The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-08

PRICE OF 4 .JARREL.
An Essay ON the Bookkeeping or,
Domestic mfslioity.
n HOWARD rELoNo.


Tho Characters in this sketch are
Mr.. and Nra John Bentley and mes
eenger boy, ell ordinary people, and
Richard Hazpen ESQ, an honest law
yer. Tho soene Is III. Harper's private
pffice.
Mrs Bentley (entering . good deal
faster than seems 20 be necessarily
don't SEQ why Mr. Harper is not here
Ten o'clock was tho hour, and it is now
after eleven. Men have no earthly re-
gard for an appointment.
Mr.. Bentley VERY gently)-He may
have been here at ten.
Mrs 3. (After pause, during
which they have taken seats on oppo-
site sides of the rocm)-Well, why don't
Won send for Mr.. Harper?
Bentley rises, and approaches his
wife,
Bent.-Alice, I knew Dick would not
be here. know where he is now IL
/ send for him it will mean that we are
hopelessly estranged: that we really
wish him to draw up the legal form OF
separation
Mrs. B.-Does anybody doubt that?
Bent.-Dick does; and-and, there is
one other person, but he's not worth
mentioning.
Mrs. B.-I quite agree with Won.
Bent Cbitterlyl-For the first time in
Six months. Then, with contrition)
Alice, / did not mean it. / wish |
hadn't said it nor anything else like it
TO YOU. ever in my life. ! take them all
back
Mrs B-A million apologies in one.
This humility is touching. But why
don't you send for Mr.. Harper?
Bentley looks at her moment. as
if he would like to say something
more. She meets his glance firmly.
He makes despairing gesture,
walks to the wall where there is a
district messenger company's box
and rings the call. While his back is
turned she wipes her eyes with her
handkerchief
Bent.-It is done.
Mrs. B.-Yes, you have done it at
last.
Bent.--I? (He seems about to say
something disagreeable, but suddenly
thinks better Of it, falls into chair
and pulls notebook out of his pocket
Since you allude to the cause Of this
most unhappy quarrel, let's see exactly
what it is.
Mrs. B.-What do you mean?
BENT have the whole thing in
this notebook-the history of our dis
agreement
Mrs. B-A sort of pocket conscience.
Why don't you publish it? "How to
Make Home Happy, by Man Who
Never Tried" Advertise it as COM
piete manual of ungentlemanly be-
havior and it ought to sell very fast,
to the few men who have anything to
learn on the subject.
Bent.-There is not much about eti-
quette in It. It's work on finance,
Mrs. 3. Rising excitodly,-Jack
Bentley, you insult me! There is nc
question of money here. You are not
rich. but if you were what 1 once b.
lieved you to be. l could go with you t.
the poorest tenement in this city, AND
find lifelong happiness in making il
q home for Us
Bent. Throws tho notebook down
and leaps out of the chafrf-Alice
when y8a speak Ike that you bring Ha'
e nv seae-s. What you once believed
me. ! Vii De that or anything yo'
wish Cos=le with me, then, and let u
have that home today To-day an(
always, Alice, Alice!
CThey fall into each others arms il
the coed ole way
Mrs. E. (Bisengaging herself from
his arms hastily There is somebod.
coming
(Bentley glaaees apprehensiveiy a
the door Snatches his notebool
srnn the floor. They try to look as i
nothing had happened. However, no
body comes in
Mrs B. don't wonder you wer
Rnxious about tina notebook.
Eent.-My anxiety shall cease pres
emily. (He looks around the room.
Canfound steam heat. If there wer
only an open fire here
Mrs. Bob. don't destroy It. l wan
to see what's in 1t.
Bent hate to touch il, but-oh
well, Wen never quarrel again
Mrs- b tSits)-SOmething abou
money. That's what you said. Well