The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-19
NOT UNUSUAL.

care you going out tonight, Phil'"
eyes"
"And you will be late coming in, sup.
poser
"A wise supposition, that! Yes, shall
be rather late What do you want b
know fory''
Phil Greville glanced across the Dime,
table at his young wife somewhat curl.
ously, and she, meeting his gaze, shrugged
her shoulders without answering his ques
tion.
"You needn't sit up for me-" her hus.
band remarked careiessly
''Thank you. I suppose I can please
myselfs'
"You generally do that, and you know
we'll enough that never lay down any
special laws for you.
She looked at him, with . little smile
ourving her lips.
And were you to do 90, do you think l
should obey themf' she asked.
my dear child, have never given the
subject thought"
"But do your she persisted.
Don't botheri''
"How very like man to avoid answer
Ing question by saying don't botherl' T"
she returned. laughing.
-"And how exceedingly like woman to
plague one with senseless questionsr'
"You called me child just now," his
wife remarked, rising from her chair and
reaching across the table for box of Gig.
arettes.
May ask what you are going to do
nowY' Greville asked.
"You may ask certainly, but can please
myself about answering" she said and
proceeded to light cigarette with her
back turned toward him.
Excuse my smoking before you've fin
ished your dessert" she said as she blew
Whit Of smoke from between her red
lips and turned and faced him.
He looked at her with u puzzled express
sion i'm his eyes.
''Sinco when have you learned that very
charming accomplishments" be inquired
sarcastically.
She drew her pretty brows together per.
plexedly.
"I'm really sorry can't tell you, but
I've forgotten how long ago it L."
He gave short laugh and watched her
as she dsintily fiicked the ash off her Gig
are1tc, and he wondered why it did not
anger him to see her smoke, since usually
he abhorred to see woman do 40.
1t struck him also that had she done the
same thing few months before it would
have called down upon her head his wrath
full Indignation, but now he felt totally
Indifferent as to what she might choose to
do. 1t mattercd to him less than nothing,
since he was utterly and indescribably
tired Of her.
ii. T.
PHILIP his wife inquired, watching his
face koenly. 1t can't really matter much
what / do--at least 10 you.
"What sensible remarkr'
"The truth is often that" She threw
the cigarette into the fire and turned and
looked at his handsome face half wistfully
"What pity it is we ever got married ="
she cried, with little break in her voice
"What an awful, awful pltyp Then she
rnn quickly out of the room in an exceed
ingly undignilled manner
Phil Grcville looked rather astonished.
II wonder II she meant it?" he solilo-
quized
"She said il as though she did. And
how jolly pretty she looked smoking that
cigarette! wonder why she did it9 II
she thought it would annoy me she was
mistaken. All the same, hate to see any
woman smoke--it's vulgar and low,
though I'm hanged il she didn't make the
thing look downright well. bet Jim
Taunton would think so. Poor fool! He's
desperately In love with her. What a
thousand pit!cs he didn't marry her!
believe wish he had. Still, IL she wasn't
so confo1ndedly soft hearted she wouldn't
be half had, and she's uncommonly pretty
St times. Jim Taunton told me he thought
she looked ILL., but, then, he's SO far gone
that there's no accounting for what he
docs or says. Poor devil 1t must be
rather hard lines being In love with an
other mans wife--not that IL matters
much nowadays, for 1t seems u fashiona-
bio complaint" Here his reflections
ceased, and no rose and left the room.
The sound Of his wife's voice, singing
an old fashioned song, reached him as bo
crossed the hall, and he paused for few
seconds at tho drawing room door and lis
tened.
He hardly knew what prompted him 20
inter the room, but when the slender,
white Rowned figure at the piano turpcd
found he was standing by the fire, looking
down mt the glowing emhers. and his
wife's face flushed with pleasure rs she
camo toward him.
1t was something new for him to join
her nfter dinner, and her hcart gave glad
leap, and hops seemed born within her
afrcsh.
As she crossed the long room, with the
soft subducd light Of candles shining on
her fair face and dusky hair, she made
picture beautiful enough 10 gladden. any
mans heart, but the time had gono by
when her beauty had held Phil Grcville
pellbound and fascinated him as no other
woman's loveliness had power TO do. He
looked at her now with even pulses and
mol, critical sycs and rather wondered
why he had been % mad about her. After
al she was not any better looking than
iozens of other women, he argued, and
yet how Jim Taunton raved about heri
But, then, Jim was In love with her. and
se-w well, he was not. A compla-
,cnt smile stole over bis face as he pom
iercd thus, for he knew how utterly and
Rbollv bo ~ugvshts.x<l him Uslxw xwsa aIco-