The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-09-25
HIS WEES CHUAI.

1Io had been married a year and still
found that marital happiness was really n
tangible thing, not tho fanciful vaporings
OF poetic enthusiasts. He was able TO
crumblc In tho dust tho highest and
strongest arguments brought forward by
cynical bachelors that marriage is n fail
urc. But yet, with all his devotion, he
was able to appreciate pretty woman
lilo kept this appreciation to himself In
years time he had learned many valua-
bio truths Of whose existence he had not
even dreamed before. Ono Of these was
thnt it WAS far better fora married man to
keep some things to himself and to observe
q religious silence on others. Ono subject
upon which he kept a religious silcnce was
that of praising pretty women in his wifc's
Ronring. When he had married her he
thought his wife the most beautiful crca-
turo which the widest dreams of lovers
fancy could conjuro up, but after "a years
constant association with her he had been
forced to acknowledge To himself that
thcro wcro others as pretty and at last had
decided that some were even prcttier, but
that none WAS better or swcctcr he nev"r
doubted.
Ono morning mt breakfast ms his wife.
clad in bcwtchng gown, was pouring
the coffee tho smart, white aproncd maid
OF letters was ono upon which his vito
seized eagerly and tore open with tho I'M
conventional aid of the butter knife
oh, Jack, " sho said joyfully as she
read on with smiling face, 'NIaudo is
comingl You remember Maudc?"
dc did not remember Maudc and said so.
ooh, yes, you do" his wife replied.
"Sho was my chum when you camo to sec
mo before we wcro married. She used to
plague us by coming in when wo wanted
to DO alone. Don't you remember"
Jack had dim recollection of q small
girl who used to make herself "too CON
foundcdly numerous" as jack had onco
said i'll IL moment of transportation, but her
faco ho could not call to mind. So he
nodded and asked when she was coming
Tonight, she says. She does not men
ton tho train. There are two. YOU know.
l suppose sho will tako the 1885 from
Boston, where she wants to do some shop
ping. I nm SO glad sho is coming. We
can have such fun talking over old times.
and, OH lots of things.'
Every afternoon mt $50 the train started
back from the big, smoky, noisy B. and
A. station, and every afternoon at 500
Jack entered tho last car with his grip and
his paper. In tho middle of tho week tho
train was seldom crowded, and often Jack
tho journey. This happened to DO one of
tho days, and Jack stretched himself out
comfortably and began to read tho paper.
Tho main limo pulled out in slow and
digniflcd manner. Jack saw q flash of
whito fly by the window, and tho next
moment charming young woman, with
dark brown hair, laughing brown eyes
and jaunty blue and white shirt waist
and a red nccktic, stood in tho door, q
vision Of summer personiflcd. She was so
extremely pretty that Jack could not help
looking mt her again as she came down tho
aisle. Sho caught his eye, IL half surprised
expression flashed over her face, she paused
uncertainty and then deliberately sat down
directly opposite Jack. She arranged her
blue skirt daintily, looked out of tho WIN
dow and then ut Jack, who found himself
stealing d surrcptitious glance mt her from
tho edge of the paper which he was prc.
tending to read. The samo little comedy
was gone through with again, and this
timo she smiled slightly, but encouraging
ly, and Jack smiled back Nay, do not
frown. What would you have done under
the samo circumstances, O stern and NOR
al bcncdictS of n years standing?
At any rate, Jack smiled, and then with
malice atorcihought, rs he very well knew,
this pretty girl began tn struggle ineifcc-
tually 10 raise tho car window. Now. this
has been the accepted prelude To car lirta-
tons since the invention Of railroads, and
there is good ground for thinking that it
may be the reason why car windows nj
ways stick. As soon as Jack sv; her al.
tcmpts he CALAMITY cpran& ~ and offered