighting weed he
gave me, and throwing myself back in the
cushions, 'tell me all about it,"
About whatg'
u see. that conviviality is restricted in
your house. | am curious to know why.n
His expression was sad.
Madam objectsf" | queried.
Madam objects" He cast rueful glance
around the apartment.
''And like a good husband you submit"
Eyes, submit"
And gracefully"
There was some hesitation
Ny submission was not exactly graceful
originally"
well, tell me about it."
be lit his cigar and began to relate an at
Tempt which for originality and ingenuity
had never been equaled by any of his ex-
tremely remarkable freaks while in college
You remember how fond | used to be of the
theatre! Well, I've got over that but it took
a terrible experience to cure me- OF all the
plays ever put on the stage my favorite used
to be THE Tanning of the Shrew" To me,
Petruchio's method of curing his wife's tenn
per, by feigning to be more violent than she,
was a model of cleverness, and before was
old enough TO have wife | vowed that, if
she should be a shrew, would be Petruchio.
| first met nay wife at tennis party. She
was my partner, and looked very pretty in a
loose tennis jacket, striped shirt, and
Iaunty cap. With me il was one of those
Eases when mans heart flies right out of his
bosom like a tennis ball from a racket and
lights on the girl We played very well to-
gether and were neck and neck with our op-
ponents near the end of the game, when a
,oul ball was served to my partner, which she
ent back.
That's foul," exclaimed.
"What do you means' she asked, sharply.
at fell out of the court"
mo such thing"
Il beg pardon" l replied, politely; sit
cooked SO to me-
IN be obliged if you'll play your own
game and let me- play mine,n she returned
hngrily.
Il beg pardon" l touched my cap apollo
geticaily and the game went on.
There was something about the barefaced
assurance and dictatorial manner of the pro-
eeeding that attracted my attention. Some
how l became dazzled by the girls angry
eyes l could see nothing but pretty face,
a petite figure striped shirt and jauntv
zap. / went away from the tennis party with
the little termagant buzzing about in my
thoughts like humble bee among the holly
hooks. secured an introduction to her fathers
house; quarreled with her at my first call;
made it up on the second by retracting every
thing had said found myself cut by her
few days after; apologized for something /
had not done; tried in every way / could
think of to please her, and finally found my
self madly in love with a girl who promised,
If | should win her, to make my life pande-
nonium.
went on a trip to be gone month, to try
md forget her, but returned in a week thor
oughly convinced that couldn't get on with
out her. l proposed. She would probably
have refused me had not her father told her
that he wouldn't have man for a son-inlaw
who ''languished under such a theatrical
drawL" That settled it, l was accepted.
There was nothing for me but a life of
misery with a stubborn, qusrrelSome woman.
At least, SO il seemed to me. No man could
live in peace with her unless he could break
her. But could | do thisi | thought of Petru-
chic, and set down and read over The Tam
Ing of the Shrew" for the bupdredth time /
noticed that Petruchio first got the lady into
his power and then commenced his training.
l resolved to be married at once
The next day l went to my lady love and
told her that, owing 10 business engagements
which would require my absence, 1t would be
impossible for me to claim her within a year.
She informed me that, unless could find it
convenient TO claim her the next week. |
could look elsewhere for a partner had
scored one point l accepted the terms and
we were married
We went through the honeymoon pleas
sntly, for determined not to cross her in
ANYTHING, waiting till we should be comfort
ably settled at home in the house her father
had given her, in the same street in which he
lived, and only a few blocks away Then l
proposed TO commence modern instance of
the tanning OF shrew.
The honeymoon ended and we arrived at
home had hired the cook myself and, by
promising q large reward. had secured her to
my plan. 1t was understood that she was not
TO give my wife food without my permission.
didn't rely much on this part of the pro-
Eranlme-to StSrve her into subEllsslon-but
thought I'd try it with the other things.
We sat down TO our first dinner at home.
My wife sat opposite me, looking 50 pretty,
50 exceptionally good natured, that my heart
almost failed me- After all. wouldn't it be
better to wait until she should provoke mel
No, had laid the plaI and would carry it
out AL our future pended upon it The
servant placed befor a smoking joint /
took up the carving lie and whe.ted it on
the stee; savagelv. heart beat Ike ket-
tie drum Somehow struck me that / was
about TO make q fool myself: but thought |
again or al that was at STAKE, ana oegau my