The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-25
Tragedy or Comedy?

mean, lnceSSant ledlouSy-Inal SruUgSe
him even his literary fame. Agatha AR,
buthnot was one OF those little, pale blue
/ eyed women, with a spiteful tongue am
a narrow heart, who have ruined the CO.
reer of many a sensitive man. She hated
/ TO hear her husban's praises sounded II
I her ears.
/ One afternoon Agatha was slanging Ar.
Z buthnot because some women, VINO nae
happened 10 call the day before, had gush.
ed, and told her how fortunate she va:
( to be the wife of such a rising genius
/ Her face was crimson with anger. and he'll
/ voice was very shrilI as she mimicked hel
/ callers
! Dear Mrs Arbuthnot, How proud you
must he of your clever husband He:
quite geniUsi How L envy you living
with the man who can write such ex.
quisite stories!'
| Then she stamped her foot, and turned
| saVagely on Arbuthnot.
Clever. Exquisite. A genius! I never
saw any genius in your silly tales. Beast
! " rot, l call them.
And then Arbuthnot did the most sen.
sioie thing possible He walked out of the
dining-room and locked himself up in hi:
study.
"A man must dree his own weird" Ar
the bureau and looked at the sheets OF
paper Uttered over his desk. I'm not the
/ only fool who's found marriage failure
and, after all, I've got a brain as well
as heart. I'll give myself up to work
and waste no time in morbid self-pity."
From that day Arbuthnot progressed
swiftly through the book that was to
make his name. This was TO be his mas
terpiece, wherein ne would show his best
of brain and heart! and. as the weeks
rolled on and the novel neared its end
Arbuthnot realized his work was good
and in that knowledge could afford to
live, and did live, without love and sym
pathy.
Agathy's conduct grew daily more
shrewish and violent.
so, you've taken to locking yourself
up in your sulking-room," she cried one
day when Arbuthnot had perforce been
compelled to answer her heavy banging
on his study door. IT'S a nice thing when
a husband comes to lock himself up from
his wife. 1 suppose my society's not good
enough for such a clever man as you"
Il wanted to finish some work. he said
calmly, looking at the floor. Uttered with
loose sheets of paper. And this room is
hardly nit for a lady's society. You see
l have scarcely chair that is unoccupied
with books"
Yes, it's a horrible hole said Agatha
curtly, but you men who write are more
like pigs than human beings. Just look
at the dust on that desk; it's shameful
And Sarah says you won't let her touch
your papers. I'm ashamed of having such
dirty hole in my house; I'll come and
dust it myself tomorrow"
Il must ask you not to touch the pa
pers on my desk he said hastily Il
allow Sarah to brush and dust everything
in the room but my desk, and that 1 at
tend to myself
"Of course, you fly at my throat when
1 offer to do anything for you, said
Agatha, angriy, letting her hand fall on
the desk and crumpling several of the
loose sheets together. II can't speak 20
you but what l do wrong. That comes
of marrying genius! You're enough to
make any woman want to drown her
self"
Il beg your pardon if 1 spoke hastily
the sheets of paper which Agatha was
fast crumpling into balls; but I've nearly
finished my book, and these sheets of
paper are rather valuable
And this book is 10 make you famous?''
she asked, with bitter contempt. Il sup
pose when it's published everyone will
come and envy me because I'm the wife
of the genius. George Arbuthnot."
Il don't know about that" ne said.
good-temperedly, but it's the best work
I've done yet. And if it's successful,
agatha. 1 shall be able to buy you that
diamond bangle you coveted the other
day"
But even the reference to the diamond
bangle failed TO move Agatha.
How long will it take you to finish it,
she asked, slowly, looking down at the
untidy desk.
Il hope to finish it by next week" said
Arbuthnot. triumphanty.
1t was one cold afternoon. ten days
later, that Arbuthnot stood on his door
step in the act of inserting his latch-key,
smiling at some pleasing "reminiscences OF
his recent talk with his publisher.
Suddenly wild, terrified cry broke from
the house, followed by scream after
scream. reiterated with such intensity of
anguish that Arbuthnot himself caught
the infection OF terror and fumbled with
trembling hands at the latch-key.
At last he managed TO open the door
and run into the hall. A fearful sight
met his eye. From his study door flew
something-an object enveloped in with
ing flames, and from Il there came pierre
ing. agoniZed shrieks
Cod! II was Agatha, Mad with tor
ture, the flaming figure rushed toward
him and threw out its arms IN agony.
Arbuthnot caught it in a tight embrace,
and with all his strength hurled himself
and the shrieking figure on 10 the car
peted floor and rolled over and over until
al last the flames were beaten out and
ne knew the fire was conquered.
Three hours after the doctor came softly
downstairs. He had used all his skill TO
bring life hack to the disdgured body tha,
now lay motionless on the bed. 1t was
all in vain. Agatha's injuries were beyond
all help. and she had lived only three
hours after Arbuthnot had carried her up
stairs
Her husband had never left her side
and. though badly burnt about the hands
and face, had scarcely realized his own
injuries AS he looked at that cruelty
disfigured face. now swathed and hidden
in bandages. a rush Of tears blinded his
eyes. and he knew that all past differ
ences were swept away. and that Agatha
would live henceforth in MS memory only
as the woman whom he had once loved
with all his heart. Before life f.ckeTsd
out in that suffering body Agatha opened
her eyes once and met her husband g4E
fixed with intense pity and love upon her
face To Arbuthnot il seemed that she
pleaded dumbly for forgiveness. but even
as he looked the Ids closed again. and in
q few moments Agatha's spirit had slip
ped into the great silence
When all was over. A-buthnot stopped
and kissed the pale cold lips
Later in the evening ne went down
stairs to his study. As he entered the
room a shudder ran through rs body.
He remem beFed the figure o. fame TIA,
had lsaped into his arms 5ut a few hours