The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-06
THE STAIRS.
"What are you talking about?7

| lSlCu. DluI you iHCuli liat.
Brockway began to walk the floor.
What l meant was plain enough to any
one who wanted to understand" he an
swered coldly, Il meant to ask wheth-
err we should play cribbage or read
At that point the doorbell rang and
Paul and Eva were ushered in for their
first call in the new house. Paul is
| BrockWays snobbish cousin and one or
the chief delights in the legacy had been
the thought OF Paul and Eva's envy.
The Brockways hurried on their COM
pany smiles and for the time being We're
one against common foe, but from the
moment of Evas first little shrieks
when she went up to lay off her wraps
to the close of the long, tiresome even
| ing, filled with coincidence about the
stairs, Mrs. Brockway grew more ner-
VouS. Finally Paul and Eva started
and BrockWay went with them to the
car, Mrs. BrockWay sat alone in the
parlor, cuddling the baby, who had
Weakened just in time to be brought
down for goodbye kisses. 1t seemed to
her that Brockway would never come
back. She laid tbs sleeping child on a
couch and walked the floor longing for
|
Paul and Eva with her husband
| But when he came he first stopped in
the hall to turn down the gas, and then
in a detestably business-lilSe fashion
proceeded to put out the lights in the IL
braly and dining room.
The house is like an oven,' he called.
why haven't you opened Window"
The way he had turned out the gas
was a reproach and the remark about
the window was criticism A sharp
retort rose to Mrs. Brockway's lips, but
just then her eyes happened to fall on
their rosebud boy lying asleep, his still
face outlined by ringlets, his dimpled
hands thrown out. ..
"Oh, Eugene" she cried as he came IN,
Isn't he picture?'
Brockway nodded unresponsively.
Good way 10 spoil silk pillow" he
said pointing to a ring Of moisture be-
meath the little head
His wife looked up at him and the
flames of the early evening shot out
afresh. The quarrel had only been COW
cred over and the fire had kept.
II never dreamed that little money
could change you So she said, slowly.
~ SCViiS " iietNt dilCNlSp yOd oo
much" he returned, you are certainly
very unlike the wife used to have"
"Oh, IL I am" she cried. 'it is all
those horrible stairs! They make me
hate this house and everything in it,
THAT sort of talk" said Brockway in
his cutting tones. "repays me for the
care and pains I took in fitting up this
house for you"
Mrs. Brockway had caught up the
baby and was half way up the stairs.
When I come up" Brockway called
after her, "I'll try to step as gently as
you did just then"
Come when and how you like" she
flung back 1t isn't going to trouble me
especially if you don't come at ALL
A moment later she heard the front
door close and Brockway's step on the
pavement outside. A chill went over
her. He had gone away angry. He
might never come back The baby
slept and Mrs. Brockway listened.
During half an hour her husband
changed from a cruel monster into re-
splendent hero The clock struck
one-and struck one again. Suddenly
she heard some one in the room below.
lie must nave tHltlGu very SUIlly. LIE
creak of the first stair was music to her
ears. The next one was so long in COM
ing that she smiled to herself over his
caution. Then she heard him on the
third 1t occurred to her that she
would surprise him by touching the but
ton that flashed the light on the stair
way, and leaning over the balustrade to
witness his gngerly ascent. Quick as
thought she did 1t, and was looking
down upon-horrors--a strange, ugly
face. With an oath the man turned and
went down, while Mrs. Brockway dart
ed into her room. locked the dorr and
stood painting with fright A sound
from below drew her in the open VIM
dow and she saw two dark figures
scramble out of the lower window
Brockway had opened and run toward
the alley She opened her lips to call
for help, but her voice went out in
whisper, She thought of the servants
sleeping in the rear of the house, but
dared not go to them.
Then Brockway came. His brisk foot
struck the steps and his latchkey
clicked in the door.
"Nilla." he called as soon as be was
inside the house
Like a flash she reached the stairs.
ck--crack-crack! She flew to meet
him, 'Crack--crack-crac He came
hair way and caught her IN his arms
upon the landing at the stairway's turn.
The carpenter who came next day to |
tear OUT the walls and put IN q new
staircase said he'd like to know what |
!mbeclle told Brockway it was necessa-
~ to do all that. He showed how the |
top board Of each stair had warped I'M
I'll it curved up slightly, and he proved |
that a good screw IN the middle Of the |
front edge of each stair was all 1t need |
ed to bring the warped board firmly into |
place and stop the creak
IN have 1t all as good as new an the |
carpet down again in less'n an hour" he |
said. Chicago Record.
GONE TO BRIDGEPORT