The Billings gazette., 1899-03-24
TAKING THE REINS.

TAKING THE REINS.
Lyford Merritt was certainly a mos
exasperating man. In this. for won
der. the whole village concurred. with
the exception Of his wife. She main
tanned silence on the subject which wa:
best, perhaps inasmuch as she was the
cause Of it all
He's-he's the most downtrodden
and meek sort of man you ever set eyes
on, and it ain't right that it should be
SO, Mrs. Blake declared, as Lyford
Merritt, then under discussion, shuffled
along the dusty road. ''It's dreadful to
see man SO suppressed. " she sighed.
ssIt 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 'em, but Lyford ain t
that kind. Fore his wife got hold Of
him he used to be as up and coming as
any one. -
A slight flush spread over her thin
cheeks as she felt critical glance upon
her.
''That was the time he came a-court-
in you, s'pose? ?" her guest remarked
blandly. II always heard you had some
sort Of words and then he took up with
the new schoolteacher and married her
right away fore your face and eyes,
Mrs. Blake beat her cake vigorously.
'sHe amt done nothing but be set on
ever since, she declared at length. $50
that he amt himself at all. And that's
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. 7
She poured the cake into a tin and
showed it into the oven and shut the
door with 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 Of mods his head as if
agreeing, and when you come to stop he
looks up with his blue eyes and says
We'll, well. you don't understand. 1t
may seem kind of hard sometimes 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 of nerves
If we wanted to. But Lyford, he just
stands it always. and it's terrible exas-
perating.
She gave another glance out Of the
window. Lyford Merritt was not in
sight. Unconscious of his neighbor' s
scrutiny and comment, he slowly cross
ed the stubby field and made his way to
the barn. There he deposited the pack
ages from the store and then went to
the woodpile. He seemed in sort of
brown study. and his movements were
uncertain
1T amt right for a man not to be
master in his own house., he rumi-
mated as if the sentiment had just been
impressed upon his mind. ''It really
ain T. and ] am going to assert myself. "
/ The thought caused stick to drop
from his arms. He hastily picked it up
with a backward glance over his shoul-
der.
II wouldn't do anything to hurt
Caroline for anything in the world Of
course | wouldn't. She's good wife
a very good wife to me, and I'm thank
full I've got such a good wife, and l
hope make her good husband. -
He paused and slowly laid two more
sticks on to his burden and walked to-
ward the woodhouse.
"And I've been thinking that perhaps
it amt good for her to have me always
giving in to her, )" he continued as he
returned for second load II 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 bet
ter. Not that | should ever try and
make Caroline mind" he paused
aghast- but perhaps if l kinder took
things for granted that she wouldn't
mind my doing more things I could
10 EN-, and she like it. I'm a-going
70 try anyway.
It was undeniable that Lyford Mer-
tits heart beat somewhat faster than
usual as it neared o'clock on the fol.
owing afternoon. The town committee
1ad ordained to have an extra meeting.
L was usually held at the Perkins.
out Mrs. Perkins was sick, and so Ly-
'ord had generously asked them to
,Ome there.
a few had already gathered and were
'itting in the shade Of the big elm. 9th
srs could be seen coming down the road.
II suppose we might as well go in,
seeing there are so many of us already
Lyford remarked.
1t was an dnwritten law that the
meetings of the committee should al
ways be held in some pa1lor or the
:hurch vestry. It was not compatible
With the dignity Of the committee to
noof in harms or ahnns 90 did oflor ar |