Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-06-15
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Matte Hunters
Confession q q

MATTE had a fiery temper, but that
lV1 was her worst fault.
When she married Marsh Hunter, peo-
pie opened their eyes in wonder, and
said:
She'll make his life a warm business
for him."
But Matte thought differently.
"Tll show them what a triumph love
will work. I'll teach them I'm not the
vixen | SEEM" and SO she married him.
The wedding was 4 very pleasant al
fair-something to look back upon as
long as they lived. Matte looked very
sweet in her white Swiss muslin and ap-
pie blossoms. Her jetty curls trembled
and shone in the brilliant lamplight; her
syes sparkled like twin stars, and her soft
cheeks were mantled in softer bushes as
she leaned t%rustingly OF the strong arm
of the stalwart man who was to be her
guard and guide through life.
The honeymoon was rich with the
pleasures of new-married life to the
humble pair; but the time o came
WICu tut VI HluSJ lCdNO InC ~ IOOl-
tree for the untried realities of a home
of her own. That was the first 0
the trial of leaving home and mother
but 1t was fleeting, for in the excitement
of setting up" housekeeping in the
white cottage on Squire Blackburn's
farm, the little sorrow was drowned.
1t vas very funny, and Marsh laughed,
and Matte laughed, when just they W
sat down to the little new table and ate
from the new dishes on the new cloth
the wholesome viands prepared by Mat
ties own hands and cooked on the new
stove. Everything was new and strange
ly sweet.
Everything went ON nicely, and Mat
lie was triumphant. Blu all things earth
ly must change. Happiness does not
come unalloyed. The weather grew
warm and the kitchen hot, and one of
the hottest days of the season Matte
had a distressing headache, and the sup
per must be ready at five o'clock. Mat
tie tried to get it ready. but burnt the
bread in the oven. Then she looked al
the clock, and saw it had stopped, and
looking out at the door she saw Marsh
washing his warm face and hands in the
water trough.
"Is supper ready?" he asked, and she
5lurted out something. and they had their
first quarrel! oh, dear me, the frat quar-
rel! How sorry it made the sick little
woman. But Marsh looked sullen. and
went off to the field without kissing her.
They never talked that quarrel over,
because each was too proud to
breach the subject. After that qnarrels
oftener and easier. They cid not
mean to quarrel, but somehow angry
words would come up.
After awhile a little boy came to their
household, and it seemed for a month or
two a good deal like the well-remem-
bered honeymoon; but Mattie's wretched
temper would fly to pieces again, anu the
happiness was spoiled.
ITS curious we can't get along With
out so much quarreling," said Marsh, one
winter day. after he had just put on a
heavy back log"
Matte felt the tears in her eyes in a
moment, anu ner HedTL SOIIeneu toward
Marsh, and she was about to confess her
failings and ask his forgiveness, when
he continued:
ut is all your hateful temper, Matte;
you know 1t Is"
That was enough; and what was Meant
to be a reconciliation was simply anoth-
er quarrel.
"Oh. dear me-! 1t is my w~retched tenn
perl know 1t is" sobbed Matte, after
went out; ''but he needn't have
said So"
IF | only wasn't so blunt" said Marsh
10 himself. with a sign, as he sauntered
toward the stable.
So things went from bad to worse. Lit.
tie mistakes were magnified into ter
rible wrongs The neighbors had their
fill of gossip about the matter; and final
ly one day, when Marsh went away, Mat
tie thought the thing over.
u am a wretched little nuisance she