Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-29

Old Blazers Hero
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY
8 B % sBE:

Mary" called the jolly. rollicking
voice from the foot of the stairs, where
are your Then there was an exclama-
ton, and 'Hillo! what do you do here?'
Her place was by her husbands side
If her sense of duty could not carry her
so far now how had it led her to the
altar? But she moved reluctantly, and
came upon the pair pale as ghost. and
with eyes red and swollen with crying.
Hackett was reading the document
Abram had presented to him by the light
of lamp. and he had thrust his felt hat
on one side to clutch a disorderly handful
Of curls.
will" she said, laying hand upon
his shoulder He turned with grimace
intended TO make light of the thing, and
went back to his reading.
"Old Lowther, is it?" said he, half to
himself He promised to wait, the vii
lain. Well. who sups with the Lowther
should have a long spoon. and mines of
the shortest. I'm afraid he'll get the
best of it. Look herer'-he addressed
himself to Abram-''you keep dark. I've
got two or three gentlemen coming to
supper and to take hand at cards.
don't want you in the way. You under
stand y
Right you are. governor" responded
Abram. Pm willing to make things
agreeable. You can have the plate in
if you like, so long as see it come out
again"
Hackett laughed at this, though rath-
er comfortlessly
"All right, my lad" he said "You
stick to the kitchen"
'Will,' said his wife, when Abram
had retirea, you won't have people here
tonight She laid timid hand upon
his arm, and looked up at him appealing
ly.
why not?" he asked. staring at her
in affected establishment Il must.
They'll be here in FIVE minutes my dear,
and you must get a bit of supper ready"
There is nothing in the house." she
answered miserably. 1T is too late to
send out, and / am ashamed to send to
the tradespeople already"
He stood gnawing at his mustache for
a minute, and bent his eyebrows as he
stared gloomily at the floor.
'Oh. I'll put that all right" he said,
! recovering himself. and turning with his
usual jaunty swagger. Il shan't be away
more than ten minutes, and you'll tell the
fellows to wait. I'm going down to the
hotel, and I'll get the landlord to send
something up
WILL" she broke out sobbing, where
is all this to end? You entertain your
friends when we haven't even bread to
eat ourselves that we can pay for hon
estly"
Look here, Polly" said Hackett, turn
ing upon her with an expression which
had first surprised her on her wedding
day, and had since then grown familiar:
my business is my business. Leave me
to it and mind your own. And dom
take that tone with me, for / can't stand
it. and I'm not going to try"
She dropped her hands with a gesture
of despairing resignation, and turned
! away. Mr. Hackett was a great deal too
DESTROYS of his own good opinion to per-
nit the discussion to close in this man
ner. When a man is Individually in the
right, and is profoundly conscious that
there is nothing in his career for which
he can blame himself, he naturally likes
to say so.
Il won't have those airs" said he
therefore, ANY more than I'll have that
tone" Miserable as she was, she found
strength enough for flash of disdain at
this. The scorn in her eyes was weary
and sad enough, but it was none the less
real on that account And 1 won't be
looked at in that way, either" he went
on. in tone more fraskly wrathful than
he had ever used before to her. Don't
you try that sort of air on me, my lady,
or you'll find it won't pay, l can assure
4l.s 4
to have a perpetual wet blanket in the
house, you are very much mistaken. let
me tel you. And here's another thing.
You've been pretty shy of my friends
ever since we married; and lately, when
ever one of them comes into the house. [
notice that you go away and hide your
sell. Now. I'm not going to stand that,
either. You'll come in Tonight and take
your place at the head of the supper
table. where you ought to be. Mind that.
now"
She never changed the weary lock of
anger and disdain which had impelled
him to tag this injunction to his list of
complaints. and he, growing restless I'M
der it, had turned away from her, and
opening the hall door, had delivered the
greater part of his speech y llf in the
house and half out Of it, ibe young
young gentleman not only wanted to
stand well with himself, but had, per
haps, even a stronger desire to stand
well with other people: and if he had
suspected the presence of Ned Blame out
side it is likely that he would have mod
Grated his tone; for although it is I'M
deniably a pleasant thing to bully the
feeble, and TO have ones way with full
assurance OF courage. where there is no
danger, the most triumphant iswaggerer
would prefer TO execute his PAGES in pri-
vate.