The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-30
(By Harriet Carxl cox

ne exception of his wife. She MAIN
famed silence on the subject, which
was best, perhaps. inasmuch as she
was the cause of it all.
he, - he's the most down-trodden
ana meek sort o man you ever set eyes
On, and 1t amt right that it should be
90 Mrs. Blake declared as Isyford
Merritt. then under discussion, shufTied
-iohs the dusty road. IT'S dreadful
20 see man so suppressed" she
signed. 1t amt nature one bit
some men are born meek and would
rather a woman d go ahead and boss
the house and him too and then you
don't blame EN-, but Lyford amt that
Kind Fore his wife got hold of him
one''
A slight flush spread over her thin
cheeks rs she felt a critical glance up
on her.
That was the time he came a-court-
ing you, s'pose?" her guest remarked
oiandly- Il always heard you had
some sort of words, and then he took
up with the new school teacher and
married her right away fore your face
and eyes"
Mrs. Blake beat her cake vigorously.
He amt done nothing but be set on
ever since,' she declared at length, so
what's so eXasperating. No man with
any natural stand-up to him, ought to
give in the way he does. That's what's
the trouble. He seems TO think it's
all right" a
She pouredgthe cake into tin and
showed it into the oven and shut the
door with d bang.
We've all had spells of talking to
him" she went on, but there, it amt
no earthly good. He always sits so
good natured and kind % mods his head
as if agreeing. and when you come to
stop, he looks UP with his blue eyes
and says, well, well, you don't under
stand. 1t may seem kind o hard some
times to outsiders, Mis- Blake but then
you see, she's got the nerves.
Nerves, scornfully. AS if any of
us couldn't get up that kind o nerves
II we wanted to. It's a mighty nice
way to rule the house. When her
husband wants to do anything or not
DO anything, it's always nerves. She
can't stand this and she can't stand
that, and she won't even let him sit
down at the table in his shirt sleeves.
cause that makes her nervous too.
was there once when he most forgot
ana the look she gave him was some
thing awful. Ben said he get divorced
right away if he had such a wife
But Lyford, he just stands it al
ways, and it's terrible exaSperatiug."
She gave another glance out of the
window Lyford Merritt was not in
sight. Unconscious of his neighbours
scrutiny and comment, he slowly
crossed the stubbly field and made his
way TO the barn. There he deposited
the packages from the store and then
went to the woodpile. He seemed in a
sort of brown study and his move
ments We're uncertain.
1t amt right for a man not to be
master in his own house. he rumin-
ated as if the sentiment had just been
impressed upon his mind. 1T really
I
self"
The thought caused a stick to drop
from his arms. He hastily picked it !
up with a backward glance over his
shoulder.
4 wouldn't do anything to hurt
Caroline for anything in this world |
OF course, 1 wouldn't. She's a good (
wife, very good wife to me, and I'm /
thankful I've got such a good wife. !
and | hope L make her a good hus- /
band
He paused and slowly laid two more |
sticks onto his burden and walked !
towards the Woodhouse
And I've been thinking that perhaps /
it amt good for her to have me always |
giving into her" he continued as he |
returned for a. second load. 81 read |
somewhere the other day that women
was like horses. They like to have
their own way longs they can, but
when you make 'em mind they go all
the better. Not that l should ever try
and make Caroline mind He
paused -aghast - but perhaps if I |
kinder took things for granted that she
wouldn't mind my doing more things,
! could do 'em and she'd like it.
I'm going to try anyway
1t was undeniable that Lyford Mer-
rittS heart beat somewhat faster than
usual as it neared o'clock on the
following afternoon. The Town Com
mittee had ordained to have an extra.
meeting. Tt was usually held at the
Perkins, but Mrs. Perkins was sick
and so Lyford had generously asked
them to come there.
a few had already gathered and were
sitting in the shade of the big elm.
Others could be seen coming down the
road.
I suppose We might as we'll go in
seeing there are so many of us al
ready" Lyford remarked.
1t was an unWritten law that the
meetings of the committee should al
ways be held in some parlOr or the
church vestry. 1t was not compatible
with the dignity of the committee to
meet in barns or shops, as did other
organizations.
The men sprang up, and LyfOrd led
The way to the front of the house.
where they greeted the others They
stood a moment and chatted, while a
Is r 8
r nd on the door
il refused to open He made several
attempts. but it would not stir. He /
f5Ter red in the face with the eXertiou
It's unlocked all right" he declared.
because l saw to that this morning
You see we don't use it very often and ,
that's the reason why. I'll go inside ,
and see if l can start it,
He left the men and skirted the ,
house, avoiding the kitchen windows {
and stealing in the back way, where :
he removed his shoes and quietly :
passed through the upper rooms and !
down the front stairs, when he put on :
his shoes again. !
He managed to open the door. It !
stuck, but he had forgotten that il .
opened in IL fact he never remem- :
bered having opened it at all before.
The men filed into the stuffy parlor. :
Some one suggested that the windows
be opened. Lyford stared for a mo- :
ment. There were no screens in the :
windows. .
"Oh, yest' he replied, with a deal of 3
energy. "Of course. 1 meant TO have l
them open and forgot. Mrs Merritt =
has been very busy or she would have =
attended to it for me-"
His blue eyes twitched and he drew d
4 deep breath as he pushed up the :
windows and flung back the blinds He ,
saw dozen flies dart in, and ne gave =
\ quiet chucl1le. His emancipation had "
aegun.
The meeting opened with its usual !
but soon it grew exciting
and there was a busy hum of voices =
The men had removed their coats and !
hey swung light draperies from chair y
Jacks, the family Bible on the marble d
enter table made an excellent desk :
- rho preSidiue- officer and ballots II