Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-02-03
Mrs. deSnigSby'S
BY ALAN DALI.
CHAPTER !.

rather pretsrtiOus metropolitan residence
Mr.. Bockaby glanced from time to time at
bis newspaper, and held mis- battered
toast in meek allegiance while he scanned
some promisingly headed alticle; the lady
of his choice eyed him sskance, and
seemtd waiting for an opportunity TO
talk.
Mr.. Bockaby waded carefully through
an extensive efusion entitled TIE Fl
naucial World" crunched his toast say
agely ss he came to the end Gift, rose
from the tsble. threw the newspaper aa
far away se his muscnlarity permitted,
and faced Mrs. J. Archibsla Bockaby,
who, by the bye, was not il the leas. dis
turbed.
''MAlvina," said Mr. B>ckaby, with
paloxysmal energy, ave have got TO re-
trench. We have assure You. Things
are locking very bad with me. By at least
three of my speculsions shall be heavy
llose7-apd-well, MAlvins, We must re-
trench"
Sill Mrs. Beck by's equauimity was
undislurbed. She had heard the same
story regularly each week for the last ear.
It was q SORT Of serial, to be ccnt'nu-d in
Mr.. Bockaby's next exhibition CT lad
teupar. But she AAttered herself that she
was a coed little wife, and always seemed
to give in 20 her lord, even if in reality
she Invariably did exactly as she chose.
She followed the course prescribed by
those clever women who please themselves
/ by appearing to please other p5op'e
i will help you, Archibald" she said
sweetly, I'VE viii -ench, dear. Bat,
with charming little smile, II don't
want to begin until af e. next Wednesday,
becsuse-because, dear, Mrs. de Snigsby's
/ bal psudre takes place that night, and
and-I must have a new dress. Now
hear me, Archibald" Tie cashier Of The
matrimonial partnership sho Sed symptoms
of impotence
II will not be a very expensive one
a matter Of, cay $3.50, but 1 know you do
not want your wife to compare unfAvors-
bly, with the other guests. 1 ask this fer
your sake, dear, great deal more than for
my own"
Mre. Bockaby became almost serspAic as
she turned two blue ever astoniehed eyes
upon her husband Hitherto that look had
always melted him, but perhaps he was
gcoWing SO accustomed to it that it was
| losing its effect. At any rste, he HAS quite
uucopqueIed Just now by either Mrs.. Book
aby's eyes or t0rgue.
You are Gisgracefully extravagant,
Malvina," he said, with unusual ssrerity,
land you ought TO begin the work Of re-
form to-day, ard not wait until sfaer next
wednesday. You had a $500 evening
dress in London last year. You have never
worn il in New York. No one could rec
oguizs it. I've got 70 money to waste on
Jals p0udres or any other nonsense of that
kind
Mrs. B1ckaby was dissgIeeably sur
prissd, but not in the Least angry. She
was too gentle and we'll bred ever TO in
dulge in anger, which usually fads vent IN
rudely unpleasant words.
This bal Ioldre,n she said, sis excep-
ticnal. Besides powdeiing our heir, we
all wear dear little black satin lace trim
med dominos until midnight, and l am go
anxious to look well when l remove mine.
Archibald, dear, do 70. be so mean. 1t IS
uDlke you. My London dress is too soiled
to wear, too rumpled,"
Nonsense" interrupted j, Archibald
Bceka5y testify, BLACK and gold DO rot
soil. The dress is a very handsome one
the finest ever saw. do not often notice
your costumes" scornfnlly, "b1t that o1e
/ always remember because it was so un
common and pretty"
81 cannot wear it." murmured Mrs
Bcckaby, softly. Those who knew the
lady would have re- ognized that statement
p as irrevocabe. Mr.. Bocksby did not
however. He labored under the de,usior
that he was master of his house, most
egregious error.
Archibald" pursued the fair Malvins
presently, you talk of my black and golC
dress. l assure you Letltia Ruggsmitt
will have something far more elegant.
SIS Mrs. RuggImith going?" asked MIR
Bockaby, gently. He had once-long ago
wasted a good deal of bOyish affection
upon the unloving Letitis, and The remem
brsnce, he was glad TO say, was pleasant
simply because it amused him. Letitif
had married a supposedly wealthy man
ard was now an almost penniless widow
and sn adept in the art of how to keep NJ
appearances on nothing a year. Mrs
Bockaby hated Letitil in her OWE negative
wav. She disliked to hear the purrinl
tone which her husband always used il
abiding to the lady.
'Yes, she ia going" said Malvina, ma
liciously; land Pve no doubt she viii
appear in something particularly startling
White hair will suit her splendidly."
ut will, indeed" assented Mr.. Book
ably, rather too rapidly.
"And you refuse me the means OF lock
I ing nice, Archibald. Well, dear, yor
i know best. shall % to Mrs. DeSnigsby' ,
!. bal poudre, 1 will tell you that much.
: will also let you know that l do not in
tend to be disgIaced. l presume you vii
not be there?" rather anxiously.
Probably not. l have club meeting
which 1 must attend"
81 would not like You to neglect you
duties for my sake" chirruped Mrs. Book
ably, as she left the room.
She went directly to her bedroom, and
sitting down on the easiest chair she conl(
ind, devoted herself TO meditation. Fo
ten minutes she remained deep in thought
She was evidently at work upon some verl
abstruse problem. Presently she rang tn
bell and ordered her maid to bring her
z. daily paper. She ran diligently throug'
its advertising columns, until she sppaT
emily found what ehe wanted. She reai
it carefully at least half deem times
Then, unlocking the hsavy oak wardrob
which stool at one end Of the room, sh
took from /. black and gold dress, AM
laid it rather impatiently upon the bed.
Mr. Bockaby had certainly been correc
when he had characterized it IS uncom
mon and pretty. Il would have hesn nc
ticei anywhere. Mrs. Boeksby, capri
cioGs sBd unreasonable, disiiked the dres;
She would not wear it sgAin. Even thong
New York had never seen it, she, hersel
wss tired of it, srd-well, she dressed
please herself.
She opened her writing desk, hunted
its depths for sheet of plain writing pa
per, discaIdiug the heavily monogramme
sheets that came first to hand, found wis
she wanted, and scrubbed few wcrd
hastily across it. She read these few words
however, very carsfally before she enclose