The Topeka state journal., 1899-01-23
MIR. MALONEY'S BUGBEAR.
TFrom the Chicago News-1

CFrom the Chicago News-]
There was only one man in the whole
world of whom Mr.. Maloney was jeal-
GUS His name was NcGanerty, and
Maloney's wife in speaking OF hIIn
called him Dennis. Mr.. Maloney knew
his wife was all a wife should be, and
that she loved him deVotedly, but when
she talked about Dennis" with half
sigh and tender smile. he had an intense
desire to get at the throat of this same
Dennis, whom he had never seen, and
choke the life out of him.
When Mrs. Maloney, then pretty Rose
Garrity was about IL, Dennis McGaf-
ferty had been very devoted to her. He
was her first ''grown-up'' beau, and
seemed very fine and fascinating to her
Their little love affair ran the length
of the summer and then Dennis went
to live in the city, and that was the
end of it. Two years later Mr.. Maloney
stepped in and won the heart and hand
of the blooming Rosie and there had
been no clouds to darken their matri-
monial horizon except these illusions
to Dennis McGafferty.
Dennis used to say no carriage was
fine enough for me-" Mrs Maloney
sometimes said, when waiting with her
husband for the plebeian street cars, or
Dennis said 1 ought to have the cost
Iest jewels in the land" when standing
in front of the jewelers. tempting win
doWs. On such occasions the suffering
worm would turn.
why didn't he give 'em to yez?" he
would ask fiercely in the rich brosue
which his wife made fun of, but really
enjoyed-his voice was so mellow and
the brogue so rich that no music was
sweeter to her ears
He would an I'd "a married him, )"
she would retort rather sharply.
''Shure, and why didn't yez, them"
Mr. Maloney, exasperated beyond en-
durance, sometimes muttered between
his teeth. His wife, however. never an
swered that question except by a proud,
indignant look For, searching back to
that happy summer when Dennis had
been so attentive. she could never re-
member that he had ever asked her. in
so many words, to be his wife There
had been vague allusiOns to the time
when they would do this or that to-
gether and have certain much desired
things and be supremely happy, but
that was all No, the mucb-vaunted
Dennis had never come to the point
But it would not do to let Mr.. Ma
1oney know this. Rosie had found out
that the name of Dennis acted upon
her husband much red flag acts
upon an infuriated bull, and she thor
cughIy enjoyed these little skirmishes
and realized her power over the great
big loving Irishman and continued to
WELD it.
About a year after their marriage the
Maloneys moved to the city They set
tied in a comfortable little fiat and
began to pick out their tradespeople.
Imagine the little wife's excitement
when she discovered, not four blocks
from their home, the following sign over
a neat little grocery:
Dennis McGafferty. Grocer"
Her excitement was still strong when,
at the supper table, she told her hus-
band of her find
Pm goin' around this avenin' an tell
Dennis I'll give him me -tade," she
said, bringing out the little sigh and
tender, retrospective glance in a mad
dening way
''Shure an I'll go wild yez," said Mr..
Maloney firmly, his heart heavy as lead
in his bosom.
''Shure," Rosie answered sweet1y,
Dennis will be that glad to know me
husband" She dressed herself to the
top of her wardrobe and they started
out, the little woman talking gayly, Mr..
Maloney answering in suIky monOsylla-
bles. He was in deadly fear lest Dennis,
seeing his wife more charming than
ever, should fall in love with her again
and steal her away from him.
They entered the store A heavy-set
man with bristling red mustache came