The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-10-18
NM LAmAnrINr,s luoK.
A Bit OF wifely Diplomacy that HHeI
nusbnnd sever Vnce suspected.

BIT Of Wifely diplomacy that AMeI
nusband Never once suspected.
Nine. Lamartine, It seems, was an
English woman OF culture and cduca-
ton. She loved literature more tha-
housekseper, but she simulated interest
IN one and did not thrust her opiaions
Of the other upon her husband The fol-
lowing story illustrates her methods:
"Lamartlne had just put the last
touches to an essay on 'Beranger' fos
the Steele when young but highly ac-
complshed friend came to stay with
him al Saint Point. Yours IS, indeed,
an opportune visit, said the poet; here
are the proofs Of my paper on "Beralg
err | wish you to read them and point
out any blemishes, although | doubt
whether there are many, inasmuch as
have done my very best In due time
the visitor went to bed and began read
inl the proofs 1t had just struck mid
night, when there was knock at his
door. Who is I'll? As asked 1t is T.
replied the gentle voice Of Nine. de La
MARITIME. 4 wish to speak to you /
am in bed, madame. Never mind, the
door is at the front OF your bed; just
open it ana take this paper The friend
did as he was told Then be closed his
door and read. There is on slip 1s a
passage that worries me. fear it Will
hui M, de Larmartine with the readers
Of the Steele Could it not be modified
in this wayg The modification was ex-
cellent. He had just finished copying T
on the margin Of the proof when there
came a second knock Is that you,
madam he asked Yes, open your
door as before and take this second
paper. And again he read; On page
30 there is another passage which, etc.
"And let Il be borne in mind that
Nine. de Lamartine was not only o
saint-like creature, but a puritanical
one besides, who would decidedly have
shrunk from discussing the equal
standard of mortality for both sexes,
which question was handled with the
utmost sang froid by some Of the shin
ing lights of the International women's
congress. Nine de Larmartine added a
great deal Of British prudery TO French
delicacy. ana II must have required a
not inconsiderable mental and moral
effort on her part to 80 to young fell
lows room and hand slips Of paper to
him through door ajar, like so much
forbidden correspondence. To the un-
initiated, her behavior next morning
would decidedly have lent color to such
a suspicion, for she kept interrogsting
her guest across the breakfast table by
means of looks and signals, and he, in
his turn, conveyed 20 her by the same
means that everything had been done
according to her wishes. Wen, my dear
friend, asked Lamartlne after a little
while, have you read my Beranger?'
OF course | have. Magnificent, isn't
II? Magnificent is the word, neverthe
less, there are a couple Of passages
Don't ask me to make any chan es.
The thing Is perfect, and III not make
any No doubt it is, still, il you Will
allow me to show you two slight modi-
ficatlons- Saying which he handed his
host the proofs. No sooner had the lat
ter cast his eyes over them than he ex-
claimed: Excellent very just Indeed.
You are perfectly right Then, turning
to his wife, he said: These things would
have never struck you my dear Nine.
de Lamartine simply bent over her plate
and smiled To his dying day the poet
was never told the truth, for she died
before him, leaving him daughter as
devoted as she Nor did the friend re-
veal the secret"
| may be old-fashoned. but Nine. dc
Lamartine strikes me as the ideal help
mate.--New York Commercial Adyer-
.iser.