Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-04-04
4 WELL eR00nED W0JlaH.

pdPoI uuU IcSuEuoO Ills WlI6 WITH u
sigh. She sat on the other side OF
the table, mending her way through
pile OF stockings mountain high; a
plump, little woman OF 40, none too
trig in figure. decidedly rufiled as to
hair. but with merry twinkle in her
blue eyes and motherliness expressed
In every line Of her comfortable per-
son.
''Well?" said she. looking up, feel
ing with sinking at the heart that
some new complication had come up
in the financial situation, and that
she was about to be treated to views
of bimetallism, adding to the femin-
inc mind. But no. Her lord and
master had been led into very diff
ferent train of thought.
Its nearly fifteen years that we
have been married, Mary" he unused,
remembering as he spoke that in all
that time he had hardly ever before
scrutinized her with such critical
gaze.
Tell it not in Gath |" she laughed.
Ppm growing old. but let us keep it
secret in the family as long as we
cam"
''Yes, you have changed-we have
both changed. What vain little
rhattcrbox you used to be?'
"'Vox ct praeterea nihiP expressed
me in those days. Now Socks ct
praeterea nihil would be more like
it., cried Mrs. Fenton, gayly, with a
flourish of her darning needle at the
work basket. And as for vanity !!
Bless my heart! / should like to
know when / have had time to be
vain |"
Il am afraid you are getting lit
tie careless, my dear" her husband
observed, congratulating himself on
having so easily led up to the discus
sion he wanted. Sometimes it has
struck me that you were almost un-
tidy, and that's q sad mistake for q
woman. II she has the air of being
well groomed she possesses a very
great charm"
Mr.. Fenton wore prodigious whisk-
ers. Dundreary like, and they hid a
blush which rose to his face at the
consciousness that he was quoting
the newspaper article verbatim ct
literatim. But his wife had no such
protection, and the rich color died
her very brow. To be called untidy
is cruel stab from ones better half,
but she restrained the indignation on
her lips and tried to ask quite
calmly:
Whom should you call particu-
larly well groomed woman, now? OF
course, I suppose there are three hun
dred and ninety-nine of them in the
four hundred, but among our neigh
bors? 1t would help me to find q
model, you know"
There had been moments in their
welded career when Mr. Fenton had
felt that the workings of a feminine
intellect were quite beyond him, and
this was another of them. At what
was Mary driving? 1t was impossible
to suspect her OF jealousy, for from
that faint her sweet nature was alb
solutely free. So, rather in the
dark, he replied, helplessly:
"Um-ah. Well. Mrs. Van Du-
sen, now. She always seems to me
what you would term well groomed-
fine figure of q woman and dresses
mighty WE'LL
MRS. Van Dusen spends 81 900 q
year for dress where spend. per-
haps, $3.50. She buys her figure
from an expensive corset maker, but
it is useless to mention that to a
man. She has no children, three
servants, and nothing to think of but
fixing herself up. ] am mot COM
planning, James, dear. You remem-
Der you brought up the subject your
self, but when you compare me with
Robert Van Dusen's wife you should
consider the difference in our circum-
stances. / have many, many cares
and my days are full to the brim."
The rough head bent over the hole
which was being filled with careful
lattice work OF black yarn, and the
needle went in and out steadily. II
the members eyes were dim nobody
noticed it.
But it takes very little time to
keep ones self in neatness and order.
Just hear this, now, my dear. A
very good article, very sensible, too. "
The eloquence of Cicero, the
rounded periods Of Junius would
not have moved Mary Fenton at that
moment. 1t took all her wits to keep
down the bitterness in her heart.
Without waiting for encouragement,
her husband read on:
THE woman who has an air OF be-
ing well groomed has very great
charm for all men, He skipped this
sentence. Why expose the writer to
charge OF plagiarism?l Really,
ladies, you should at least try the
experiment, and may well devote q
little time each day to the cultiva-
ton OF exquisite personal detail ut
the expense of some your more
frivolous amusements. First, do not
rise too early. Breakfast in bed on
cup of coffee, roll, perhaps a little
fruit. and plan your toilets for the
day
Ip went Mary's eyebrows and a
sarcastic smile played about her
mouth. Three children to send to
school at 8 o'clock and breakfast to
get before that! CHANGING up Mr..
Fenton caught the smile.
Naturally" he interrupted him.
self, every woman cannot follow
this plan exactly. but the general out
line is good. You'll see."
A n