The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-04
A JEALOUS WIFE.

"Out every night until 3, and you bc
licve him when he says 1t Is businessP
said Mrs. Merkle, pursuing up her lips
"Ah, well, you are an Innocent lamb,
Doris Moore"
"But, Aunt Sarnh, why shouldn't be.
lieve what my husband says when he al
ways tells the TRUTH" said young Mrs.
Moore Indignantly.
because no 10 man." said Mrs. Mer'
kle, nodding her head. "I've had three
husbands Thompson was the first He
was good provider, but he provided for
two, and / got divorce and alimony.
Then married MAXWELL oaught him
kissing hired help and began my investi,
CATION. The Same old story. However,
he died, and that ended 1t. As for Merklo,
I have my thumb on him, but got 10 by
searching his pockets. Men are such idiots
they leave their love letters anywhere.
When I'd collected a pack, read them
aloud to him one evening. He stays home
now after Office hours, unless he goes out
with me, and he don't writo anything but
business letters. He Is old, you know,
and deacon wants TO keep up q reputa
tion for respectability. But your young
husband-what would he care II people
talked about himS Oh, there is woman
at the bottom of this O'Clock business,
III warrant you."
"Why, Aunt Sarah, how dare your
cried Doris, stamping her foot.
"Rummage your husbands coat pock
cts and you'll find I'm right" said Mrs.
Merkle. "And unless you want divorce,
which don't advise when q man is only
on salary, show him what you find, make
q scene and end It early"
"Why, you talk as II you knew some
thing about Owen, Aunt Sarah" said
Doris.
II know he's man." said Mrs. Merkle.
"Hullop' cried a voice at tho door,
which opened at this moment. Here ie
Aunt Sarah, talking against men as usual.
What has poor Merkle done nowP ]
thought he had sowed his wild oats"
"Look out for your own crop, Owen
Moore" replied Mrs. Merkle.
81 don't set up for a saint and never
did," cried Owen. "Give me kiss, Doris
I'm as hungry as hunter, and / must
eat and run. It's all night again, Doris.
Well. SO much more In the savings bank,
and indeed we've no reason to be sorry"
II miss you very much, Owen" said
Doris, as she brought hot dish from the
oven and set the chairs at the table. "I'm
as lonesome without you as kitten with.
out its mother"
II keep thinking of you, too," said
Owen. "Oh, indeed, don't like it bit,
but / say dollar put by for a rainy day
may keep us from the heartache.
He ate his supper in a hurry, laughing
and talking the while; then kissed his
wife,. shook hands with her aunt and took
up his hat again. Out on the stairs he
paused a moment. Aunt Sarahs shrill
voice was lifted once more.
"Don't sec how honest he is, she was
repeating. "All very well, Doris, but look
in his coat pockets all the same-look in
his coat pockets
"Old cat! She's at it again." said
Owen, who heard; but, like the good ma
tured man that he was, he only laughed
as he ran down stairs. "The devil will fly
away with old Aunt Sarah one of these
days, but she can't make my Dory believe
any i'll of me, that's one comfort"
Meanwhile, Mrs. Merkle had gone home
to nag her unfortunate spouse, and Doris
sat before her own fire with her feet on the
hearth and thought over all she had heard.
Aunt Sarah was very unpleasant per.
son, who always made trouble wherever
she went, but she had the reputation for
being very sensible, which such people are
more apt to gain than cheerful, amiable
folk, and what she said she really believed,
for she had no good thoughts of q man OF
woman. But Doris was very much In
love with Owen, and jealousy is always
close at hand where love Is strong.
In vain Doris tried to convince herself
that Owen was too much In love with hel
to think Of any one else. The little seed
of suspicion had been planted, and 1t grew
like Jacks beanstalk.
It was lonely there in the little upper
fat ut night, and Doris had been used tc
large family circle before she left heI
country home to share Owens fortunes ir
the city.
After awhile she found herself crying
she hardly Knew why-feeliDg not only
lonely, but neglected and injured.
"Owen ought not to have left me, ever
for business" sho said. He used to come
every night when he was courting, though
1t was an hours journey by rail eacf
way"
And from this she went on to askine
herself II IL were possible that Aunt Saral
could be right. New York was such q
wicked place. There were such bold, au
dacious women to be met with. Over
was 20 handsome. Oh, could Aunt Saraf
have any grounds for her suspicionsi
Owen, waking early one morning
caught his wife turning his pockets out
reading the bits Of paper she found there
A note from his cousin John, who had dc
sired to borrow e5; q typewrittcn circular
recommending Stump's restaurant, O let
Ter from bis mother telling him Of the do
ings at home
Nothing but what she had seen before
And owen, whose conscience was az clea
~ mans could be, was not In the leas
alarmed
Doris might read all the letters nc eve
received, all he ever had received, for th
matter of that But no did not like b
think that she would watch and spy upol
him, that an old woman's prattle coul,
make her suspicious of him.
He had heard the advice that Mrs. Mcr
kle gave his wife ~ he stood outside th
door Of his little dining room, and no wa
very sorry that bis Doris should take 1
and search his pocketA
He had good mind TO speak out frank
~, to tell his wife what he had heard an,