The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-09
in ANOTHER LIGHT.
By ]. H. N.

By ]. H. N.
But, Martha, you would not have me
act disagreeebly towards your friends?"
Certainly not, Robert. But do you
not think that In your efforts to be agree
able, you rather overdo the thing, and
thereby make yourself disegreeable?"
"Not in the least; at least your friends
have never given me cause to think SO,
nor can conceive in what way l have
acted disagreeably towards them. They
appear to be amiable, intelligent and in
teresting young ladies, and possessing
similar qualities-save, perhaps, intelli-
gence-myself, am inclined to be amia-
BILE with them"
"Well, at all events, you might be .
little less free In your manners with
them"
81 have never been other than courte-
ous In manner towards them. To be less
free, as you call 1t, in my manners with
them, ! should have to be absolutely un-
mannerly."
"Well, 'twere better to be deemed even
that than to suffer the consequences that
will be likely to accrue by acting with too
much levity."
Martha, you are becoming incompre-
hensible. can't conceive what you are
driving at. know that my only desire
is to make myself agreeable and civil to
everybody"
"Even at the cost OF your wife's com.
fort?"
AZ can't conceive why that fact should
make you uncomfortable"
"That's because your powers Of percep-
tion are not so great as other peoples; IL
they were, you might be able to see that
you are violating the rules of propriety by
bestowing upon Others all those atten-
tions which by right should be bestowed
upon your wife alone"
"Good heavens! Martha, can you be
serious? When / married you, few
months since, I had not the remotest idea
that by SO doing should be compelled to
renounce all social privileges, and make
myself an uncivil, unmannerly and disa-
greeable brute to all the world, simply to
satisfy vain and foolish whim OF wife,"
Had you thought so, doubtless you
would not have married."
"Most certainly should not"
"You are frank, sir, at all events"
"'Tis best to be SO, under the circum-
stances"
"Your language, sir, makes me recipro-
cate your feelings"
"By regrettins that I ever married
"Did say that I regretted having mar
ried your"
"No matter; your words implied that
much" g .--s----
al deny It," >JiI
"And say they did" -"
"Martha, you are incorrigible."
"You are insufferable."
"Martha, your language makes you Q
vixen"
"And your acts, sir, make you brute"
Having arrived at this interesting crisis
of domestic infelicity, Mr.. and Mrs.
Brsxton strutted about the room after
the fashion of the hero and heroine OF
comedy during a quarrel scene ON the
stage.
Mr.. and Mrs. Braxton had been married
three months. During the honeymoon
and wedding tour Mr.. and Mrs. Braxton's
connubial felicity was as perfect as "two
souls with but single thought" could
desire.
But when they returned to settle In
their new home, and to enter upon the
career Of O new life, Mr.. Braxton had un-
willingly admitted into his house ten
ept for whom he had made no provision.
This tenant entered the house on pre-
cisely the same day as did Mr.. and Mrs.
Braxton, and from that day, although
bodily invisible, he made his spirit felt,
and that spirit was q very disagreeable
one-not to say devilish.
Mr.. Braxton had long endeavored to
ascertain the name of this disagrecable
and unwelcome tenant, but had been un-
able to do 80 until the conversation be-
tween himself and wife, which commences
this sketch, had revealed II to him, when
he discovered that his annoying tenant
was also the surreptitious occupant of
several other abodes, and that his name
was-Jealousy.
When Mr.. Braxton had become fully
impressed with this important discovery,
and had resolved to test the -practicatif-
ity of his theoretical strategy, he ap-
preached his wife, who had become
seated, and who was indulging in men
tai reflection that she was one of the most
ill-used and badly abused creatures in tho
world.
Martha" mildly spoke Mr.. Braxton.
But Martha remained impassionate and
obdurate.
Mr.. Braxton took one hand OF his wife
gently In his own, and placed his arm in
a similar manner around her neck, and
then in soft, pleading tone, again said
Martial"
Martha's obduracy melted; and, rails
ing her eyes to those OF her husband, she
meekly answered.
"Robertl"
The manner in which Mrs Braxton had
uttered her husbands name caused that
gentleman to feel convinced that his wife
was willing for a reconciliation; so plac-
ing the lips, which but a few moments
before had been deemed those Of a brute,
to those which, with equal propriety, had