The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-09-15

court ~ she said magnificently.
In that you show your wisdom, = re-
piled my wife. Arbuscula looked at her
again, with something approaching re-
spect, but there was a sparkle beneath
the eyelids.
"Come, what will you give to pre-
vent it?'' she asked
Nothing, responded Edith quietly
'He would be of different opinionp'
observed AI'buscula.
Hardly, -" said my wife. ''He is not
fool
"You are the first woman who ever
said that Of him, retorted Arbuscula.
II do not doubt it, replied my wife,
with much significance, and the other
Redeemed slightly. under the guard, "
thought l.
''Au women are the same to him."
continued Arbuscula, recovering herself.
"What is the difference between you
and me? A wedding ring
"And all it symbolizes, - rejoined my
wife softly.
''That's n house on a fifth rate ter
Of ye, and the lady next door cuts off
the water when she has had few words
with you over the hedge-l know itF'
sseered the other.
"Oh, it symbolizes more, said Edith
but her tone was weaker. The thrust
had gone home, for the study of hydro
statics had been forced upon us of late.
"And what is that, pray?'' demanded
Arbuscula insolently.
''To explain would be to insult your
intelligence-an yourself" replied
Edith "Beat in carte, lunge in tierce!"
thought /.
"Oh, am not thin skinned!' laugh
ed Arbuscula.
II made allowance, rejoined my
wife.
Arbuscula's lips became thin line
Of scarlet. Then they parted, and she
smiled. I knew that she had always pos
sessed most unfeminine sense of hui
NOR, but I was not prepared for its as
sertion at this supreme moment. The
two women stood looking at each other
across the table. Arbuscula's dazzling
smile lighting her face, my wife's pale,
yet never so beautiful, thought, though
now, enlightened by the contrast, l
noted the lines of anxiety which had
been creeping there during the past
months, and violet shadows under the
sweet eyes. The other gathered up the
letters aud began to shuttle them as one
would pack of cards.
"You are dying to read themp' she
said.
My wife's voice said, ono" Her
face was not SO explicit
Here s one-it's poetry, +" continued
Arbuscula 1T was written for stays
invented, the Arbuscula busk-you
might have heard of it?''
"No, it must have been before my
time, +" said Edith innocently.
Possibly you came rather late in the
day. retorted the other.
But came to stay, answered my
wife.
Arbuscula laughed. Edith put her
hand upon the bell.
"You surely will not compel me?''
she said. II have been very patient -
you'll want all the patience you
have III the good time coming, " rejoin-
ed the other
"And you, what will your future be
without patience?' asked Edith
Ny future can take care of itself, +"
cried Arbuscula, laughing laugh short
as~the snap of breaking sword blade.
''I'm a woman with past, the sort
morality humbugs chatter about, but if
had future like you by - I'D try
to get something better than the butt
end of roue.''
"Using the hilt, thought /.
My wife laughed gayly now. You
know the old adage, she said, ''the
best husband is reformed rake Men IS
follies often serve as beacons to guide
them past the other shoals ard shall
lows Of life. Experience enables them
to appreciate things-it is good light
for man.. :"
"And a useless one for woman, !"
answered Arbuscula, with a sudden
change of tone. cts like the poop light
which shows the foam upon the reef
that has just torn the poor ships. side
out-much good, when the masts are
going by the board
She gathered the letters together.
Whatever had been her purpose in COM
ing, could see her grasp upon it was
gone. Catching at that moment the re-
| Election of my own face in a mirror op-
posite, was SO i'll pleased by the sight
that stole down stairs, hearing another
hacking laugh and the tinkle of q bell
as went.
returned to the garden and COM
menced to patiently dig up the border.
Presently Edith came out also with an
armful of plants she began to sort, sing
l S1e1 I oIl, A1oo
| while.
went over to her. IT got those car
nations up, 1 said, 'but for the life OF
me can't say which is which,
She ran to the border. "Ah, you took
far too much trouble, DEAR she said
softly. land after all your labor too
I'm SO sorry" She pressed my arm,
and the touch covered more than the
words
'But the line was not straight, y
answered, averting my eyes.
"We'll draw straighter one now,
you and l." she Whispered.
/ passed my arm around her waist
and kissed her. She put both hersown
around my neck.
"My wife!' said |.
"You old goose, " she whispered, bit
ing my ear, 81 saw you all the timel''
Black and White.
Jade.
Jade, the Chinese symbol of the soul,
is one of the most interesting minerals
in the world. 1t is possessed of peculiar
interest to the mineralogist because OF
its unique mineral properties. to the
chemist because of dispute as to its
elementary composition, to the ethnolo-
gist because Of its peculiar uses, to the
arch@ologist because of it's strange as
sociations with early history, to the
poet because of it's symbolic character
| in literature and to the PHILOSOPHER be-