St. Tammany farmer., 1906-06-16
THEIR WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY
BY +. W. HANSHEW
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles.)
i. |,

stairs, and the woman, hearing him,
was conscious of little quickening
thrill of the pulses and of an almost
imperceptible trembling of the hand.
as she closed the lid of the rouge pot
and pushed it out OF sight behind the
litter of glass and silver on the dress
iDg-table.
'You are earlier than usual this
evening, Jim," she said, as the man
came in and. with careless, Hello!
Dressing, are you, Amy?" threw OF
his coat and, whistling his way out to
the bathroom, turned on the taps and
Get the water gushing noisily.
'You don't mind II l take OF my
coat in here, do you?-it's SO wretch
edly close" he remarked.
what an ideal" she answered,
smiling at him over the curve of her
shoulder. "You know l am not ridi-
culously exacting in such small mat
ters, jim"
eyes, do know" he admitted. II
was saying to Bella Armitage only the
other day, you are one of the most
even-tempered women living"
"She is back In town again. then?''
''Who? Bella? Oh, yes; she returned
from Europe six weeks ago yesterday.
Didn't tell you:"
"No," replied the woman. with q
curious tightening Of the lips. Il have
scarcely seen you for more than five
minutes at a time-unless one counts
our breakfasting and dining together
for quite period, Jim. You have
been busy. Of course?"
Eyes. deucedly busy. But, l say!
Where did you get all the flowers? The
room Is quite filled with them
'Oh. little bird brought them to
me. Wouldn't you like to know his
name?"
She looked over at him-half yearn-
ingly, half expectantly.
II know it already-or I shall when
he sends in his biN." he replied. with
the easy good-humor Of indifference.
and the carelessness of confidence.
''Sort Of new fad this. isn't ito have
your room filed with roses? Shall I
leave q standing order for them at
Budleigh's in the morning? Or perhaps
you'd better let one Of the servants
do that, when I come to think Of It.
I'm such fellow for forgetting"
EYES," she concurred. with a dreary
cort OF smile. 'You do forget. Jim
often. Never mind about the flowers;
It is only a passing fancy-just for
tonight thought, when you saw
this room full Of them-and the dining
room, too"
my dear girl. Z didn't look into the
dining room,' he interrupted. why
in the world should I? What's up?
Are you giving an entertainment to-
night!"
"No."
"I'm glad Of that. It would have
been no end of a bore II you had. Don't
mind my sitting here while my bath
is drawing. do you?"
mot in the least. Do you like my
hair done in this way, Jim?"
II don't know; yes-I think SO. Is It
any different from the usual way?'
Entirely. Don't you remember? It
Is the way wore 1t five years ago
when we were first married"
give years? Aren't you a little out
IN your reckoning? Are you sure?"
Perfectly. Why, aren't you?"
ri? Oh. I'm never sure Of anything.
you know. Only-five years! Great
Scott! It seems like Is. doesn't It?
Eeems as though we'd never been any
thing but married. for that matter"
"Yes," she said, with another dreary
smile. ut seems just like 1t, just like
It. But you haven't told me yet how
you like my hair done in this way
'Oh, like 1t we'll enough; only
it's a trifle young for you, isn't It?
When a woman gets to be 30"
"Mrs. Armitage is over 30 and she
wears hers like this.''
every likely. But wasn't talking
about Mrs. Armi.age. You can't be in
very good humor this evening, Amy.
That's the first time in my life ever
heard you speak sneeringly Of any
body. And say! For goodness sake,
my dear girl, do take that dreadful
red stuff OF you- cheeks. When in
the world did you begin to paint?'
"Oh, about q month ago-or maybe
six weeks. Don't you remember say
Ing after-after the child was born
and died-that you thought the most
attractive thing \ womap can possess
1s q good complexion7"
Eyes, but I didn't mean an artificial
one. There's all the world of differ
ence."
3 Eyes. I suppose there is. Shall
wipe the color on. them"
'Well, should II were you. It is
certainly not attractive"
She wiped away the offending color.
and then. going t. the wardrobe, took
down an evening toilette and insinuat-
ed herself into the maze and mystery
Of 1t. DO you like this gown, Jim?"
Eyes, think SO. It's rather pretty"
''You know Mrs. Armitage wore one
Just like it at the opera week ago."
"How could you know that? You
said I never told you she had re-
turned"
''Nor did you. Nine. Arnault told
me-her dressmaker, you know. She
made this gown, too.
"But, Jim, have a cigar; you don't
look comfortable or natural without
one"
What, In here?"
Eyes, certainly; don't mind.
rather like the smell. in fact. And
Jim!"
"Yes?"