Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-08-03
WOMAN'S FORGETFULNESS.

again, / would not marry"
The only person who could possibly
find pleasure in those words would be
a sour old maid, crusty old bachelor,
or the individual who uttered them.
! was neither the one nor the other.
The one person who could find the
least pleasure in them was the individ-
ual who was married to the person
uttering them.
/ was that individual.
My wife was the speaker.
my love-" / said gently, as was my
wont on occasions of domestic dis
turbance, 81 think you don't really
mean that"
What you think and what I know
are entirely different matters" she re-
sponded, as ! observed a small hectic
spot on the end of her nose, a femi-
nine storm signal to be needed.
Granted my love" / bowed, but
you shouldn't tell everything you
know"
That isn't everything" and there
was a knife edge in the short, hard
laugh which followed it.
This was not the first time my wife
had sought to kindle the fires of jeal-
ousy in her husbands bosom. Nor
was it the first time she had failed.
One can't exactly explain why, but it
is well-known fact that both parties
TO marriage cannot be jealous In
this instance my wife's husband was
not the jealous one.
MY darling" l smiled, "the COM
prehensiveness of your knowledge sur
prises and delights me. At the same
time / must still contend that when
you say what you said few moments
ago you do not really mean it,"
The small hectic spot flashed out
and lighted up my wife's face.
Il think l know what | am talking
about" she said with firt of the
handsome silk skirt had given to her
only three days ago.
What you think and what I know
are entirely different matters" | re-
piled, following the original as nearly
l could
She had evidently heard the words
before, and their force compelled her
to silence
Consider moment what you have
said,' l continued, land you will, as
sensible woman, see that your hus-
band, as usual, is right"
Il don't see why woman's
husband is the only one of them
who should always be right" she
snapped and the hectic spot again
flashed out across the gulf between us.
l had not come prepared to argue
any difficult propositions of that ma
ture, and at once began to sheer off
into safer waters.
That is merely begging the ques-
, ton" / said with an air of superiority
which had acquired from some years
of practice as a husband. What you
said was that if you had It to do over
again you wouldn't marry
And l wouldn't" she replied with
renewed vigor; Il tell you wouldn't.
| "A woman doesn't know what she is
getting into, and when she has discov-
cred she can't get out of it,"
But you seem to forget one thing.
my love-" | said soothingly. for |
wouldn't have hurt my wife's feelings
for all the world.
Forget? Forget?" she answered in
a tone which was of anger rather than
of bitterness, l was glad to observe.
How can / forget?'
81 don't really see myself" | smiled
but you have"
Il have forgotten nothing" and she
| pinched our large tomcat's tail SO mali
ciously that the old gent arose with
hurried dignity and walked out of the
| room.
But you have, my dear insisted.
You have entirely forgotten that YOU
were widow when married YOU"
Whereupon with toss of her shape
| ly and pretty head, my wife arose and
went out after the cat, leaving her
husband quite alone-and sad.-New
| York Sun.