The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-16
CHAPTER 1.

Don't say I am the sweetest-tempered
woman you ever knew. joe she said one
day in her downright positive way, for it
isn't true; and besides it speaks so very bad
" for all the other women you know and
rave known. 1 have very little to try me
q good husband, comfortable income, a
pleasant position in life which does not take
too much living up to. children. the best
Of servants good health and a cheerful dis
position. / have really little or nothing to
try me- I can't help being good-tempered
and enjoying myself as 1 go along should
be perfect little beast If 1 were anything
else. But if 1 were tried, Joe-if / were
tried! Why, 1 believe if were once to let
myself go, Northtowers itself wouldn't
hold me-.
She looked such a dainty little fairy with
her blue dancing eyes, her fair feathery
hair her mischievous dimples and slim trim
figure. that L laughed outright at her imag-
mary picture of herself as she would be if
possessed by a tempest of rage and uncon-
trolled fury.
"Rosey my dear" l said, quizzically, 81
am delighted to find that since you are
such volcano of tempestuous emotions-I
think emotion is the proper word to
under the circumstances-you are sufficient
~ strong wiled to keep them In such ex-
cellent check. We have been married over
six years now, and you are going in twen-
ty-fve, as the people say hereabouts, and
I have never yet seen any signs of your
letting yourself go and never suspected
even the existence Of
At that point she slipped her hand under
my arm, for we were walking home through
the Cathedral Close, and said
Joe. you an old silly, really you are.
Ven l-tnx -D,rI1 - I>;% 4
were like pat of butter and anybody could
put what print they liked on me-
1t was so absolutely true that / could not
help laughing outright. and so we passed
into the house and no more was said on the
subject. All the same. my opinion of Rosey
remained unchanged and 1 continued to
think of her as the sweetest woman l had
ever known.
One occasion, however remains on record
when my wife did let herself go and showed
herself to be the woman of mettle. of very
decided mettle indeed but this happened
some little time after the afternoon when
she and had walked across the Close to-
gether. / had not settled the whole ques-
tion Of her temper and disposition.
At that time Of day / was. second in
seniority of the minor canon of North
towers Cathedral, having been appointed to
1hat easy and pleasant position just seven
years before. I had only been "priested'
a few months before obtaining the appoint
ment. so that my voice was not showing
the very smallest signs of wear and tear
The work of minor canon depends entirely
on his voice. / mean in this way. If his
lungs sound. his throat in good condi-
ton, and his voice and ear correct, the
work cannot be called work-it is neither
and throat and voice and ear were all alike
in simply perfect condition, so that never
felt the cathedral work any trouble to me,
and so far / had not begun to think longing
ly of some quiet country parsonage as
haven of refuge, for which should be glad
10 exchange the daily grind of my work as
a minor canon OF Northtowers Cathedral.
Well 1t happened one day that I was sit
ting alone in my study. enjoying the pipe
TO which I always treated myself imme-
diateIy after evensong when Rosey came
in like miniature whirlwind, exclaiming
Joe, I'm very angry-I'm very angry in
deed!''
"Eh?'' said I. why. what has happened
to put you out like ths?"
''Oh. l put out" she rejoined. Tuning
about and fussing up and down in a man.
Ter wholly unlike herself. 'Joe what do
you think?''
Nay. my dear. how can I tell? What is
it?" 1 stretched out an arm and caught
her as she passed bringing her to a stand
still. l felt as soon as 1 touched her that
she shaking all over with excitement
and l got out of my chair at once, for up
10 that moment had not felt that she had
meant me to take her seriously.
why. my darling" 1 exclaimed, what
has happened? You were not at the serv-
Ice. l wondered where you were, for you
had not told me you We're going anywhere
else
Il didn't mean to go anywhere else" she
said in shaking voice. AT least meant
to be in time, and-and-oh. Joe, don't
really know how to tell you"
ITO tell me what?"
She turned her head from side to side like
an animal trying to find a way of escape
Then she suddenly dropped forward against
me and burst into a flood of violent Weep
ing. In all the years we had been married
] had never seen her in such a state of agi-
tation. l held her close to me- trying to
soothe her ''Rosey, Rosey. my darling,
what is it? What has happened?" 1 cried,
almost beside myself with distress and dis
may.
For some minutes she sobbed on unre-
idiiSuly. anu L cOuIu eNcll nOlnlHS from
her Then she withdrew herself from the
clasp of my arms and began resolutely to
dry her eyes as if not another tear should
How. not we're it ever so.
1t was nothing much to make such a
fuss about, joe she said. with curious
little culver of ashamedness in her voice
Il had got rather worked up-Tm a fool
Joe I've frightened you nearly out of
your wits.
Very nearly, though that doesn't mat
ter" 1 returned But what happened to
work you up?"
For a minute or two she did not speak;
then she stretched out a hand to me- Joe
dear old boy" she said imploringly, will
you trust me for a little while? You can
trust me, Joe, cannot you?"
With my very life.'' returned promptly.
You have trusted me with that already.''
she said, with a queer little break in her
voice Joe. I'm a wild, harum-scarum
creature nobody knows what shall be up
TO next but my hearts in the right place.
You may trust me-that 1 promise you
asked no further questions, sought no
promises. but left her to use her own dis
erection in the matter which had been trou-