The Somerset reporter., 1899-08-03
The CUP
OF
COFFGG.
How a Wife Strove to Hold Her Hus-
band From the Influence of
Another Woman.

*oxo*o#o&oMoM o#oMo&o%o&o&o
My husband. when be breakfasts at
home. is in the habit of taking coffee
at table-however. emitting to smoke
with it. You see, it is of moment that
his mouth and mustache should be I'M
tainted with tobacco when he makes
his afternoon calls.
This morning the servant displayed
some slight wardness in filling his
cup, and the amber liquid overflowed,
WAS any one ever more clumsyW
he said You fool! You idiot Take
it away"
And then he gave the table such a
thump that the buffers carelessness
was but augmented, an inundation of
coffee followed. not only into tie saul
Ger, but upon the cloth as well.
The man nimbly repaired the dam
age done and made good his escape.
Paul bit his lips, but said nothing fur
ther. However, | realized that he was
intensely annoyed.
Now. Paul is or rather was until re-
Gently stranger to all such impulsve
actions. His nature was adverse to
any ado or quick words-in point Of
fact, to anything that could be likened
to scene. But this gentleman, al
ways so we'll poised, courteous and
thoughtful of his bearing, must have
been seriously troubled over some
thing to have thus forgot himself to
such a degree.
After few moments of embarrass'
ed silence he took cigar from his
case. cut off the point and just as he
was about to smoke it said:
You do not object Cecile"
"Oh, no. Not in the slightest, Paul!
You must know thatI'
assure you | said those words with
out any Interior motive. But it seem
ed that Paul thought to the contrary,
for he sharply retorted:
ut is waste Of time for you to take
on a martyrs air when you answer my
question. | can just as easily smoke
outside or elsewhere, at houses where
tobacco does not incommode the in
mates. Well do we have tears nowY
Indeed, they were very near, but |
tried to force them back to keep them
out of sight until | would be alone
Paul" | said as tenderly as | could,
do not be angry with me. In reality
you have naught to complain of, and
moreover have done nothing TO you.
Now. why get SO excited and cause me
such pain?'
My husband frowned slightly, then
extended his hand and kissed mine
that | had at once placed in his
You are right, Cecile. beg your
pardon. think am little nervous
today. We have some very intricate
business to attend to at the mills.
He was about to continue the lie,
but interrupted him
Forget business for the time. For
get the overturned coffeecup. | ask
your attention for a few moments.
Let me have it with good grace.
Surely you have little time today to
give TO your wife, my dear husband"
"But--oh. certainly, certainly"
He twrled his cigar between his fin
gers. He wanted TO rise, to go away,
10 nee from iHt cApldbd tlpb Audl It
foresaw, but there was no way open
to him. My request was such a nat
ural one. He could only avoid 1t by
losing his temper again. and for the
time being that prerogative had been
exhausted.
AT first" said, do smoke"
held the flaming match toward him.
He lighted his cigar
But have so little leisure" he
said. "Werklen'-
Let Werklein wait for you" said.
"He is accustomed to it. Indeed. Paul,
you cannot reproach me for misem-
ploying your spare momentsf | real
ly must speak to you today
Very well, my dear he said. Il
will listen"
Then his whole countenance chang
ed anew and grew firm and decisive.
| felt that this being, who belonged to
me, with whose disposition | was so
well acquainted, whom | adored in
spite of all and who loved me, was
dominated by the will of another wo-
man. Which will prove the strongest
hers or mine?
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