The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-29

TT simply won't do,"aobseryed Mr..
Portland Rhodes, with emphasis.
May ! ask what you are taking
about7 n 4: y fSgs.I5 e
lam talking about your eStrava-
gance," said her husband; in his best
house-of-commons manner. III IL con-
tinues you will simply bust up the
show" headed, relapsing into slang,
I'm afraid your theatrical friends
are demoralizing your English.
1.-THE English Language has nothing to
DO with the conversation" he snapped.
mot with your conversation. DEAR"
said his WIFI, sweetly.
And I'm tired Of these dark illusions
10 my theatrical friends. It's absurd to
imagine that because take girl7to
supper that-that there's anything In 1t.
She was an old friend"
II should hardly call her old" said
Mrs. Portland; Rhodes. critically. Sup
pose we say mlddle-aged." 4
Anyway, We are drifting from the
point"
What is the point OF this d!alogue?%
Inquired his wife, with extreme affa-
bllity.
"Your extravaganza. I cannot stand
the pace. What's to be done with
these things?" Indicating o little pile Of
bills.
I'm afraid I have no head for busl-
ness" said his wife, looking tired.
But how are We going to meet
them?"
Mrs. Rhodes shifted her smelling bot
tie with: an air OF extreme patience.
why not write out check" she
murmured.
Write out q check?" he gasped.
What the.
.'If you wish the servants to know all
our private affairs, I'll ring the BELL"
said his wife. "But don't shout, dear,
because it makes my head ache"
There was only one reply for an in
dependent British husband. Mr.. Port
land-Rhodes, NJ. p, gathered up the
nile of bills, housekeeping and other
wise. placed them BY his wife's plate,
and stalked To the door.
you've made q very poor breakfast,
charl,e"said his wife, alphabetically.
"And you'll make me a very poor
man." he muttered.
.I'n sorry, dear. Ilforgot how many
calls you have upon your private
purse"
This was the last straw. The mem.
her" banged out Of the room, rnutter-
ing e1nressfons which would not be
permitted even at a religious demon
stration.
1t was a pretty piece of acting on her
part-tne airIness, the nonchalance, tho
magnifcent contempt for debit was
oil put on. She was In a complicated
frame of mind. She was Jealous Of her
husband on account OF an innocent
"spree" nc his, which green glasses had
made hideous. She was uncomfortabiy
conscious that she was on the high road
to making fool Of herself. She was up
to her pretty little ears In debt, and,
above all she was in a funk about IT,
In short. Mrs. Portland Rhodes. wife
OF the member for Tattenham Corner,
had cast herself for an unsuitable role.
At the bottom of her heart she was a
romantic little creature, ridIculously In
love with her husband. with philah-
thropIc tendencies and a reasonable
weakness for dressing decently."
There Is no more pitiablc sight than
that OF a scrupulous person trying to
be unscruplous. She hated to owe
money, but 70 keep leye, with the
times she ran headlong into debt, and
sufrered agonIes. She desp!sed married
;ilrts, and was carrying on three open
alrtations, to say nothing OF n mys-
terious one, at the mere thought of
which she trembled. In short, she was
poor, worried little woman, who was
walking In slippery places, and expect
ing to come n cropppr every minute
A week before she had attended a
fancy dress masked ball given at the
Ambidextrous. Mrs. Rhodes was robed
as the Morning Star, and paired off
with the man in the moon. She be-
lIeved her partner TO be a certain Percy
Ladbrolse. whom she counted among
her admirers. They became quite con.
hdential, and Mrs. Rhodes rather let
the cat out OF the bag with regard to
her financial scrapes. The man in the
man In the moon was sympathetic. He