The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-05-22

A ladybird had dropped from some
Overhanging bOugh, and was crawling
slowly up his back In the direction Of
his collar.
Had she really made George look like
a fool? And did he mind looking fool
for her sake? Surely the ideal, the
perfect husband should shrink from
nothing, not even ridicule, incurred In
his wife's service. And yet-and yet
no man likes to be made to look like
fool. 1t isn't In human nature.
Thoughtfully she stared at the lady
bird, as 1t made its slow, laborious jour
ney across Georges light coat.
After all, perhaps. she had expected
him to do a little too much fetching
and carrying, and all that sort of thing
or course man should wait on wom-
an. That was perfectly right and
proper, but-there are limits to every
thing.
Was George beginning to recognize
this? Was that the reason why he had
not been as ready as usual to patch up
their last little sQuabble?
Now she came to think of it. she re-
membercd how the squnbble had origin
ated.
She had commissioned him to get a
certain back number of an illustrated
paper that contained a portrait which
she had admired
The offices of the paper were in Fleet
street, and George had an office in Hol-
born, so that it would have been the
easiest thing in the world for him to get
that paper. But no, he had simply for
gotten all about 1t. He had had a busy,
harassing day, he said. He was awful
ly sorry, and he would be sure to re-
member tomorrow.
Now, she had particularly wanted the
paper that very day, but what upset
her most was not so much the want of
the paper, as the fact that he should
have forgotten to fulfill a wish OF hers.
His business worries had, for the
time, Obliterated the remembrance Of
her! The thought was uncomfortable.
She had told him so, and that is how
the squabble had begun.
The ladybird had by this time reached
the rim Of Georges coat collar.
Well, certainly he had been looking
rather worried lately. Perhaps it was
little unfair to expect him to devote
his entire thoughts to her and and her
wishes.
She began to remember a hundred
petty tyrannies which she had exercised
and to which he had submitted pa
tiently.
Harmless little tyrannies, most OF
them but quite unnecessary, too-tyr-
annies she had practiced simply be
cause she loved to see him at her feet.
She remembered reading somewhere
once that the true secret Of married
happiness was the principle of give
and take"
The woman, as well as the man, must
be prepared to give and take. Up to the
present he had done all the giving. she
all the taking.
How blind. how selfish she had been.
She saw II all now.
Why, why should the man be always
on his knees to the woman? Why
should she be the queen. and he the
slave? She had never questioned her
right until now, and she could find no
reasonable title to the claim.
Surely the woman who loves her hus-
band should be as ready TO serve as to
be served. There could be no question
Of commanding or obeying on either
side.
The ladybird was balancing itself in
a reckless manner on the edge OF
Georges white collar. If he moved his
head ever so slightly, the tiny thing
would inevitably be crushed.
In the midst Of her remorse she was