The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-22
Why Major Smoked.

sleep"
Il won't if 1 don't want to-
Cant you read enough in the day.
time without keeping a man awake all
| night?"
J Shut upr'
| Thereupon followed a volley of soaths.
and the guests of the hotel who, in
| their quiet, dark rooms, heard this con-
| versation through thin, wooden walls
knew that Major Little and Mrs. Little
had returned to Waterside-
Major Little, former army officer,
| had married Mrs. Little. widow, for
! her money, people said This was ony
an inference, but 1t seemed 10 be a
| reasonable one. First of all, there was
Mrs. Little, herself. whose personal ap-
| pearance supported this view. Short and
| dumpy, with a red, coarse complexion,
| shapeless features, washed-out blue eyes,
and numerous bald spots. which no mode
| of doing her hair could conceal, she
| stood at the zero mark of physical at
J tractiveness. She had, besides, high
| pitched, rasping voice. which she used
| continually. except after falling out
with Major Little, when she was won't
to lapse into a mood of sullen glum-
ness This was the first argument in
favor of the mercenary marriage theory.
! Then, besides, Il was known that Major
/ Little had no business, except that OF
waiting on Mrs. Littles peevish lap dog.
| The major was a small, sallow man,
with close-cropped, black hair, and a
| ragged nustache. which he was In the
| habit Of gnawing. He seemed at once
Mrs Little was In one Of her glum
moods at breakfast the next morning.
| On these occasions she always punished
the major by making him eat his meals
alone allowing him to finish before she
| entered the dining room. This me.
| however, the major waited for her, long
| after he had eaten his breakfast, with
! his face buried in his newspaper. But
| as soon as she was seated opposite him
| he began to be assiduously. though ST
lently, attentive, anticipated her wants,
passed her the sugar and the salt, and
! told the waiter to be sure that the eggs
were boiled just three minutes and a
half. Mrs. Little, with her fingers curv-
ed to shoff off her rings, manipulated
her knife and fork with little mincing
movements, but paid not the slightest
attention to the major. After trying for
| some time to evoke some expression of
gratitude or recognition from his wife,
the major gave il UP as bad job, gath
cred up his paper, and stumped out to
| the piazza, where he settled himself
| with his feet on the rail.
The major did not look up when, half
an hour later Mrs Little, with her dog,
joined him.
what a glorious morning. she ex-
claimed, shifting the fresh air. ''You poor
man, you do want a cigar, don't you?
| Why don't you smoke, one?'
The major looked ur with establishment
plain on his face. Clearly. he could not
understand his wife's change Of humor,
her amiable tone Of voice, and, above
| all, the reference to the cigar. The ma
jor only smoked when his wife sug-
| gested it, and she did that only when
she was in a satisfied or pleasant mood.
He smiled greedily as he produced a CT
gar from his waistcoat pocket, and pre-
pared to listen to the flow of speech
that should enlighten him as to the
cause Of his wife's smiles, complacency,
and excitement.
at heard Mrs. Van Dusen and Mrs.
Rogers talking in the dining ROOM she
said, land they're going to have a fair
here in the parlors on Thursday. AND
heard Mrs. Van Dusen say someth' ng
about the fresh-air fund so I suppose
it is for that. They're going to have
booths for flowers and lemonade and ice
cream and that sort of thing, and IA
fancy table. It really Is a very nice
idea if they get every one interested in
it. You know such things make a place
like this so much more sociable / was
interested at once, and made UP my mind
10 do something for the fancy table
Mrs. Van Dusen and Mrs. Rogers are
going to have the fancy table themselves
heard them say so. Mrs. Rogers SAYS
Don't you think I had better take the
cake table,? and Mrs Van Dusen says
No. we are going TO have so many
things on the fancy table that it WI
need two; Mrs. Smith can take the cake
table,"
Neither Mrs. Van Dusen nor Mrs. Rog-
ers had ever, by word or look, given Mrs
Little any reason to suppose that they
! regarded her as anything different from
! an inanmate object, a table or chair
but she talked about them to the major
Just as much as though they were init
mate friends of hers.
Come along down to the village" she
said at last, 81 want to gett some yarr
and some silks" And she led the ma
ior off
Mrs Van Dusen was sitting on The
piazza with a pile Of fancy-work in hel
lap when Mrs. Little returned. The ma,
jor had strolled off to give the dog ar
airing Mrs Van Dusen. usually eau
tious and clevar social tactician. made
a fatal blunder. She looked UP and
caught Mrs Titles eye. Mrs. Little
! q,
what lovely silksi You are making
something for the fair, I suppose.
have Just been down to the village my
self 10 get worsteds TO make some slip
pers for it I crochet beautifully" sht
| continued. sitting down, unlimited: my
slippers always sell at fairs. Wher
Major Little and I were at Newport las
summer the ladies' had fair and
made six pairs Of slippers for them
I
were staying at a boarding houss there
a very pleasant place, though there wer
some very common peop'e there 7 thini
we shall go there again this summer
though Major Little did not Ike II much
Having been In the army and being use,
10 associate with officers and theil
wives. he Is somewhat particular abou
the people he meets. shall have u
work prettv hard 70 finish the slipper.
: before Tt ursdsy. but then 7 work very
! fast when I have an object in view
I'VE are not going to stay very lonl
iust now. hut we snail come hack agar
in August: Major Little IS very fond o
travelling We shall go away sornewhe-t
next week, But am so glad 10 be hers
for the fair
The fai- is postponed until sept~n
Der said Mrs van Dus n. quietly. NTH
out booking up FROM her work
Mrs. l1lIie foehel - L-rt ShSpte2tfsssA
ard then sngTily.
There Is Major Little now" she sad
Good morning
The major. VINO wss smoking comfort
ablv had inst seated himself on IN
yfazza. WHEN MS wife joInsd him
! .'Thror away th-t nssfy cIEsr," sh,
said we are going 20 leave this $ u
p3d 7lace this afternoon
The fair took place or Thursday.
-