The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-12-12


This last act Mrs. Simpson seemed
to take as peculiar grievanee-and,
in fact, as you may have noticed,
after an unpleasant discussion or
whatever passage at arms a man can
do nothing more calculated to inspire
wrath unspeakable in a woman than
to take up a paper and calmly begin
reading.
Mr.. Simpson," began the lady, in
unprOmising tones, 'if ever a man
should be ashamed of himself you
should. To speak to me in that cruel
manper and then to read the pa
per-" This last thought was too
much for Mrs. Simpson. She pressed
her lips tightly together and, lean
ing back in her chair, rocked fast and
furiously.
"Well, well, my dear, let us say
no more about it, remarked Mr.
Simpson, trying to save the situation
but glancing nervously at the clock.
81 was hasty. But now do see about
the dinner, that's a dear"
Mrs. Simpson, with the manner Of
one who forgives, though not forget
ting the injury, left the room and
soon the dinner was placed on the
table.
Mr.. Simpson, after several unsuc-
cessful attempts to restore the for
mer tone of hilarity to the CONVEX
sation, desisted, and a frigid silence
| - 10 hry
Mrs. Simpson, who noticed her hus-
bands failure to eat in his usually
healthy manner.
"Why don't you eat the lamb?" she
asked in hurt tones.
Because it's underdone. It's too
rare" replied Mr.. Simpson, in an
, equally hurt voice.
"Well!" exclaimed Mrs. Simpson.
''The brutality of some men beats ev-
erything. This is the second time
you've found fault with me this even
ing. If 1 had such an awful temper
as you, Mr.. Simpson, 1 don't know
what l should do"
Temper" said Mr.. Simpson, try
ing to be calm. Il don't know that
I've shown so much temper. Come,
come, let us use common sense"
Mrs. Simpson tapped the edge Of
the table impatiently with trembling
! fingers.
That's right" she said, raising her
voice. Insult me. Tell me again I
have no sense. Tell me l am an idiot,
while you are about it. You might as
WELL"
Mr.. Simpson felt himself justly ex-
asperated. eff you want the truth, :"
he said, ''yOu are behaving very much
like one"
This was the last straw. Mrs. Simp-
son burst into tears and left tina
room.
Mr.. Simpson gazed after her, mutt
tering things about women in gem
/ eral. Finally he got up and opened
the door. Mrs. Simpson," he called,
you'd better stop this foolishness
and put on your bonnet. It's time to
go, at once. The play begins at eight,
and it's a quarter to, now"
You can go to the theater, if you
choose, Mr.. Simpson" she said, bro
kenly, in accents of deepest pain and
injury, but as for me, L am going to
bed"
Mr.. Simpson sat down and reflect
ed. He felt very sad and angry. He
thought of their evenings pleasure
gone while almost in their grasp.
It's almost past belief" he said,
that women should act so. There's
no telling how to please them. And
this is our wedding anniversary" ne
. said, gathering new Indignation as he
pursued the bitter train of his refec-
tons. "A fine anniversary for a man
to come home to. It's a tragic thing.
That's what it is"
Mr.. Simpson fiicked a bit of dust
from his shining boots with his hand
kerchief.
What might have been the unhappy
outcome of such meditation one dare
not conjecture had not Mr.. Simpson
at this moment thrust his fingers
into his new waistcoat pocket and
extracted the theater tickets there
from.
He gazed at them ruefully. ITO
think" he said "Of the money I
spent on those! All wasted. ALL"
But as MIR. Simpson was about to re-
lieve his mind further on this subject
a sudden light came into his eyes.
He looked again at the date on the
tickets. He started up joyfully and
ran into Mrs. Simpsons room.
That lady was lying upon the sofa,
evidently in the last stages of de-
spair. Mr.. Simpson advanced and
clasped the partner of his sorrows TO
his breast.
Henrietta" he said, eagerly, ''let
us make it all up and be happy" Mr..
Simpsons voice fairly trembled with
delight at the turn affairs had taken.
II made a mistake" he went on,
watching his wife's face for signs of
relenting. "a mistake in the date,
when l bought the tickets. We
couldn't have gone tonight, anyway"
Mr.. Simpson laughed triumphantly
as he disclosed this bit of intelli-
gence, as who should say Wasn't
a clever man, now, to have made that