The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-07-27

AS time slipped away. that which
he had foreseen came TO pass
Charlie was always in a hurry. After
business hours there were house
hold errands to be attended to. or he
was in a rush to get home. for "the
little woman did not like him to he
lae at dinner There were no more
golden moments when the two came
together to talk things over and to
dine at their leisure when appetite
prompted. The delight OF keeping
Irregular hours was thing of the
past The purp0seless Sunday after
rocr walks they had been in the
habi of taking. going somewhere
ttoy did not know why, to do some
thing they did not know what, we're
at an end. Unconsciously. John
caught Charles mania for hurry.
and at night, after he had closed his
Office FASTENED to his boarding place.
as If the next moment was his last,
there to gulp down his dinner with
speed that left him facing a long.
empty evening.
The one who is left behind suffers
NOR from the change than the one
wmO has gone to new scenes and
fresh interests For few months
aftei Charles marriage the nov
city of housekeeping and of having
wife and home excluded every other
consideration. His wife neither need
ed, nor wanted, anything or any one
else. The walls of her house bound
ed her world, and her sun rose and
set in Charlie. John had been invited
to spend an occasional evening with
them, and he was bidleu to always
feel free TO join them nc their sam
day dinner But John was wise in
the affairs Of men, He diI not wish
to run the risk Of being regarded as
an intruder, and he never went TO
the home Of his friend without a spe-
ciai invitation.
The day dawned when Charlie
missed the support and stimulus Of
JoaI's calm strength and ready sym
pathy He felt the old longing 20
tel johnny about it, when good or
ill-iuck attended his fortunes. He
needed the spur OF unbiased opin-
ion that stamped him either fool or
q wise man as it might happen. The
wires Of friendship that had sagged
anL slackened were pulling taut
again. And as they pulled, he danced
like marionette to their straining
He began to revolt against domestic
restraint, and his rebellion gave
birth to moments of irritation. It
grew painful to pose forever on the
pedestal of idealty where he had
been placed by his wife. The mascu-
line companionship that lent zest to
h life was missing, and, by reason
o. its absence, he found it a most de-
sirable quantity.
was the evening of a day mark
inG the successful close of a business
deal OF which he had great expecta-
tions. He carried the glad news
home to his wife and received her
appreciation and congratulations
Still he feared she did not quite m
derstand the keenness of his opera
tions, He wanted to tell johnny.
Oh, to tell Johnny, that eager de-
sirewould not be quieted. In his rest
lCssness he wore a shiny place on his
trousers moving back and forth on
his chair. At length, he got light to
see the way He was not a prisoner.
1t was only fear of disapproval that
held him in chains. Even if man
me ~ Cd he
the friend of a lifetime. When he
stopped to think, he remembered
that he had never been asked to re-
linquish that friend It was the
knowledge that. while his wife was
graciously polite when John accept
ed their hospitality, she did not en-
courage frequent visits. This un-
SPOKEN disapproyal had enslaved
him
He sprang to his feet with sud-
denness that startled his companion.
She had been swaying her chair to
and fro, singing under her breath a
melody of happiness.
Where are you going, Charlie?"
she cried, alarmed by that fierce light
OF determination glittering in his
eyes
Pm going to tell Johnny about
ii" he answered, finishing his
thoughts aloud, in tones that for
bade discussion.
J. was the first evening he had
left his wife since they had been
married. For a moment she felt as
If lie had dealt her a blow Then she
was blessed with understanding
Like flash it was revealed to her
ttat the prolonged solitude of two is
not best for continued harmony.
While she was thinking, Charlie had
gone out of the front door and had
closed it. She ran after him and
reached the veranda just as he was
turning into the street.
Charlie" she called, "oh, Charlie,
bring John here. I'm going to bed
early tonight. You can have the
house to yourselves. Bring John
here, will you, Charlie?"
Charlie would and did Late in
the night, the little woman who had
wisdom, awakened and smiled, when
she heard ascending from the lower
floor, the rumble of contented mas
culine voices raised in their old-time
friendship song.
The Windy Orator.
4 longwinded member of the Mas
sachusetts Legislature was delivering