The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19
Why Major Smoked

L
| would be. with a woman like you. Put
out the light and let me go to Sleep"
Il won't IL I don't want to-
Cant you read enough in the day time
without keeping man awake all night?"
"shut up"
Thereupon followed a volley of oaths
! and the guests of the hotel who In their
quiet. dark rooms. heard this CONVERSE
ton through the thin wooden walls. knew
| that Major Little and Mrs. Little had re-
| turned to Waterside.
Major Little. a former army officer.
| had married Mrs. Little. a widow, for
| her money, people said. This was only
an inference. but it seemed to be q
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 bold spots which no rlode of
doing her hair could conceal. she stood at
the zero mark of physical attractiveness.
she had. besides, high-pitched. raspins
| voice, which she used continually except
after falling out with Major Little, when
sne was wont to lapse into mood of
| sullen guinness. This was the first ar
gument in favor of the mercenary mar
riage theory. Then, besides 10 was known
that Major Little had no business. except
that of waiting on Mrs. LittIe's peevish
| lap dog The major was a small salIow
| man, with close-cropped black hair, and
a ragged mustaehe which he was In tho
habit OF gnawing. He seemed at once
surly and crestfalleu-
l. Mrs. Little N-as in one of her gIum
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 dinng-room. This time, 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 assid-
uously, though silently, attentive antici-
pated her wants. passed her the sugar and
the salt and told the waiter TO be sure
that the eggs were boiled Just three min
utes and a half. Mrs Little, with her
fingers curved TO show off her rings, ma
nipuisted her knife and fork with little
mineing movements, but paid not the
slightest attention to the major After
trying for some time to evoke some ex-
preston OF gratitude or recognition from
his wife, the major gave It up as a bad
Job, gathered up his paper and stumped
out to the piazza, where he settled HIM
self with his feet on the rail.
Tne major did not look up when, half an
hour later, Mrs. Little, with her dog. join
ed him.
What a glorious morning." she ex-
claimed, shifting the fresh dewy air. You
poor man. you do want cigar, don't your
Why don't you smoke one?''
The major looked up 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 major
only smoked when his wife suggested it.
and she did that only when she was In a
satisfied or pleasant mood He smiled
greediIy as he produced a cigar from his
waisteoat pocket, and prepared to listen
TO the flow Of speech that should enlfghten
him as to the cause of his wffe's smiles
coEplaeency, and excitement.
Il heard Mrs. Van nusen and Mrs Ro-
gers talking in the dining room" shs
said. land they're going to have a fair
here In the uarlors on Thursday And I
heard Mrs. Van Dusen say something
about the fresh air fund so I suppose il
IS Tor that They're going to have booths
Tor MOWERS and lemonade and ice cream
and that sort of thing and a fancy table.
IL really is very nice idea if they get
every on interested IN 1t. You know such
things make place like this so much
more sOciable- was interested at once.
and made up my mind to 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 / had
better take the cake tabIe2' and Mrs. Van
Dusen says. No. We are going TO have so
many things on the fancy table that It
Will need two: Mrs. Smith can take thu
cake table,
Neither Mrs Van Dusen nor Mrs. Ro-
gers had ever. by word or look given
Mrs. Little any reason to suppose that
they regarded her as anything different
from an inanimate object, a table or
ehatE- but she talked about them to the
major just as though they were intimate
friends OF hers.
Come along down to the village" she
said at last; Il want to get some warn
and some silks And she led the major
off
Mrs. Van Dusen was sitting on tina
piazza with pile of fancywork in her
Zap when Mrs Little returned. The major
had stroiied OF to give the dog an airing
Mrs. Van Dusen, usually cautious amt
clever social tactician, made a fatal blum
der. She looked up and caught Mrs Lit
tie eye Mrs Little smiled, bowed, end
exclaimed:
What lovely silksI You are making
something for the fair. 1 suppose /
nave Just been down to the village my
self TO get some worsteds TO make some
slippers for It, l crochet beautifully she
continued. sitting down, unlimited: INV
slippers always sell at fairs. When Major
Little and were at Newport last summer
the ladies' had fair. and I made six pairs
Of slippers for them. They sold them all
for So a pair. We were staying at board
lng-house there. very pleasant place,
though there were some very common ueo-
pie there. l think We shall go there again
this summer. though Major Little did not
IKE II much Having been in the army and
being used to associate with officers and
their wives. he IS somewhat particular
ibout the people he meets. l shall have 10
work pretty hard to finish the slippers be-
ore Thursday, but then I work very fast
when l have an object in view.
We are not going to stay very long
lust now. but we shall come back in Au-
gust Major Little is very fond Of travel
ng. We shall go away somewhere next
week But l am so glad to be here for
he fair
The fair is postponed until September"
aid Mrs Van Dusen. quietly, without
oolSing up from her work.
Mrs Little looked at her suspiciousIy
md then angriiy.
There is Major Little now" she said.
Good morning
The major, who was smoking comfort
-bly, had Just seated himself on the piazza.
When his wife Joined him.
Throw away that nasty cigar" she said.
We are going to leave this stupid place
his afternoon
The fair took place on Thursday.-New
Iork Commercial Advertiser.
Women 10 WerIS sor Peace
From Harper's Bazar)
The feeling was strong and unanimous
IA he n in Viii