The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-16
A WOMAN OF METTLE.
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
CHAPTER L.
copyrighted, 1sos, by Mrs. Arthur staunnrd.

think that without exception my wife
Is the sweetest tempered woman have
ever known in the whole of my life. Her
self, she does MOI agree with me.
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
badly for all the other women you know
anu have known. l have very little to try
me-a good husband, a comfortable in
come, pleasant position in life which
does not take TOO much living up to. no
children the best of servants, good health
am a cheerful disposition. 1 have really
little or nothing to Try me I can't help
being good-tempered and enjoying myself
as I go along. 1 should be a perfect little
beast if I were anything else, But If 1
were tried, Joe-if 1 were tried! Why. 1
believe If 1 were once TO let myself go,
Northtowers itself wouldn't hold me"
She looked such dainty little fairy,
with her blue dancing eyes her fair feath-
cry hair. her mischievous dimples and slim
little figure, that I laughed outright at
her imaginery picture of herself as she
would be if possessed by a tempest OF rage
and uncontrolled fury.
"Rosey, my dear, II said, quizzcally, Il
am delighted TO find that since you are
such volcano of tempestous emotions-I
think emotions is the proper word TO use
under the circumstances-you are suffi-
GENTLY strong-willed to keep them in such
excellent check. We have been married
over six years now, and you are, going
in 25, as the people say hereabouts, and
have never yet seen any signs of your
letting yourself 60 and never suspected
even the existence Of"
At that point she slipped her hand UNI
der my arm, for we were walking home
through the Cathedral Close. and said:
Joe. you are an old silly, really you are.
You know you would not like 1t a bit If
1 were like a pat of butter, and any
body could put what print they liked upon
me-"
1t was so absolutely true that 1 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
continued to think of her as the sweet
est woman l had ever known.
One occasion, however, remains on re-
cord when my wife did let herself go, and
showed herself to be the woman of met
tie, Of very decided mettle indeed; but this
happened some little time after the after
noon when she and had walked across
the Close together. l had not settled the
whole question of her temper and dispo-
sition.
AT that time of day 1 was second in SEN
iority of the Minor Canons of North
towers Cathedral, having been appointed
to that easy and pleasant position just
seven years before. 1 had only been
'priested' a few months before obtain
ing the appointment, go that my voice
was not showing the very smallest signs
of wear and tear. The work of a Minor
Canon depends entirely on his voice. l
mean In this way If mis- lungs are sound,
his throat in good condition and his voice
and ear correct, the work cannot be call
ed work-it is neither more nor less than
childs play. My lungs and throat and
voice and ear were all alike In simply
perfect condition, so that l never felt the
Cathedral work any trouble to me, and
so far l had not begun to think longingly
of some quiet country parsonage as a ma
ven of refuge, for which l should be glad
to exchange the daily grind of my work
as a Minor Canon of Northtowers Cathe-
oral.
Well, II Mapped one day that 1 was sit-
ting alone in my study, enjoying the pipe
to which / always treated myself inn
mediately after evensong, when Rosey
came in like a miniature whirlwind ex-
claiming, Joe. I'm very angry-Im very
angry, indeedw
"Eh2" said l. why, what has happened
to put you out like this?"
''Oh. am put out she rejoined, fun
ing about and fussng up and down in
manner wholly unlike herself. Joe, what
do you think?"
Nay, my dear, how can I tell? What
As it?" / stretched out an arm and caught
her as she passed, bringing her to
standstill. 1 felt as soon as touched her
that she was shaking all over with ex-
element and l got out of my chair at
once, for up to that moment I had not
felt that she had meant me TO take her
seriously.
why, my darling I exclaimed. what
has happened? You were not at the SER
vice. 1 wondered where you We're, for
YOU had not told me you were going any
where else"
"I didn't mean to go anywhere else"
she SAID in a shaking voice. "At least
meant to be in time, and-and-Oh, Joe,
1 don't really know how to tell you"
''To tell me what?"
She turned her head from side to side
ike an amman Trying 10 nllu a way Oh
escape. Then she suddenly dropped for
ward against me and burst into a food of
violent weeping. In all the years we had
been married had never seen her in such
state Of agitation. 1 held her close to
me, trying to soothe her. 'Rosey Rosey,
my darling, what is 1t? What has hap
pened?' cried, almost beside myself with
distress and dismay.
For some minutes she sobbed on unre-
STRANGELY, and l could elicit nothing 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
flow, not were it ever so.
''It was nothing much TO make such
fuss about, joe" she said, with a curious
little culver of ashamedness in her voice
81 had got rather worked up-Im a fool.
Joe. I've frightened you nearly out of
your wits"
VERY nearly, though that doesn't mat
ter" I returned. But what happened to
work you up?"
For minute or two she did not speak;
then she stretched out hand TO me. Joe,
dear old boy" she said imploringly, win
you trust me for a little while? You can