Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-02
A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.

Tom Bar .ay and Elizabeth Murray
never understood each other very well,
and yet they had been engaged for a
year. They had known each other
long before the engagement, too, but,
although a man seldom quite under
stands a woman, Tom was even more
dense in this respect than most men,
and Elizabeth, more difficult than most
women for any man to comprehend,
unconscious of the fact, wondered at
Toms many failures in this direction.
They were very good friends, how
ever, and thought they loved each
other-had even said so in strict con
6dence-and, as | said, were engaged
TO be married. In fact, Miss Murray
was already at the mercy of dressmak-
ers and milliners, for it was December
late December and the wedding
was set for the 10th of January.
One night, the dressmakers and mil
liners having kindly waived their claims
for a few hours, Mr.. Barclay called to
see his prospective bride. He was not
in the best possible humOr; An ugly east
wind drove the sleet into his face as he
walked the few blocks from the cable
cars to Miss Murray's home, for Tom
thought too much of his horses to take
them out on such a night; a man had
failed him in an important business ap-
pOintment, and it is quite possible that
-. 80 4, NrsAa haliarr1. Of all awanFg ha
was about as cross rs he yer allowed
himself 10 become.
Now it happened that Elizabeth vas
nearly worn out with the turmoil Incl
dent 70 the preparations for a fashiona-
bic wedding. She was nervous and ir-
ritable; probably the EAST wind affect
ed her also. She needed some one to
smooth her hair, talk tender, comfort
ing words-in short, pet her until she
was rested; for the woman never yet
lived who did not like occasional pet
ting.
Now, Thomas Barclay was not a
demonstrative man, and petting was
something out Of his line. How vas he
TO know, especially in his unamiable
mood, that tie young girl soon TO be
his wife was in no condition TO meet
impotence patiently.
Thank fortune, " he said graciously,
kissing her as a matter of course, and
dropping into a chair, this dress max
ing row will soon be over. I've scarcely
seen you for a month. / won't nave a
dressmaker on the place after we are
married"
Mr.. Barclay did not mean anything
by this speech; it was simply IN ebul
lition Of temper, and Elizabeth should
have met it as such; 1t suited her mood,
however, to retOrt with:
Indeed l mean TO have a dress
makef in the house all the time"
II Wouldn't if 1 were you, " disagree
ably, respectfully against my wishes"
"And l should" she returned def
antly.
''Yell -" then common m as
serted itself, and he laughed. DO you
know, Beth, We are just ready 70 quar-
rel about nothingi Ny wife will prob
ably do as she ~pleases-"
MAA murray ~ - oAAANs Oc w.
mOrbidly sensitive, and an ugly thought
had lodged in her brain. She said
quietly:
Tom, 1 don't like that remark OF
yonrs at all. l wonder If it is possible
that after Our marriage you would At
tempt to coerce me in the leatr
Tom was obstinate. 1t would have
been better not to have asked the ques-
ton. He said
"a woman promises to obey when
she marries."
aNot always the word Is frequently
left out of the marriage service. II
would be better left out Of ours"
sDo you mean that you viii not
obeyF' asked he, looking at her euri
ously.
Just that