The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-01-28
HIS WILL AND HER WON'T,


tapped her foot impatiently as she
worked. Mr.. Alison paced the floor
uneasily and frowned darkly. 1t was
evident there was a storm brewing in
the domestic atmosphere. Indeed, the
were already pattering down on the
ering for her beloved baby.
'.For pity's sake, Maud" broke forth
her liege lord, don't begin crying.
Why can't you be sensible and look at
the matter in reasonable way? 1t
to my wishes, when 1 have good
reasons for asking you to do it, be-
sides.''
II don't know what you call good
reasons" sobbed Maud Alison. You
don't know the least thing about the
Wilvertons, that you should wish me
to give up attending their ball-such
magnificent affair as it's going to be,
too.''
THAT is the chief of my reasons
because don't know anything about
the family-neither for nor against
them. But the mans face is enough
to condemn him. / wouldn't trust him
an 1nch OUT OF my SlSnt.
"You're as unjust as you can be.
to say such things about stranger of
whom you know nothing. 1 do be-
ieve you are jealous of him because he
was so attentive to me at Mrs. Fitz-
gerald's party.
Mr.. Alison whistled.
jealous! l should hope I wasn't
quite such fool. But L do think you
are altogether too careless in taking
up with people so rashly. You haven't
known the family month, and yet
Mrs. Wilverton is as much at home
here as if the house belonged to her.
don't like it, and I expressly desire
you will see as little of her or her hus-
band as is possible until something
more is known of both of them. Es-
pecially do wish you to decline their
Invitation to this ball. l don't want
my wife known as the chosen friend of
pair of adventures"
And, having delivered this decision,
Mr.. Alison walked out of the room.
Thereat his pretty wife was justly
indignant as well as at what he had
said. Anger had dried the tears upon
her cheeks as she muttered, advent
urers, indeed; as if that were possible!
l am sure Mr.. and Mrs. Wilverton are
as elegant and refined as any people of
our acquaintance. and everybody says
the ball will be magnificent; and every
body is going, too; and-and-so am
1. 1 will not be deprived of every little
pleasure chance to care for, because
Fred chooses to dictate in that lordly
manner. I shall go to the ball in spite
of him; so therem
And the little foot came down with
emphasis upon the soft carpet beneath
it.
Thus it was that Mr.. and Mrs. Alison
so nearly quarreled this bright morn
ing in early December. The Wilver-
tons had issued cards for a grand re-
ception and ball, to which nearly all
elite of the town had responded favor
ably. Could Mrs. Alison decline? She
did not intend to, at all events.
Yet it was with rather failing heart
that she penned her acceptance of the
invitation and commenced her pre-
paration for the great event. She had
never yet in their pleasant married life
acted so willfully in opposition to her
husbands wishes. But this time she
felt in part eXcusable.
u0 Ittu dShcu uOG W oHO
said, half penitently, Il might have
thought better of it; but 1 won't be
commanded. 1 didn't marry to be-
come my husbands slave, and I'll go
to this ball, if only to show him that l
can think for myself and shall act as l
choose, whether he objects or not.
You see. the little lady was fast
working herself up to very high pitch
of vfrtuous indignation, and she was
scarcely disposed to pay any attention
to the faint monitions of conscience,
especially when it dared to whisper
that she was wrong.
The night of the ball came round at
last, as all things do when patiently
waited for. At breakfast that day
Mrs. Alison had announced to her hus-
band her intention of attending the
ball.
"You are not in earnest?" he said.
Indeed I am," was the defiant re-
ply. "My preparations are all COM
pleted, and Mrs. Leighton has offered
me seat in her carriage, in case you
persist in not escorting me yourself"
81 certainly shall not CO." her
husband answered firmly. And L
cannot believe my little wife will go
without me- he added, pleasantly.
"Give me kiss. puss, and when 1
come home this evening. l trust you
will have put all this nonsense out of
your head. By, by!''
But his wife would not look at him
when he kissed her, and stamped her
foot angrily as the door closed behind
| him, and she heard his careless whistle
as he ran down the steps.
''rm not baby" she said to her
self land won't be treated like one. He
shall find out that l can go without
him."
And he did come to realizing sense
of the fact when he come home to
dinner that evening. Running lightly
up stairs to their room, the first sigh