The Penn's Grove record., 1891-05-29
HATES HUSBAND.
BIZ THOMAS b. HOLMES.

ufen Will Drive me crazy, saIu hdte
Harland petulantly, as she ran into the
sitting-room and drew her baby from
under a chair which it had pulled over
upon itself.
"Patience, Kate, patience" said her
husband, who sat by the window reading
the morning paper; ''you are too easily
excited, my dear; you should learn to
take things more coolly."
"You don't know what you are talk
ing about, CARL" said Kate, in a peevish
voice; "you tell me to be patient, calm
and cool and accuse me of being irritable.
Perhaps l am irritable, and l think you
would be if you had to live with two
mischievous children day in and out the
yea round. When you talk about a
woman being patient and cool and calm
under such circumstances, 1 say you
don't know what you are talking about"
Kate spoke excitedly and gave her hus.
band a look of severity that was wasted,
for Carl Harland did not lift his eyes
from the paper he was reading.
"You are just like all the others of
your sex, Kate" he replied shifting his
eyes slowly to the top of another page;
81 never yet met a woman who didn't
spend q good share of her time COM
planning of her lot in life. I said that
you were too easily excited and l think
you are. You always have let the
housewo worry you ever since you
have been obliged to do it. If l could
afford to employ a girl to assist you, and
you could get time to read and go out
and ransack the dry goods stores and
have good time generally, you would
be comparatively happy. I cannot af-
ford to furnish you with an assistant,
and it seems to me that it is your duty
under the circumstances to perform the
work of the house without giving way
to your temper, which makes you very
disagreeable, indeed, my dear"
81 do the best that l can, CARL" said
Kate. "But l cannot help worrying and
finding fault with the children sometimes
when I am tired"
81 can't see what there is about your
work that should tire you, as you say it
does" sad Carl, laying down his paper
and turning to Kate who was sweeping,
'if you had the responsibility of sup
porting the family and had to work
from morning till night as 1 do, then
you might worry and complain OF get,
ting tired. You never heard me com
plain, have youa"
81 don't know tbatI ever have, Carl, :"
said Kate, meekly, as she swung the
broom over the carpet unable to see the
dust through the mist that was in her
eyes.
"You were a spoiled girl, Kate" con-
tinued her husband, sand / suspect that
it would have been much better for us
both If we had never met, but we are
married and must make the best of the
situation, and l sincerely hope that you
will refrain from letting your temper get
the best Of you when l am in the house.
If I had nc more to do and no more tc
worry me than you have, 1 should con.
slider myself an extremely fortunate per.
son."
! Carl had risen, and putting on his hal
he left the room, closing the door behind
him with emphasis which indicated that
he had allowed his temper to rise above
the point of moderation.
! When the door had closed upon the
form of her husband Kate sank into q
char, and burying her face in her hands
gave herself up to tears. Harold, the
eldest boy, tugged at his mothers elbow,
while the baby sat up in the middle OF
the floor and looked inquiringly at her
mother through her blue eyes as if won.
dering that any other being on earth,
but herself, should have cause for in,
dulging in such an exhibition of grief.
Kate had been Carl Harland's wife five
years. They had known each other but
a few months before they were married
They believed that they loved each other,
and as Carl was a prosperous merchant
in a thriving Western town, there seemed
to be no reason for p%ostponing the day
when they should become one, so they
were married, and Kate babe adieu tc
parents and friends to go to the house
that her husband had prepared for her il
the far country.
; In the second year of their married
life a boy was born to them; a golden
haired, brown-eyed fellow, the image
of his father, and two years later came q
girl with the tender blue eyes and sweet
face of her mother. Carl Harland and
his wife were supremely happy in the
possession of their home and their chill
dren. Their love for each other in
creased with the years and they seemed
destined to pass through life under q
cloudless sky. One night, during &
great storm, the water came down from
the mountains and swept through the
valley destroying many thousands of dol
lars worth of property. Carl Harland's
place of business was wrecked; the
building was torn timber from timber
and its contents carried away by the
food. The property was not insured
against damage by water and Carl awoke
one morning to find himself penniless.
This misfortune had a marked effect
upon Hates husband. He lost his cheer.
fulness. He became irritable and criti-
cal in his manner towards his wife, who
tried to be brave and encourage her hus.
band by word and deed to renew his efforts
to rebuild the business of which he had
been so ruthlessly robbed. The indiffer,
ence with which her efforts in this direc.
ton were received had at last deadened
the ambition in Hates heart. She grew
respondent and peevish, irritable, and
the last year of the married life of Car
Harland and his wife had been marked
by many unpleasant scenes in which harsh
words very frequently prevailed.
1t was late in the afternoon when Car
came home on the day he left his wife
with the unpleasant words quoted above
and he found Kate lying upon the sol,
suffering with a severe headache.
''More worry" he thought as he sat
down to a cold lunch alone; "well,
think after all, that it she is bound to
worry, the best thing to do is to refrain
from showing her sympathy. If she
thinks that she is treating me and the
children right by acting in this manner,
l think l shall let her get all the salts,
faction that she possibly can out of her
aches"