The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-08-19
THE CONVERSION OF
CAROLINE MERRITT
,FoRp MERRITT was certainly
BY Harriet Carl Cox.

She maintained silence on the subject,
which was best, perhaps, inasmuch as
she was the cause Of it all.
| 'He-he's the most down-trodden
and meek sort o. man you ever set eyes
on, and ii amt right that it should be
So" Mrs. Blake declared, as Lyford
Merritt, then under discussion, shuffied
along the dusty road. Its dreadful to
see n man SO suppressed" she sighed
ut amt nature one bit.
"Some men are born meek and would
rather woman'd go ahead and boss
the house and him, too, and then you
don't blame 'em, but Lyford amt 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 a critical glance upon
her.
THAT was the time he came a-court.
ing you, s'pose?" her guest remarked
blandly. 81 always heard you had
some sort of words and then he took up
with the new school-teacher and mar.
ried 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
$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"
She poured the cake into 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 o. mods his head
as if agreeing, md when you come
to stop, he loolZ up with his blue eyes
and says: 'Wy1, well, you don't under
stand. 1t m2y 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
if we wanted to. It's mighty nice way
to rule the house. When her husband
wants to 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 heI
nervous, too. | was there once when
he most forgot. and the look she gave
him was something awful. Ben SAID
he'd get divorced right away if he hat
such wife
But Lyford, he just stands it al
ways, and it's terrible exasperating.
She gave another glance out of tn,
window. Lyford Merritt was not il
sight. Unconscious of his neighbor
scrutiny and comment. he slowl,
crossed the stubbly field and made hi
way to the barn. There he deposited
the packages from the store, and ther
went to the woodpile. lie seemed in +;
sort of brown study and his movement.
were uncertain.
ut amt right for a man not to bs
master in his own house." He ruminat.
ed as il the sentiment had just been inn
| pressed upon his mind. 1T really amt
and ] am going to assert myself"
The thought caused stick to drop
from his arms. He hastily picked it up
with n backward glance over his Shout
| der.
81 wouldn't do anything to hurt Caro-
line for anything in this world. OF
course, | wouldn't. She's a good wife,
"a very good wife to me, and I'm thank
full I've got such a good wife, and
hope | make her good husband"
He paused and slowly laid two more
sticks onto 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 rs he
returned for n 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 ] should ever try and make
Caroline mind" He paused aghast
= 'but perhaps If 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-
ritt's heart Leaf somewhat faster than
usual as il neared three o'clock on the
following afternoon. The town COM
mittee had ordained to have an extra
meeting. 1t was usually held at the
PEI kins', but Mrs. Perkins was sick.
and so Lyford had generously asked
them to come there.
A few had already gathered and were
sitting i'm the shade of the big elm.
Others could be seen coming down the
road.
81 suppose we might as well go in.
seeing there are so many of us already"
Lyfold remarked.
II 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 or
CARNATIONS.
The men sprang up and Lyford led
the way to the front of the house, where
they greeted the others. They stood
n moment and chatted, while few
stropUled I'm then Tyford mt HE To =, Il