The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-06-01
THEIR WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY
Copyright. by Joseph b. Bowles.)
BY r. W. HANsHEw

stairs, and the woman, hearing him,
was conscious of q little quickening
thrill of the pulses and of an almost
im~perceptible 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
ing-table.
you are earlier than usual this
evening, JIM" she said, as the man
came in and, with a careless, Hello!
Dressing, are you, Amy?" threw off
his oat and, whistling his way out to
the bathroom, turned on the taps and
Get the water gushing noisily.
you don't mind IL l take of my
coat in here, do you?-it's 80 wretch
eddy Close" he remarked.
What an ideal" she answered,
smiling at him over the curve of her
shoulder. "Yous know l am not ridi-
~culously exacting in such small mat
ters. JIM"
Eyes, / do know" he admitted. 81
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, them"
who? Bella? Oh, yes; she returned
from Europe six weeks ago yesterday.
Didn't I tell you"
NO" replied the woman, with a
curious Tightening of the lips. 81 have
scarcely seen you for more than five
minutes at a ~time-unless one counts
our breakfasting and dining together
for quite a period, Jim. You have
been busy, of couIse?"
"Yes. deucedly busy. But, I say!
Where did o get all the flowers? The
room is quite filed with them"
"Oh, a little bird brought them to
me. Wouldn't you like to know his
name?"
She looked over at him-half yearn-
ingly, half expectantly.
81 know 1t already-or / 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 ito have
your room filled with roses? Shall l
leave a 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 1t.
I'm such a fellow for forgetting"
YES" she concurred, with a dreary
tort of smile. You do forget, jim
often. Never mind about the flowers;
1t is only a passing fancy-just for
tonight. l thought, when vol saw
this room full of them-and the dining
room, too"
MY dear girl, i didn't look into the
dining room,' he interrupted. why
In the world should l? What's up?
Are you giving au 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
lie drawing, do your"
mot in the least. Do you like my
hair lone in this way, JIM"
81 don't know; yes-I think so. Is 1t
any different from the usual way?"
ENTIRELY. Don't you remember? 1t
is the way I 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 your"
II? Oh, I'm never sure of anything,
you know. Only--five years! Great
Scott! It seems like rs, doesn't it?
Seems as though we'd been any
thing but married. for that matter"
YES" she said, with another dreary
smile. at seems just like it, just like
1t. But you haven't told me yet how
you like my hair done in this way"
"Oh, l like it we'll enough; only
It's a trife young for you, isn't it:
When a oma gets to be 30"
Mrs. Armitage is over 80 and she
wears hers like this"
very likely. But l wasn't talking
about Mrs. Armltage. You can't be In
a very good humor this evening, Amy
That's the first time in my life I eve
beard you speak sneeringly of any.
body. And / say! For goodness sake
my dear girl, do take that dreadful
red stuff off your cheeks. When il
the world did you begin to paint?"
'Oh, about a month ago-or maybe
elk weeks. Don't you remember say
Ing after-after the child was born
and died-that yo,, thought the mos
attractive thing \ mi can posses!
is a good complexion"
eyes, but I didn't mean an artificial
one. There's all the world Of differ
en9e,"
."Yes, l suppose there is. Shall
wipe the color Off. them"
well, I'should ii l we're you. It 1
certainly not attractive"
She wiped away the offending color
and then, going to the wardrobe, tool
down an evening toilette INT insinuat
ed herself into the maze and myster,
Of 1t. do you like this gown, Jim?"
Eyes, ! think SO. It's rather pretty.
"You know Mrs. Armitage wore on