The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-07-27

n VI and then, nibbllng at a bit
Heme*x of toast, she picked up the
newspaper he had tossed
to the floor and glanced hurrledly
over 1t.
Time had been when his remarks
about the unbrowned omelette, the
charred though scarcely warm toast,
and the muddy coffee would have dis
solved her in tears. Now she did not
give a second thought to his assertion
that they were really less comfortable
with two servants than when they had
begun with none.
Neither did her mind revert to the
fime when her every move from the
moment he went to his Office in the
morning till his coming home at eve
was one grand rally against domestic
friction.
Though she had never thought of 1t,
her efforts to please him had ceased
with his failure to show appreciation.
at seems as IL Vincent thought
things just grew ms he likes them" she
had sobbed to herself one evening
three years after their marriage. when
she had quite outdone herself on a
piece of drapery. and he had gone to
the library without so much as an ap-
preciative syllable.
1t had been months since she hal
studied books of recires. Holding
open the newspaper, she took fugi-
live glimpse of the births, marriages
and deaths. Another turn, and with
the keenness of long practice, her eyes
fell upon the columns teemins with ad-
yertisements.
She settled herself ms one does in
reading an interesting book when one
feels that the real pith of the thing is
about to transpire.
Eagerly she scanned the lines Just
rs she had done every morning since
they had moved into their fine new
house, nearly two years bafore.
"Ah!' with unconscious fervency,
"they have few more of those Jap
hnese teapots at ninety eight cents. and
how can replace the beauty that Vint
broke-on purpose, too, I'm sure. And
no, never saw anything like them at
penny under S1.50"
Her eyes ran excitedly down the col
umn.
"And, as live. another slaughter in
those exquisite little Dresden cups and
saucers. I must hurry to get there
before the pick Of them is gone" and
without another thought in her head
Amelia Stone was hurrying out of her
pretty dining room, when the cook
Knocked and entered by the opposite
door. II had forgotten about dinner"
Amelia said, with an impatient frown.
SWhat have we?"
"Chlcken enough left for a salad"
snake It,"
sand the tomatoes that were not
touched put on the ice."
"Um, stew them to serve with sir
bin steak, which will order to be
lent," and she turned to go.
"And the dessert, ma'am?"
"Oh-h," mentally flounderlng. "well,
! will leave that to you" and then she
hurried up stairs and into her trim
walking costume.
When Vincent Stone came home that
evening there was an expression on his
strong face of determination, though
MS wife was too tagged with the ex-
citement Of the day to notice it.
IF you don't say something to the
cook about spelling food 1 SHALL" he
said, when he had cut into a steak
which, though burned to cinder on
The outside, was otherwise perfectly
raw. "and, now / think of it, it seems
strange, Amelia. that you haven't the
slightest executive ability"
'T thought you liked your steak
rare" she rejoined, absently, ignoring
the last part of his speech. She was
looking admiringly over his head at 9
Chinese cracker jar on the polished
mantel. 1t was the last of the days.
purchases, and she had crowded it IL
with the bisque statuettes, the Dres
den, Chelsea. Redwood Hungarian
ware. and Heaven only knows what.
He did not trust himself to reply
For the same reason he had held hi
peace with the soup, which he coul,
taste after the dessert Just like tn
good and bad all through life; the goo,
touches the palate deetingly, but til
bad makes up times over again.
He arose. but before turning to &c
said:
'T should want to talk with yen II
Wers not SO completely out of Sorts"
~Gay what you choose" shs rejoinet