The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-28


when we resumed them Mrs. Bagley
had wee bundle in her arms. which
she crooned and cooed over with ever
increasing delight. Bagley grew more
| barbaIic, too, and showed off his son
and heir with a pride that almost re-
| sembled love.
Then a new set of persecution began.
The little bundle would be put to bed,
and its mother would be forced to leave
Il and sit by her husbands side TO
listen to how he was going to bring up
his son.
MY boy shall run in the streets as
soon as he can stand. ] won't have any
women molly-coddling him" OR "My
son is going to be a Man. won't have
him fall into the clutches of the Cath
olc church. or of the Episcopal church,
either. One psalm-mumbler about the
house is enough" And the poor woman
would murmur Yes, Julius" or mo,
Julius" and grow pale and nervous
and smile all of the time fecbly, to
show what a perfect and loving under
standing existed between her husband
and herself
Once her baby cried. and she started
up to go to it, but Bagley made her
sit still, and held forth on a new sub
iect.
"Worst management in the world to
take child up the minute 1t cries!
1t puts premium on fuss and dis
turbance. Let is cry"
But Julius, babie is VARY yoong yet.
oh, leesten to the poor sweetheart!
Julius, it hurts me to hear that babie
| cry!'
Just stay where you are. No baby
is too young to learn obedience. If
you begin to pamper it you'll never
leave off, | know what I'm about,
Sarah. Let it cry, I tell you.
So Desiree sat and listened to the
walls, and dug her hands into each
other and kept her strained face
turned toward the door until the feeble
little voice trailed off into a melan-
choly silence.
If ever woman was tortured in this
nineteenth century of progress and en-
lightmcnt that woman was little
Sarah Bagley: and we friends of hers
respected her as we did a martyr. Her
| courage was superb. Hers was no FOOLS
submission. She had temper enough
flashing in her dark eyes to give way
to if she felt it right to do so; but,
YOU see, she was very young, and con-
sciOus to a certain inferiority to her
husband and l suppose Bagley was the
first man that had ever paid her any
attentions; so many causes combined
prompted her to a plan of subjection
and obedience as heroic as anything |
had ever seen.
If he had only treated her with actual
violence we could have knocked him
down and had it out with him; but
as matters went we We're powerless to
interfere.
Bagley was fond of his wife and
| proud of her, especially of her clever
ness a quality that he had formerly
underrated in wOmen-but he was
treating her like a dog, actually break
| ing her in, as he would an animal.
The Lord knows how she stood it. He
went his strongest when any of us
were around, just to demonstrate that
he lived up to his precepts. Per-
haps he felt safer when we were by,
for wife will put up with loads for
appearances sake.
We would have cut the man at the
very start had we not felt that we
showed ourselves truer friends of De-
Sirees by sticking to him.
He was proud of his methods, and he
never tired of ..ulding forth on what he
would have done in such and such cir
Cumstances.
"IIubbards a fool" he said one
evening at the club. when we finished
telling him the last returt of Hubbard's
high-stepping better half a FOOL l
wouldn't put up with a thing like that
for moment"
MOP" I asked, snccriugly. Tell me
what you would do?"
DO I'd smash something. There's
nothing like hurting Il cologne bottle
through a looking glass for stopping
any Woman's tongue. I've done it, and
/ know"
Poor little Desiree! We didn't doubt
ii, not one of us.
Come home to dinner with me-" he
continued, affably. Sarah has been
wondering where you have been hiding
lately Come"
/ had been keeping away for a fact.
The truth is / was fairly sick of the
scenes up at Bagleys. and half angry
with Desiree for putting up with them.
But hers was not the nature that rebels.
and | had kept away for nearly three
months.
But, man." | eXpostulated, its
O'Clock. They'll never keep dinner for
You all this time"
Wont they? Come and see" and
Bagley laughed an ill-natured laugh
which told me that his wife had been
trained in many unsupported dlrec-
tions.
1t was after o'clock when we ar
rived at his house, and Desree looked
as nearly angry as l ever saw her
She looked very pretty, too. and was
carefully dressed.
Most singulaire time to come home
for dinner" she remarked promptly.
We were going to the t'eater, too; did
you forgotten it, tell me?"
"Well, you see, we are not going after
ALL" he answered sourly, for he was
particularly taken back at her recep-
tion Of him, since he had invited me
up especially TO show me that din
ner time was simply whenever he
chose TO dine, not before nor after
She honored me with a laughing val
come when she saw me. and then gave
an order to the Chinese servant to
bring in the dinner.
Bagley was in rotten temper, and
carped at the position Of every spoon
ON the table. Failing to draw tears
or apologies from his wife he began
In an overbearing way to make fun of
her appearance, sneered at her theater
tlnery donned for nothing, and OBJ
jected to some roses in her dress. She
Ignored him with her usual gentle tact
tried 10 Keep up spirited banter with
me, although her breast heayed and