The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-15

Showing How Unpleasant People Can Make
Themselves by Their Talk.


stepped upon a Broadway car at the
lower end Of Broadway and rode in it
along that fast changing highway as far
as Nineteenth street. AT the corner of
Chambers street and Broadway a man
Of perhaps 40 and a woman not more
than oe5, he carrying a huge portmanteau,
q collection of wraps. two umbrellas
and a cane, she leading by the band o
~3-year-oid baby, joined the partially
crowded patronage already seated. A
cloud of dissatisfaction rested upon the
brow of the man. The frown of an al
ready born rumpus fast unfolding into
fruitage made forbidding and ugly the
comely countenance of the IN Her
nervous disposition made itself known
to every one in the car and particularly
to the little boy as she yanked the child
by the arm into the seat beside her. Aft
err q moments silence the woman said,
You might have known how it would
be-" to which he responded, well, |
might have known, but | didn't, so shut
upr'
Another passenger entered the car at
that moment and stumbled over the port.
manteau.
Hang that bag!" said the man.
IF were you. | would keep my cuss.
ing for home" said he woman, and SO
on and on and on.
The ensuing half hour was passed by
these two in a strain which would have
done credit to the most pronounced bag
in the dirtiest quarters of a third rate
fish market. The little boy. thank heav-
en-, went fast asleep. Much Of the con
versation between the two was inaudible
save to the three or four people in imme-
date contact with them. but every once
in awhile the s.lrill voice of the female
bird scared into upper attitudes of def
ance, making discordant the entire al
mosphere and attracting the attention
Of nearly IA score of people. They got
out at the corner of Fourteenth street
and Broadway and entered a cafe-he
sullen, ejaculatory and profane; she
keyed up to G in alt. defiant. shrewish
chock fnll of scold.
Well. what of it? 1t is not such a very
uncommon thing for man and wife-for
lovers even. for daily intercours1rs-to
quarrel and to vent serpentlike Kisses
from the uiiruly members that was with
curious motion as they distill poison
from bitter and iaundiced hearts. 1t Is
not SO uncommon, ] admit. but isn't it
always Suggestive? | thought as | looked
at the man, with a good, square. ckan
forehead. well marked brows. a clear
skin and an air Of self poise. that he was
hardly doing himself justice. Save that
his hands were rude and rough and that
his boots were country made. that his
portmantean vas considerably older
than the ordinary hill and that his uln-
brella looked as though it might have
been utilized by Mrs. Noah when s.le
came from the ark, hs was q man Of the
world in appearance.
And the woman had a pretty face.
der hair was parted in the middle, as
women's hair should be. and revealed in
its old fashioned brushing a tiny ear. not
so small as to indicate utter s~elfishness.
but, on the other hand. moi so large as tt,
rival a genuine Saddle Rock oyster in its
vulgarity. Her eyes were brown, sof.
at that: her teeth were regular aud
clean; her dress was neat. her hands and
feet well clad. and an occasional pat
upon the boys shoulder as he Ley nes-
Ting against her. fast asleep. indicated
the feminine nature, the affectionste ten.
derness Of the mother.
Listening under the circumstances was
) not rudeness. 1t was compulsory. sat
next the boy. Some of his banana Skin
( ornaments my coatsleeve until this mo
ment. As he lay semicoiled mp | notices
4 the copper nails in the bottoms o. ais shes
and the copper toe upon the same. This
group was easily and perfectly within
my vision AS word after word fell red
hot thought: How odd this ali woult
q have sounded in that shell like ear fv,
years ago. How strange it would hav
n seemed To the lover had he heard it o
had It been suggested to him that eve
it could be possible for him to hear sucI
Il language from such lips.-Howard i
- AfAA4- E