The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-07-31

Cupid WITH A JIMMY.
How Husband Discovered Her
Worth to His Wife.
BY HELEN FoLLETT.

dergOing his drSt case OF love. LIE
upshot of 1t was that when these two
became engaged Miss Moore pulled
Mr.. Trumbull around by his philo-
sophical nose and made him dance to
her adding as suited her capricious
and changing moods. Matrimony found
the same condition of affairs. Every
domestic question was decided by Mrs.
Trumbull no matter whether it was
the choice of an apartment or the Sc
lection of new coffee grinder. Mr..
Trumbull, being still in state of
binding affection and admiration for
the little girl of 20 whom he had wooed
and won, let her have her way, with
the result that he was being henpecked
to the queens taste.
But as the years went by, as the
years have way of doing, Mr. Trum-
bull gradually awakened to the one
sided state of affairs. Mrs. Trumbull
being selfish and possessing a thistle
down Intellect, fancied that it would
not do to let Mr.. Trumbull know that
she was at all fond of him. Some old
lady had told her once that when
man knows a woman loves him his af-
lection becomes chilled like whipped
cream in an Ice chest So she stuck up
her nose-it stuck up of its own accord,
by the way-and went her usual pace
of bullyragging and worrying him. She
would do this, she would do that
what John thought didn't matter.
But, as said before, change finally
came over Johns heart. He still con-
sidered that dainty wife of his quite
the smartest cleyerest woman In the
world; but, strange to say, he was be-
coming aware of her peculiar powers
Of debating and laying down the law.
John. was quiet and inoffensive and
lust the kind of man that offers
splendid opportunities for the woman
with will of her own. For long
time Mrs. John did not observe that
her husbands substantial admiration
was growing thin almost to shadow.
But when she did realize it the blow
was something fearful. 1t had been
her opinion that even though she were
to sell his best clothes to the rag man
or burn the house up or turn his hair
white with her everlasting criticisms
John would ever remain the same
faithful, adoring enduring.
One morning John didn't kiss his
wife when he went down town to bust
ness. She moped and wept and scolded
the baby and the kitchen maid and
then decided she didn't care. From
that time on things went from bad to
worse and from worse to even worse
than that. Once in great while when
Johns old vision of love for his wife
came up he would take her in his arms
and tell her that she was the prettiest
thing In the world. Following her old
time tactics, Mrs. John would in return
comment on his bad choice Of necktfe
or let loose the pleasant information
that his collar was soiled on the edge.
Johns heart would sink, and he'd
tramp off to work feeling like an or
phan asylum in derby hat and creas-
ed trousers.
AS 1t was not Johns nature to war
against any one he simply kept himself
out of Mrs. Johns way. Sunday after
moons he went over to the North Side
to see an old college chum of his. These
trips were his only designations.
One Sunday afternoon when he and
his old friend were discussing some
particularly exciting college scrimmage
that had taken place 10 years back the
telephone bell rang, and woman's
voice begged to speak to Mr.. Trumbull.
He went to the phone.
"Is that you, GertrudeT
eyes, John. And won't you come
home, please? | let Sadie take baby
over to your mothers, and everybody
In the building is out, and Pm having
the fidgets. | don't know what I'm
scared about, but I'm just nervous"
"All right, dear" said John; and
home he went, not stopping long
enough to finish up the recollections Of
the college fight.
At home he found his wife sitting
curled up on a little settee looking
very much as she had looked when
five years before he had begged and en-
treated and kissed her into saying
Yes" She was twisting her hand
kerchief into little wads and ropes,
and he knew by that that she was dis
tracted about something.
II know you think I'm silly to feel
this way when it's not even twilight
yet. But know positively that some
body tried the kitchen windows while
was lying down, and l just couldn't
get over it. always was afraid of
burglars and ghosts" And then she
had nervous chill
John said nothing. He took out a
copy of Spencer and lighted cigar.
After a time the baby was brought
home and put to bed. Mrs. Trumbull
had recovered from her nervousness
and was peeking out from behind a
window shade listening to a CONVERSE
ton that was going on in the court.
The servant employed by the family
in the apartment just below the Trum-
bulls abode was in the fat opposite
telling the occupants of that place that
she was unable to get into the house
81 can't turn the key, and If you
don't mind, mann, I'll go through your
window"
The people didn't mind at all. They
even held the girls parasol and pocket
book while she clambered from one
window sill to the other.
Then came crash. 1t was terrific
crash. Had the girl fallen into the
court? No. The sounds that came
from the door below were unlike those
heard when Hendrix Hudson played
ninepins in the Adirondacks. At that
point came a shrek, such as the stage
heroine gives vent to when the villain
gets after her with butcher knife.
1t was sickening. Mrs. Trumbull wait
ed half second, then stuck her head
out Of the window and with the help
of half dozen other feminine voices
called: "Maryl Maryl What's the mat
ter?'
The reply was a volley of sobs and
squeals winding up with, '"rhe flats
!