Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-26
A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.

Tom Barclay aud 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 n man seldom quito under
stands n woman. Tom was even moro
dense In this respect than most men,
and Elizabeth, morc difficult than most
women for any man TO comprehend,
unconscious Of tho fact, wondered at
Toms many failures IN this direction.
They WIRE very good friends, how.
ever. and thought they loved each
other-had even said 80 In strict con.
fdcncc- as ! aid. were engaged
10 be married In fact, Miss Murray
was already at the mercy Of drcssmak.
crs and mIllincrS, for II was December
late Dcccmbcr - and tho wedding
wn. sct fof tho 10th Of January.
one night, the drcssmakcrs and mil
liners having kindly waived their claims
for a few hours, Mr.. Barclay called 10
sec his prospective bride. lie wus not
IA the best posIble humor; an ugly east
wind drove the slcct into his iacc as he
walked the few blocks from the cable
cars TO Miss Murray's home, for Tom
thought too much Of his horses 10 take
them out on such a night; a man Ind
failed him In an important business APP
pointment, and Il Is quite possible that
he was triilc bilious; nj all events. he
was about ~ cross M lao ever allowed
himself 10 become.
Now Il happened that Elizabeth was
nearly worn out with tho turmoil Incl.
dent TO tho preparations for a fashionn-
bic wedding. She was nervous and IT.
ritable; probably the east wind affect
cd her also. Sho needed some one 10
smooth her hair, talk tender, comfort
Ing words-in short, pet her until sho
was rested; for the woman never yet
lived who did not Ike occasional pet
ting.
Now, Thomas Barclay was not
demonstrative. snsn, and petting was
something out OF his limo. How washo
TO know, especially In his unainiable
mood, that the young girl soon TO be
his wife was In no condition TO meet
impatience patiently.
Thank fortune, he said graciously,
kissing her as a matter of course, and
dropping into a chnir, "this dress max
INK row viii soon he over I've scarcely
seen you for a month won't have n
drcssnakcr on the place after we AFRO
Mr.. Barclay did not mean anything
by this speech Il was simply an ebul.
liiion OF temper, and Elizabeth should
have met II "a such; Il suited her mood,
however, TO rctort with'
"indecdl mean to have a dress
maker Ia the housc all the time"
Il wouldn't " were you, disagree
ably, especially against my wishes"
And ! should" she returned def.
ahtly.
well -" then common sense as
serted itself, aud he laughed. DO you
know, beth, we are Just ready TO quar-
rel about nothingi My wife Will prob
ably do M she plcaSes. "
Miss Murray did not smile. She was
morbidly sensitive, and an ugly thought
had lodged Ia her brain. She said
quietly;
'Tofn, ] don't like that remark Of
yours at all. | wonder II II is possible
that after our marriage you would ut
tempt TO coerce me In the leastf'V
Tom was obstinate. II would have
bean better not TO have asked the qnes-
ton. lie said:
"a woman promises TO obey when
she marrics,n
"Not always; the word Is frequently
left out of the marriage service. IL
would be better left out OF ours.p
do you mean that you will not
obeyi" asked he, looking at her curl.
oasiy.
'Just that"
"a man Is the head of tho family; Il
Is wife's duty to obcy.n
$50 have beard + magyar thonyht