The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-10-30
An ODD AFFIL|AT|ON
lOriginal.l

who would come in in the evening and
chat wa<h them. They had plenty of
acquaintance, but no one to be init
mate with. Mrs. Ramsey asked her
husbapd to get II of his men friends
to come and dine with them. but Dick
Ramsey was Il man of the world who
knew when his matrimonial affairs
We're in good condition and preferred
to let we'll enough alone. Not thai he !
didn't trust his wife implicitly. He
simply didn't propose to so out of his
way to bring about complications.
One evening while the Ramseys were
out Mrs. Ramsey was introduced to
a widow with whom she fell desperate
ly in love at first sight.
ooh. Dick she said. 1--WE met the
| loveliest woman in the world. She's
taken the third house from us up the
street. I'm going to call on her, and
she's promised to com in often. play
whist, %pingpong, anything we like.
Well have a delightful winter!'
That's very nice. Is dinner ready"
"Just like a man-no enthusiasm
about anything except something to
eat!' replied the wife, disappointed.
Mrs. Ramsey called on the widow.
and within a week the widow returned
he call. Then Mrs. Ramsey invited
her to come in to spend al evening.
She made herself very agreeable; in
deed she professed all the friendliness
that could be desired. When she was
ready to go home Mr.. Ramsey escorted
her.
The widow invited the Ramseys to
make her an evening visit to play
whist and had a gentleman in to make
up the set. The gentleman was to play
with Mrs. Ramsey. and he did. He
tried hard to make himself agreeable
to her, but Mrs. Ramsey didn't care
for his attentions. However, when
the widow took Mr.. Ramsey off to her
aviary to show him her birds the wife
was obliged to content herself with
the stranger.
The situation about Christmas time
was this:
The widow was very much with MI.
Ramsey. The utilization between the
three was the talk of the town. A rel
alive of Mrs. Ramsey was bold enough
to speak to her about the matter, and
lAS VILE uCCiulcu lhuL SuC d pCllCCl-
ly at ease as to the intimacy between
her husband and the widow.
However, Mrs. Ramsey grew nerv-
GUS, excitable, pale, and when alone,
had a troubled look on her face. The
truth is, she hated the widow as bit
terly as she had loved hers But the
more she hated her the more she
raved about her beauty, her wit, her
humor or her many attractive ways.
No one dared speak against the wild
ow in Mrs. Ramsey's presence, and
whenever the husband and the mutual
friend We're most together the wife
seemed most called upon to sound her
rivals praises.
AS for Dick Ramsey, he was one of
those imperturbable, reticent fellows
who keep their own counsel. He new
er spoke of the widow in company,
leaving Mrs. Ramsey to sound suffi-
cient praises for both. Seeing that his
wife's health was becoming impaired.
y he proposed a sea trip to Cuba. Mrs.
Ramsey yielded, then astonished her
husband by inviting the widow to be
Of the party. The widow accepted,
suggesting that it would be pleasant
' to take along the gentleman who had
-, played whist with them. But Mrs.
: Ramsey declined to invite him.
! Mr.. Ramsey. though surprised at this
r move of his wife, made no comment.
However, during the voyage he man
! aged matters so that Mrs. Ramsey vas
not left alone; the three were constant,
ly together. .-s
-v, t-,
When the party returned, Mrs. Ram.
sey was no better. Indeed, she was
worse. She declined to own that she
: was ill. and to speak to her on the sub
ject Of her health was as dangerous
as to decry the rival in her presence
The thinner, more wan Mrs. Ramsey
became the heartier grew the widow.
Evil disposed persons said that the
widow was a vampire drawing the life
blood from the wife whose husband
! she was drawing at the anne time. Al
; Easter Mrs. Ramsey was little more
than skin and bone. Her husband was
very anxious about her and asked his
doctor what he should do.
. "Take her on a trip"
al "Tve done that"
D it again. and this time go with
y her alone" ."
Ramsey went to his wife and told hel
\ that he was making arrangements tc
! take her to Europe. She consented. hn1
he same evening Ramsey saw a note
on his wife's dressing case addressed
to the widow. At the same moment his
wife came in.
MARY" he said, Il don't want t.
pry into you affairs. but does tina
note contain an invitation to that ours
ed woman to join us on this trip?"
Cursed woman?'
= "Ies. Ever since you became infat
. uated with her last autumn she has
" been the bane of my existence. She
q has palaverad over me. and |. not dar
. ing to give YOU my opinion of her