The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-07-30
HIS WIFE'S CHUM.

itJR W IL II ~ VII u W.
lie had been married year and still
found that marital happiness was really
a tangible thing, not the fanciful yafUr-
ings Of poetic enthusiasts. lie was able
to crumble In the dust the highest and
strongest arguments brought forward
by cynical bachelors that marriage Is
failure. But yet, with all his devo-
ton, he was able to appreciate "A pref
ty woman. lie kept this appreciation
TO himself In a years time he had
learned many valuable truths of whose
existence he had not even dreamed be-
fore. One OF these was that IL was far
better for a married man to keep some
things to himself and observe a relig-
ious silence on others. one subject
upon which he kept a religious silence
was that Of pralsing pretty women in
her he thought his wife the most beau
tiful creature which the widest
dreams Of lovers fancy could conjure
up, but after years constant assOcia-
ton wiki her he had been forced to ac-
knowledge to himself that there were
others as pretty, and at last had de-
cided that some were prettier, but that
none was better or sweeter he never
doubted.
One morning Mt breakfast, as his
wife, clad in a bewitching gown, was
pouring the coffee, the smart, white
aproned maid same in with the mail,
and amid the pile Of letters was one
upon which his wife seized eageraly and
tore open with the unconventional aid
of the butter knife.
"Oh, Jack" she said joyfully. as she
read on with a smiling face, MAUD IS
coming. You remember Maud?"
lie did not remember Maud and said
80.
"Oh, yes you do" his wife replied
"She was my chum when you came to
see me before we were married. She
used to plague us by coming in when
we wanted to be alone. Don't you re-
memberY
Jack had dim recollection of small
girl who used to make herself too CON
foundedly numerous" as Jack had
once said In a moment of eXasperation
but her face he could not call to mind.
SO he nodded and asked when she was
coming.
Tonight. she says. She does not
mention the train. There are two. you
know. | suppose she win take the
1895 from Boston, where she wants to
do some shopping. l am so glad she is
coming. We can have such fun talking
over old times and oh. lots of things"
Jack folded his napkin, got his grip
and. accompanied by his wife. walked
to the door which opens on a pretty
porch with the woodbine and the view
of the garden and the woods browning
the hill. The old familiar scene was
enacted at parting for the day, and
Jack went briskly down the path to the
road which leads to the railroad sta
ton, stopped at the gate long enough
TO look back and wave a farewell TO the
figure In the bewitchlng morning gown
which stood in the door framed by the
woodbine. He boarded the train which
took him to Boston at just the same
time every week day. Jack was a
young lawyer of considerable ability
and already had a fairly good practice
In n profession which is SO over
crowded.
Every afternoon at $50 the train
started back from the big. smoky. noisy
b and A. station. and every afternoon
ut $3.50 Jack entered the last car with
his grip and his paper. In the middle
OF the week the train was seldom
/ crowded and often Jack found himself
entirely alone for most Of the journey.
/ This happened TO be one Of the days.
and Jack stretched himself out com
fortahly and began to read the paper.
The main line pulled out In a slow and
dignifed manner. Jack saw a dash of
white fly by the window. and the next
moment a charming young woman
with dark-brown hair. laughing-brown
eyes and a iaunty blue and white shirt
waist and n red necktie stood In the
door. a vision of summer personified
She was so extremely pretty that Jack
could not help looking ut her again as
she came down the aisle. She caught
his eye, half surprised expression
flashed over her face, she paused un
certainly and then deliberately sal
down directly opposite Jack. She ar
ranged her blue skirt daintily. looked
out the window and then at Jack. who
found himself stealing 4 surreptitlou,
glance at her from the edge of the pa
per which he was pretending to read
The same little comedy was gon,
through with again. and this time sh,
smiled slightly but encouragingly. anC
Jack smiled back. Nay. do not frown
wh9f would Won have done under thu