The Worthington advance., 1900-10-12
The: Value Of Sympathy

BY George 8. Cuthbertson. !
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From the Lsdie.' World: Nsx York; Reprinted
oy special permisston.)
WITH shadow of impatience on
w her wrinkled brow. Mrs. Page
tossed the garment she was mending
on the table and leaned wearily back
in the old-fashioned willow rocking
chair. Turning to her husband, who
sat by the window reading, she said,
complainingly:
Dear me! Jonas, I believe I've got
one O. the worst headaches I've had
in many q day.. An there's sich a
stitch in my left side, I really"
"Thar ye go it ag'in, Car'liny!" ex-
claimed Mr.. Page, irritably, as he
crushed the newspaper in his hand
and flung it into the rack above his
head. IL VOW I never saw the beat!
Wimmen are curious critters-allers
maxim sich great how-d'-ye-do bout
nothin'. Got some new ache or pain
ev'ry mint of the day. Then they be
forever whinin' an tellin' ye Of it!
Ye never hear none O. US men groanin'
over ev'ry trifiin' thing that happens
to u.s."
"Now, Jonas, ye know better'n that,
but ye alters was so unreasonable; no
symp'thy for anybody, an no feelin's
morn a stick O. wood! If I'd had
the least idee in my girlhood days
how heartless you was, 1 never would
hev married."
Lam sakes, Car'liny! don't din that
old story into my ears ag'n! Three
hundred an sixty-five days in the
year, I've heard ye singin' it reg1ar,
till kin repeat the hull bis'nss, word
for word. If I'm heartless an crool,
as ye 'cuse me of bein', it's yer COINS
on like this what's made me. Ev'ry-
body has his own ills to bear an I
amt exempted from 'em more'n ye
be, yet amt a-te]lin' ye of it all the
time. Mother thing, I firmly believe
it's over half Imagination that ails
ye-ye let yer mind git too much
control over yer body!"
As these taunting remarks left his
lips, the ill-natured spouse seized his
hat and founced out Of the house,
slamming the door behind him.
Two silent, unbidden teardrops
trickled gently down the thin,s faded
cheeks of Mrs. Page. as she bent far
forward and resumed her sewing.
"Mebbe I am rather fretful." she
said to herself, thoughtfully. "Ill try
to keep my troubles to myself after
this; but. it's hard to git no pity when
ones fGefn' so miser'ble. il
"Jonas alters looks to me for SYM
p'thy, when he's sick" she continued.
He'll go to his bed an take on an
hev me wait on him; with me it's
dif'rent-I've got to keep workin'
away, no matter how bad I feel.
Imagination! Jess you wait till Jonas
Page has his next ailin' spell an see
how I'll .symp'thize with him!"
Her eyes cleaned and glowed, and
her lips closed tightly with a peculiar
twitch of determination.
Nothing more was seen of Jonas
until he came to supper. He appeared
somewhat disconsolate and had his
left hand wrapped up in his red BAN
dana handkerchief. He didn't say
anything when he removed the COW
ering and an ugly, ragged wound, ex-
tending half way across the palm, was
disclosed to view. He looked consid-
erably disappointed, however, when
he found that the sight 81 It attracted
only passing glance from ar'liny," {"
and didn't even arouse her womanly
curiosity enough to inquire, how it
had happened. - =. =
How tantalizing she could act. She
didn't offer to assist him in binding
it up, let alone express regret at its
occurrence, but stood by the stove
dishing up the potatoes as uncon-
cernedly az though nothing out of the
usual had taken place. Il
Jonas heaved q heavy sigh and
walked silently into the pantry, where
on the little corner shelf he procured
strip of court plaster with which
he carefully drew the edges Of the
wound together. -. .s.<.s.<a e.. ,
The evening meal was eaten In
moody silence. Jonas alway. drank
two cups of tea, but rather than make
the first "break in the ice" by asking
for the cup to be replenished he cot
along with one. All the time he kept
wondering what could possibly have
occasioned this remarkable alteration
In his wife's department.: he finally
came to the conclusion it was owing
to the indifference he had manifested
concerning her headache.
"This kind 81 actin is somethin'
new" he gru1nblcd. On his way to the
barn to finish the chores. If she's
90 sensitive as to git her back up
bout tritiin' piece o. nonsense like
that, she kin jest keep it there! The
only time I ever got down on my
knees to her was. when I popped the
marriage question; an now II she
thinks tina: by goin' round with q
pont on her fsce, she'll git me to back
down ar eat humble pie, she's barkin'
up the wrong gtrec.' When I say :
thing, It's said fer all time!''
His hand was exceedingly xore; II
was continually in his way and every
thing he attempted to do he injured
i anew. 4. N ".
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