Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-15

Nv Octn E0IiSttItn Hdi hob
80 included in her joys the great
national institution, hysteria. She was
a thorough paced American woman
nerves, emotions and all.
The great national institution, which
has been adopted by women for the
preservation Of the home life in Amer
lea. was to be recognized in Margaret
i'm its perfectest estate. To Chetwind
Il was at once a penance and trib-
ute. and as administered by Margaret
age could not wither 1t nor custom
stale its infinite variety.
While Chetwind attended to business
Margaret drove and machined and
cotilloned and operated and dined,
and. incidentally, waited AS a mat
ter of fact, she did all things, largely
for the purpose of filling the hiatus
between Chetwinds devotional periods.
At this moment a dose of the Amer
ican womans catholicon was about
due Chetwind-his last devotional pc
riod being by now almost ancient his
tory-had been busy.
OF late-four mornings, anyhow
Margaret had got out of bed at odds
with the world, because she had no
grievance. OF late whenever she had
spoken she had been certain of neither
her temper nor her intentions. This
kind of thing Chetwind called "going
off at half cock"
Having worked herself into a rip
ping fine state of nerves and being
temperamentally quite irresponsible,
Margaret discovered that Chetwind
didn't love her; Fifine was combing
her hair-which reminded her of her
head-which reminded her of the head
ache she had mentioned to Chetwind
yesterday-which reminded her that
he had gone to his office thereafter,
instead of calling consultation of
physicians, and that he did not remain
at home to hold her hand, while Wall
street distintegrated under pressure of
a headache somewhere on Fifth ave-
nue-all of which reminded her of how
hollow are life and love and she was
finally compelled to doubt that Gods
in his heaven moreover, it convinced
her that Chetwind was killing her!
Killing her! My God!
Then, too there was Fifine-a part
of whose mission as a plu-perfect
maid was to arouse a storm which
could be oiled down only with full
day at home by the American husband,
all spent in a reavowal of eternal love
Fifines whole French soul was in her
mission. While she combed Margarets
hair she frequently sighed, and a
suitable reflection of countenance was
reflected to Margaret in the mirror.
II have nev-vaire seen but one wo-
man whose hair was so beautiful as
dame's-nev-vaire!" She sighed
Margaret felt momentarily more and
more convinced of Chetwind's ill
treatment of her.
When Margaret went down the starts
ten minutes later she hoped she looked
ill, she meant to. In short, having
been of that intention for four days,
she was ill. When she was very i'll
indeed she always wore a new gown.
Chetwind could almost schedule the
spell by what she wore. Chetwind
adored her; but ordinarily he hadn't
the time to mention it.
Chetwind was already down, and be-
hind his paper. He looked up and
nodded when Margaret came in.
"Coffees cold, Nita," he mentioned
She sent it out. Chetwind said nothing
about yesterdays headache. He simply
propped his paper beside his plate and
glanced at her.
You look stunning this morning"
he remarked and she felt the affront
to be complete. He did not observe
the severity of her silence, and Mar
garet was becoming impressed that the
cause was present. She said some
thing inconsequent, in a high Ameri-
can key. Then presently she was rat
Ting along at a fine pace-not being
prepared to weep so early in the day.
And now to get away from tears she
started of at the Winward-H -Hayden's
annual ball, and after a while she was
saying:
II think nobody cares for that sort
of thing any more, do you, Chet? Just
ruffles and lace and feathers--of
course feathers-it's different with
feathers; if you're distinguished and
awful looking feathers. right up high,
make you more so; if you aren't dis
tinguished but are fiighty and insig-
nificant looking, like that Ormond
woman. It's different with feathers!"
She paused for Chetwind to reply, and
since he did not seem to think any re-
ply was necessary she reinforced the
moment with, Don't you think so?"
"Er-why. l think it's not so very
hot" Chetwind remarked, trying to
catch up with her.
AS matter of fact his mind had
continued on the main controversial
track having it's starting point at the
Winward Hayden's annual ball, in
January That meant a round of silk