Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-10-31
DEATH STOPPED THEIR
QUARREL.

other until death-and now we were
quarrellng in the most disgraeefui
manner.
81 must have been insane when I
married you." said my wife furi-
ously.
ut was a crazy thing to do" I as
scented sarcastically. trash indeed"
For you or for me-" she demanded
with flaming cheeks.
For both Of us: had I imagined l
should have assisted at such per-
Torrance as this"-and l waved my
hands CONTEMPORARY, as though
words We're too feeble to express my
feelings.
"You began It," she said breathlessly.
''it was all your unreasoning Jealousy.
"JealousyY' l interrupted with In
creasing sarcasm.
''Yes; you know you were angry be-
cause Stephen sent the flowers"
stephen can send you whole con-
servatory II he likes" retorted with
assumed indifference. nevertheless
ioathed Stephen, my wife's cousin, and
hated nothing so much as the lavish
attention OF this kind that he persisted
In extending to her. IF you let him
know that you are 30 fond OF orchids,
went ON cruelty. mo doubt he will
keep you well supplied with them"
Il don't hint for things" she said
scornfully, but recklessly, saying the
thing she knew would hurt me the
most. IF / really wanted anything
badly, there Is no one l would sooner
ask than Stephen"
"Stopr' I said furiously, ~ win not
hear any more. Stephen is. know, a
paragon Of excellence. Well, since l
am acquainted with the fact, let 1t
rest l do not like Stephen, l do not
admire Stephen, do not respect
| Stephen. Since we have entirely oppo-
site views about Stephen. we will not
discuss him at all Understand. | do
not wish to hear his name"
"Your are a heartless, despotic
| fiend," said Elaine. beside herself with
| rage.
1T must have been kindred resem-
blance that made me fancy you l re-
| piled with cruelty did not know
/ possessed.
81 wish that had died before met
you." she exclaimed. looking at me
with her pretty young face absolutely
| TRANSPORTED with passion.
| "No doubt death would have been
| preferable" returned. but involunta.
rily / put my hand to my mouth, for
could feel my lips turning white.
Elaine flung herself upon the lounge
weeping bitterly.
1t was horrible to see her In such
state, and yet, all that she said was
true. 1t was my jealousy, whether I'M
| reasoning or not, that was the cause
Of our quarrel
Stephen was. twenty years older
than Eelaine, he was, In fact, her guar
dian, as well as her cousin. 1t was
Stephen who had been consulted when
had proposed for Elaine, and II was
Stephen who had been instructed by
her mother to make the necessary ar
rangements I'm regard to the disposi-
tion of Elaine's fortune previous to our
marriage.
1t was, no doubt, this proprietary in
terest that Stephen felt for Elaine that
irritated me. 1 wished to do every
thing for her, but IL was not In my
power TO give her the luxuries he could
so easily bestow. Then had an idea,
whether true or not, that Stephen re-
garded me as fortune hunter, and
resented an injustice / could feel, but
which, not being openly declared,
could not refute.
We had quarreled before about
Stephen, and of course we would quar-
rel again. AS long as the conditions
remained as they were 1t was newt
able that we would quarrel.
'Despot," was the word Elaine al
ways hurled at me when we had
words about Stephen. There are some
|
piled to me. "Despot" is one OF these
words; ''fiend" l do not mind at all,
but ''despot" is maddenlng.
With affected unconcern took I'D a
book that was lying near--it was n
cook book, quite new. One page was
brown with the stains Of coffee, an
eloquent and enduring sign of the
struggle Elaine and I had had one
morning connecting the matutinal
beverage when our cook had failed to
make her appearance.
I'm order to make good coffee" I
read, "the greatest care must be ex-
ercised In order to make good cof.
fee. the greatest care must he exer-
ci3ed In order to make good coffee"
l read this over dozen times at
least before il conveyed the slightest
meaning to my mind.
Elaine would rather be dead than
living with me? Ny Godl Was / so
detestable.
All, those sobs.
Nothing Is more frlghtful than 10
hear woman one loves weeping bit.
terly and to be unable to console her
Yes, I was brutal, and cr;ieI. and All
the rest OF it; still resented the anger
had caused; resented her tears.
And IL was just four months ago
We were married on the sixteenth OF
the month; to-day was the sixteenth
The church, the flowers, the deep tones
OF the organ. our young companions
standing about us. the immense com
. pany assembled, the thrilling sonorous
voice Of the white-robed priest: "Wilt
thou have this woman to be thy
welded wife,?
These sacred sounds and emotions
, rushed in a fantastic whIri through my
mind as | sat pretending to read the
cook book. / saw Elaine as she looked
! then, verified likeness Of dream, the
contamination OF all imagined ideali
ties, and nowi Four months ago. II
was four thousand years!