The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-18
A QUESTION FOR CAsU1srs.

QUESTION FOR CAsUIsTs.
Exactly why Carl and Cecil Rouse con
cluded that they could not be happy to-
gether any longer they perhaps did no
know so very much better than any body
else. Their separation, which took place
very quietly, and without any of the dis
agreeable publicity which is apt to at
tend such partings, seemed to take them
almost as much by surprise as it did 9TH
er people, All that was said about il
was that they discovered that they
could not be happy together, and so they
once more made a trial of how success
full they could be in fresh endeavor to
be happy apart. The usual formula in
such cases, incompatibility of temper
might mean much or it might mean lit
tie. The only thing that was certain
was that they had somehow got the
matrimonial knot united, and that was
the whole of 1t as far as the outside
world was concerned, save for such
speculations as it might please the gos-
sip-loving to indulge in, to their own
satisfaction, and perhaps to the hurt of
nobody since whatever harm could be
done seemed to have been done by the
unhappy young people themselves with
out any outside aid.
1t is TO be doubted whether either Of
them was much pleased with the result
of the somewhat hasty decision to which
they had come in regard to the best
method of settling their matrimonial
difficulties, but that was thing which
could not be helped when once the thing
had been done. Both Carl and Cecil
were headstrong young folk, and until
they had married, somewhat in haste,
they had both been much accustomed to
having perfect control of the will and
the wish. That they did not agree
was not especially surprising,
although Carl's mother, who had per-
sistently spoiled him from the day he
was born, and Cecil's aunt, who had
laboriously trained her niece into think
ing there was nothing in the whole
world except her own wish were amazed
that any difficulty could arise. 1t was
to be noticed however, that while Mrs.
Rouse was convinced that the fault,
whatever it was, must be on the side OF
the wife, the aunt of that wretched little
woman was equally sure that in any
case the trouble could never have come
but from the husband.
| However the truth might be, of the
fact that the young couple had separat-
I'd there was at least no doubt. Cecil
had gone back to live with her aunLand
Carl had once more betaken himself to
the home of bis mother, assuring her
that nothing would ever tempt him to
leave IL again while there was any home
to hold him. That the influence Of the
wife, although he had Cast her off, was
still strong upon Carl was made mani
fest when he announced to his mother
his intention of going to work. He had
hitherto been supported by his mother,
who had small fortune, and to Cecil
this had seemed TN unworthy position
for man well able to make his own
way in the world. She had often urged
him to go INTO some sort of business, ,and
indeed this had been one of the sorest of
the points of disagreement between
them. He had naturally good abilities,
but he had been brought up in Incidence,
and he resented what seemed to him the
interference of his wife, the more bitter
ly in all probability, because her re-
pIOdCDe5 game SO ClObc W LuO CODNiC
tions of his own inner consciousness.
After she had left him and he was free
to do once more what he pleased, he
astonished his mother one fine day by
informing her that he had taken a situa-
tion in large business house. She was
greatly concerned lest the work should
be too much for him, and the silly way
in which she regarded him as H weak
| ling was so uncOmplimentary to him
that he could not but remember how his
hot-headed little wife had dwelt upon
his powers, and dwelt upon the fact that
he was in perfect health and strong
enough to stand any amount of fatigue,
Now that Cecil was gone he missed the
flattery Of her repToaches, and he had
half mind to write to her and tell her
that he recognized that he had not done
full Justice to her sensible way of put
ting things, but ii would have been SC
awk ward writing to the wife from whom
one has separated, and he was go little
used TO owning himself wrong in any
thing that on the whole he concluded to
leave things as they were, and he did
not write.
1t did strike him as tie irony of fate
that lust as be got well into his place,
and was beginning really to enjoy bis
business, it should come about that into
that very house of all the innumerable
houses in New York, Cecil should come
as copyist or typewriter. He had known
that it would be necessary for her 20 do
something to support herself, because
just at the time that they were arrang,
ing their troubles her aunt had lost
pretty much all her means, and Cecil
had steadfastly refused to allow him to
make any provision for her. That she
did not know of his presence IN the
house he very soon discovered. He had
been away on business for the firm
when she was engaged, and on his re-
turn found her installed in little office
next to his own. On the second day he
had been forced to go into her room to
take some letters for her TO copy.
II shall not be here next week." she
said very quietly, when he told her
what was to be done when the answers
we're received.
mot be here p he repeated in sur
prise.
mo; / should not have come if had
known you were here, and have given
notice that shall not stay"
But why should you not stay 1t is
not easy to get places nowadayr."
81 know; l have been trying for q
MONTH"
Then why do you go? 2"
She raised her eyes to his, and Car
wondered that he had never appreciated
before how really beautiful her eyes
were.
1T must be very unpleasant for you,
she answered. "And after all it makes
so much less difference where am than
that you should be well situated"
"Do you mean that you are going be
cause am here y
"Of course" she answered, as if il
we're the simplest thing in the world.
Carl grew very red in the face.
"Is il 80 disagreeable to be under the
same roof with me p he demanded.
Cecil flushed in turn.
"You know that it is not that" she
responded.
"What is 1t, then y
81 told you that thought it coulI moi
be pleasant for you to have me here"
Then one would think that II Was my
place to CO.
"Oh, no. she said; 'tha' you'd moi
consent to-"
In the end matters were arranged al
might have been expected by their both
remaining, since each declined to say i
this would thrust out the other. They
saw each other often, but after that first
morning the conversation never took q
cor fidential turn. Cecil at least wss al
ways on her guard to see that ii did not
and II Carl had anything in particular Il
say lie lacked courage TO say il.
Matters went on in this way ell win
ter. The clerks jokel among them
selves about The way in VIII ch Rpus'
contrived to save the type-writer's Ia
bors, l,ut they did not suspect the rela