The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-23
MRS. HICKS-BROVN.
How a Lesson Of Mutual For
bearance Was Learned.

tend to know. What l know most
about is the end and the appendix OF
course all the differences leading up to
the last act we're thoroughly aired in
court and in the newspapers, but it was
the final net of brutality on Mr.. Hicks
Browns part that was especially
dilatcd upon. and for weeks this "fiend
in human form" was execrated by
danes and damscls all over this broad
land, and Mrs. Hicks Brown was an
object ofheartfelt commiscration on nil
sides.
/ am inclined to think that if Mr..
Hicks-Brown had been more like the
men who are held up us model husbands
by the knowing members of certain
ladies' societies, he and Mrs. Hicks
Brown-she whom only two short
years since he had promised to love and
cherish-would be living in peace and
amity, to say nothing of conjugnl
happiness, even unto this day; and if
Mrs. Hicks-Brown had been ANYTHING.
but the only child of very rich and
foolishly indulgent papa, things might
have been different. But Mr. Hicks
Brown was just "a much used to having
his own way as was his pretty spouse;
and the natural result was family
rows, more or less insignificant in
character. At first, Mr.. Hicks-Brown
was inclined to give in. just as all
dutiful bubbles are; but he saw the
shoals of trouble on to which this
course was causing him to drift, and
concluded, after mature consideration.
that it was his will that should domin-
ate in the Hiclss-Brown family, and he
fixed his plan of procedure and gov
erned his actions accordingly. Mrs.
Hicks-Brown, with feminine INSIGHT.
perceived, at an early stage Of the
game. what her lords intentions were;
and, as she had always been accus-
toned to have her way, she decided
that it was too late TO begin knocking
under-and there you have what was
presumably the beginning of the end
1t was "a dog that caused the climax.
II there was any creature on earth that
Mr.. Hicks-Brown loathed and despiscd,
1T was pug and his better half aware
of this antipathy, had, with character
istic feminine perversity, avniled her
self Of the first opportunity to possess
herself of one of those interesting ami
mails, which speedily won, it seemed,
first place in her affections, and made
Mr.. Hicks-Drown's life miserable.
He stood it, however, as long as he
could, but the end had 10 come.
MIR. Hicks-Brown was an architect,
and it came TO pass that he had, on one
occasion, been invited to prepare the
plans for public building The plans
were drawn and accepted by the COM
mittee, which, however returned them
to him for certain important altera-
tions; and they were laid on the table
in his den, TO be attended to when he
returned home in the late afternoon Of
a certain day.
Now, it SO happened that Vic, the pug
aforementioned, was of an inquiring
turn of mind, and she chose this very
afternoo n for nm exploring tour in the
upper part of the house.
When Mr. Hicks Brown entered his
den, about five o'clock, he saw at once
that portions of his plans were missing,
and, surprising that his wife had taken
them to show to some visitor, he hur-,
ried downstairs.
Where are those plans?" he asked.
What plans, dear?" softly inquired
Mrs. Hicks-Brown, sliding her caramel
into one cheek, and still keeping one
eye on particularly thrilling page Of
the yellow back novel in her lap
"What-what plans! Do you mean
to say you didn't take those Calumet
building plans'from my table?" asked
Mr.. Hicks-Brown, in some agitation.
'Oh-h" sad his spouse, mildly sur
prised. why, it must have been
those that Vic had"
"That-Vic-had!" howled Mr.. Hicks.
Brown. Sand, pray, where are they
now?"
Don't get excited, dear. We're
they anything in particular? Vic had
some old, soiled pieces of cloth, playing.
with them awhile ago; but I supposed
they were some you had thrown into
the waste basket, so I burned-Henryl
What are you going to do?"
But Henry did not answer. He strobe.
over to the cushion whereon the offend
ing Vic was taking her afternoon ST.
esta, gripped her firmly by the nape Of
the neck, and, despite his wife's hyteri-
cal protests, opened the door and kicked
the bowling animal into the street,
and. not satisfied with this, when Mrs.
Hicks-Brown would have rushed to
rescue her pet, he took her by the
shoulders and forced her into a chair,
noting with grim satisfaction as he did
SO that couple of street arabs were
making off with Vic.
That day Mrs. Hicks Brown went
home to her mother, and two weeks
later she was q member of the divorce
colony in western city, seeking free
dom from matrimonial bonds on
the groundof cruel and inhuman treat
mcnt," which she expected the court,
when her case was presented. to under
stand as having been applied to her, in