The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-18
THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
RY n. w. HANsHEw.

BH IT. W. HANshEWs tCopyright, 1906, by Joseph B. Bowles).
 The man came whistling up the stairs, and the woman, hearing him, was conscious of little auickening thrill of the pulses and of an almost imperceptible trembling of the hand, as she closed the lid of the rouge-oot and pushed 1t out of sight behind the litter of glass and silver on the dress ing-table.
 evening, Jim" she said, as the man came in, and, with careless, Hello! Dressing, are you. Amy? threw OH his coat and, whistling his way out to the bathroom, turned on the taps and set them water gushing noisily.
 You don't mind if l take of my coat in here, do you?--its so wretch edly close" he remarked
 What an idea.' she answered. smli- ing at him over the curve of her shoul- der You know l am not ridlculously exacting in such small matters, Jim.
 Yes, I know" he admitted. T Was saying to Bella Armitage only the other day, you are one of the most even tempered women living
 She ia back in town again ,thenF
 Who? Bella? Oh yes; she returned from Europe six weeks ago yesterday Didn't 1 tell your"
 No" replied the woman, with a curious tightening of the lips. T have scarcely seen you for more than hNe minutes at a time-unless one counts our breakfasting and dining together flor quite a period, Jim. You have been busy, of courseY
 "Yes, deucedly busy. But, l say. Where did you get all the howers? The room Is quite filled with them.
 l. !. hAn z me. Wouldn't you like to Anow his name?'
 She looked over at him--half yearn- ingly half expectantly.
 T know 1t already-or l shall when he sends in his bill" he replied, with the easy good -humor of indifference. and the carelessness of confidence. Sort of new fad this. isn't tito have your room, filled with roses? Shall leave a standing order for the at Budleigh's in the morning? Or, perhaps you'd better let one ot the servants do that, when 1 come to think of IL. I'm such a fellow for forgetting.
 Yes" she eoncurred, with dreary sort of smile. You do forget, Jim often Never mind about the flowers; it Is only passing fancy--just for to- night. 1 thought, when you saw this room full of them-and the dining room, 100 -
 My dear girl, didn't look into the dining room.F he interrupted. Why, in the world should I? Whats up? Are you giving an entertainment to- night?"
 No"
 I'm glad of that. It would have been no end of a bore if you had. Don't mind my sitting here while my bath is drawing, do your
 Not in the least. Do you like my hair done in this way, Jim?'
 "I don't know; yes---I think so. s 1t any different from the usual way?"
 Entirely. Don't you remember? It Is the way l wore it five years ago when we were first married
 Five years? Aren't you a little out in your reckoning? Are you sure:"
 Perfectly. Why. aren't you?'
 1T? Oh. I'm never sure of anything, Scott! It seems like twenty-five, doesn't it? Seems as though we'd ncv- CT been anything but married, for that matter"
 Yes" she said, with another dreary smile. Tt seems just like 1t, just like it. But you haven't told me yet how you like my hair done in this way"
 "oh. l like 1t we'll enough; only it's trife young for you, isn't 1t? " nen a WOlidH EGlS tO Uc ou---N-
 Mrs. Armitage is over 30 and she wears hers like this"
 Very likely. But I wasn't talking about Mrs. Armitage You cant be in & very good humor this evening. Amy. That's the first time in my life I ever heard you speak sneeringly of anybody. And sayt For goodness sake. my dear girl, do take that dreadful red stun off your cheeks. When in the af,,t
 oh. about a month ago--or maybe siN weeks. Don't you remember say ing after-after the child was born and died-that you thought the most attractive thing a woman can possess is a good complexion?'
 Yes, but didn't mean an artificial one. There's all the world of differ ence."
 Yes, l suppose there is. Shall I wipe the color off, then?"
 Well. I should if I were you. It Is certainly not attractive"
 She wiped away the offending color. and than, going to the wardrobe. took down an evening toilette and insitu- ated herself into the maze and mystery of It. Do you like this gown, Jim?"
 Yes. I think so. It's rather pretty"
 You know Mrs. Armltage wore one just like 1t at the opera a 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?"
 "Yes, certainly: don't mind. I rather like the smell, in fact. And Jim"
 "Yes?"
 Here's something [ bought for you today thought you would like it It's just a little thing to hang on your watch chain. And there's a picture of me-inside,'
 "oh. thanks very much. But what made you think of buying things for