Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-02-04
A WOMAN'S IDEAL.

mrS. DieuhluS ialu uOWn ner novel
with deep sigh. The hero OF the
elopement in the last chapter was such
a splendid romantic figure. No won
der his friends wife ran away with
him. Any woman would have found II
impossible to resist him. He was SO
unlike Jack. Poor Jack was so dread
fully prosaic. He never even quarreled.
He was too phlegmatic for anger
At least that was tie way Mrs. Blen-
kins put it to herself. or course Jack
was fond OF her She knew that per-
fectly well. But his affection took the
form of placid contentment. a desire
TO be amiable. a sickening domestic
bliss.
Fate had clearly treated Sophia Blen-
kins badly in uniting a woman of her
temperament to such man as Jack.
She felt herself utterly thrown away
upon Jack. He was only fit for the
ordinary woman.
Mrs. Blenkins' reverie was so deep
that she did not hear the sound of the
latchkey The first intimation she re-
ceived of her husbands presence was
when he stood before her. He was not,
certainly, a romantic object. The pock-
cts of his overcoat bulged out unsym-
metrically: from under each arm an
ungainly brown paper parcel protrud-
ed.
Il wish you wouldn't make such an
exhibition of yourself," exclaimed
L.. r.
its so dreadfully bourgeois. Why
didn't you have the things sent?"
Nobody saw me, I'm sure" said
Jack. putting the parcels triumphantly
down on the table. "and wanted tc
give you a surprise"
He took out penknife and cut the
string. The first package contained a
pair of warm sleeping socks: from the
second he produced a beetle trap. y
know you suffer from cold feet" he
said. 'and | heard the cook complain
OF the cockroaches this morning." The
rest of his purchases consisted of vari-
GUS household requirements: a mouse
trap. a set of blacking brushes, some
digestive candy. and so forth.
AS Jack displayed these trifles. one
by one. ne looked anxiously at his wife
in the hope of detecting a gratified
smile. But S HAS thoughts had gone
out swiftly to Adolphus de Montmor-
ency. the hero OF the novel.
Take them away. How could you
buy such trash." she cried exasper.
ated. The panied look on Jacks face
nearly drove her mad. His meekness
irritated her beyond endurance. Why
didn't he swear at her? A blow ever
would be preferable to silence.
Sophia refused to wear the sleeping
socks. And next day she laughed al
Jack for putting a comforter round his
neck. Jack had bad throat: but &c
please his wife he left the wrap al
home, and went out without It, When he
came back in the evening his cold was
much worse. Jack would have com.
mitted suicide to please his wife: and
ne did. Day after day he carried that
cold about with him. Sophia thought
ii more manly and romantic not to give
way TO such trifies. Consequently JACK
caught one chill on top of another; he
became feverish, even delirious. Their
the doctor was sent for. But ii was toe
late. Jack had a severe attack OF in.
fiammation of the lungs, from which he
never recovered. And even at the last
Sophia could not help rejecting thai
Adolphus would never have given in te
such a disease. His will power woule
have saved him.
Sophia became a widow. She wepl
over Jack, of course: but behind hei
grief there was a kind of exultant feel.
ing that the ideal man had become, af.
ter all, a possibility.
OF course Sophia met him. The or
binary conventional method OF making
his acquaintance was too commonplace
for her emancipated soul II was 6
case of love at first sight. Love ripenec
into acquaintance His name WA
Eugenio FitzJones. The Jones sht
forgave because his mother had beer
an Italian.
They were married a year after
Jacks death. For a whole fortnight
Sophia lived in the delirious atmos.
phere of two people who do not know
each other. Then her ideals began tt
be realized.
Jack had always been deeply inter.
ested in her thoughts and condolences
Eugenio would not listen to her at all
Women's views were OF no consequence
whatever in his estimation.
He never brought her in a preseni
when he came home from business
Jack never failed TO have something II
his pocket, at least twice a week. Blu
Eugenio had more important matter,
to consider. He had his club. and hi.
Wagner Society. and his golf, and hi,
bicycle. Frequently he dined out witt
bachelor friends. When Sophia remon
strated with him he told her to mint
her own business. He even went 81
far as to strike her. The blow was no
so sweet as Sophia had anticipated. il
spite of Adolphus.
In years time he had drank him
self to death. The gossips declared /
was happy release for Mrs. FitzJones
But the flowers were always fresl
on Eugenio's grave. And his magnifi.
cent tombstone. which absorbed mos
of the widows provision. was the env,
of every mourning neighbor.
When Sophia died a year later tn,
doctor declared it was the result of &
broken heart. She passed away will
the name of Eugenio on her lips.