The great West., 1889-12-06

that his very soul seemed to quiver at the
memory of it.
He was on his way to her; and once in
her presence he would scatter her obiec-
tons, her protcstations to the winds, by
the force of his passionate pleadings. She
was miserable, misunderstood and neglect
ed; eating her heart out among dreary and
unsympathetic surroundings. For four
years she had been beating her wings
against the coldest and dullest of cages;
and he was on his way to set her free. It
would be an injustice to her for him to
listen to her remonstrances, and
"Yes; marriage for the man of intellect,
as well as for the man of action, is most
undoubtedly q distinct failure"
So lectured the big, fair man, happy in
the sound of his own voice; and his words
struck upon his fellow-traveler's ears with
a curious significance.
"And how about marriage for the woman
of feeling, of passion, tied to, clod who
overrates his owns" he snapped out.
''Teddy'' put down his pipe and turned
his somewhat expressionless light blue
eyes with mild surprise upon the speaker.
"Women of feeling and passion, as you
cali them, are happily rare among our mar
riageable girls" he said, didactically. IA
woman's capabilities, either of head or
heart, are much more limited than mans
Her sphere is the narrow content of the
domestic hearth; and;-
domestic 6ddlesticks," interrupted the
younger man. ''You talk as though women
were all alike. Is every man fond of
drink and bad company9 MOI Is every
woman content with domestic drudgery?
No, again! There is as much difference
between them as there is between u.s."
"Teddy' gazed at him with kind of IA
therly protest, and then he inquired if he
was a married man.
His companion changed color, and re-
marked haughtily that he ':Did not see
how that fact bore upon the question"
"But it does bear upon the question:"
said Teddy, with the same irritating geui-
ality. II am, I should say, good deal
older than you, and 1 have been married
several years to q woman of quite the
average intelligence, and of more than the
average looks and education. 1 was very
fond of her; she was devoted to me; but,
being woman, she was incapable Of under
standing man. She dislil<ed my friends;
failed to appreciate my literary tastes and
my love Of travel; grew pettily jealous, and
teased me with incessant questions as to
how 1 spent my time; and finally took
refuge in sullen silence, or treated me to
scenes just when required my mind clear
for the composition of political speeches and
phamphIets. My dear sir, 1 grew perfectly
wretched; and the end of it was, about
year ago went off on tour for political
purposes in Ireland; there picked up with
some old bachelor chums; passed from one
excursion to another, always intending to
travel home the next week; and am now at
length returning northward new man, re-
stored to my pristine, contented state Of
mind, and all the more pleasantly anxious
to see my wife that l have plainly shown
her can get on excellently without her."
'And may ask how your wife has been
employing herself ali the time!"
II have only had brief notes from herr
"Teady" returned. "She knew it was dis
cipline. But lately she has more than once
begged me to return. So am going back
little earlier than had intended as sur
prise for her."
"And you think she won't have consoled
herself?'' sneered the younger man. "Your
confidence in your own powers of retaining
a woman's affection must be considerable p
"Teddyas" stolid face changed at last, and
it was with the peculiar coldness which
only light eyes can assume that he turned
upon his companion and remarked:
II have confidence in my wife, SIR"
IN. N