Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-08-22
A REASON FOR
INCOMPATIBILTTY


bench ana began 10 ask queStlOnb.
do you lighthouse keepers get lons-
ET'
81 don't"
"How about your wife?"
81 never hear her complain"
"Then you're contented and happy
The keeper turned and looked out to
sea, without reply for some time, thea,
turning again, said:
Were both miserable"
The stranger changed position, the
movement and his manner indicating
that he had purpose in view and had
struck its trail
"Wife pine for companyT he asked.
II don't think so; she says not"
"rhen what's the matter"
"I1l tell you. Dolly Markham was as
pretty and as nice girl as ever you'd
see in the village where 1 married
her.
''She's pretty as peach now" inter
rupted the visitor.
1--WE loved each other just naturally
fell right into it as soon as we met. !
didn't have any trouble to get her and
she didn't have any trouble to get me.
We were married and came to live in
the little house just up on the hill l
had told her that there was dearth
Of nelghbOrs here and she'd have to be
satisfied with me- She said was all
she wanted, and when she came was
delighted with the house, which is very
cozy and comfortable. was looking
forward to a happy life here by the
sea, which l have always loved.
81 don't know how 1t was, but we
hadn't been here a month before she
began to say sharp things to me, she
who bad been a model of amiability,
and l, who had always prided myself
on being able to keep my temper, sur
prised myself by giving it back to her.
Within half an hour after saying dis
agreeable words to each other we'd
both be sorry and would kiss and
make up. But we kept getting into
new quarrels, and at last we didn't
take the trouble to make up. We just
let it all go without either of us ex-
pressing regret and began over again.
We loved each other just the same
and would have been happy IL we
hadn't fallen into habit of quarrel
ing about every little thing that came
up. We tried to stop it, but we
couldn't.
''At the end of six months Dolly went
back to her native town. We had to
separate. We didn't say anything
about q divorce, but just separated. ]
pinned so without her that after awhile
/ got my brother to take my place
here, and / went to see what Dolly
was doing. l found that she pined for
me as l did for her. 1 stayed a month
In the town. We both bad plenty OF
friends and went about a good deal
with them and spent some time by
ourselves. In that whole thirty days
we didn't speak one sharp word TO
each other I asked her to go back
with me, and she agreed that II we
could pass another month without
quarrel she'd do as ] asked We pass
ed another month in perfect peace,
then we went back resolved that there
should be no more unhappiness from
incOmpatability Of temper.
Owe hadn't been back two days be-
fore we had spat. And, having had
one. we had another Doll stood 1t as
long as she could. then went back
home again. This time 1t seemed nee
essary, for the child was coming, and
1t didn't do for her to be rasped. After
the child was born Joined them both
and spent a happy time with them,
during which we hadn't, as before,
single quarrel.
at seemed that the child ought to
keep us from scraps in future, and we
came back But, you know, child for
the first three months has lot of collie,
and it's mighty trying to the temper,
so that now there was some excuse
for
THAT wasn't it," interrupted the
stranger "Go on"
"At any rate, we quarreled more than
ever The little one Is now three years
old, we love her and each other, but
we can't keep our tempers. There being
three of us. we can't separate as be-
fore; the child keeps us together. We
don't want to separate; we just want
to keep steady, but we can't. Some
times / think there's something in the
sea air to stir people up. Sometimes
l think l am failing or Doll is failing
under some hidden disease. But a doc
tor looked us both over and says we're
all right l asked him why we had to
fight and he said our physical makeup
was not harmonious"
NONSENSE exclaimed the stranger.
whats that you say, sir2"
Pm the director Of an insane asy-
lum. Insanity comes largely from VIC
lating natural laws. Man is gregan-
GUS animal. Deprive him Of the con-
pany of others-various others-and ne
breaks up. Shut up two people together
to pass through the same scenes day
after day, month after month, and they
will have to quarrel; they can't help
it. That is my theory and I'm testing
it. Thus far I've proved 1t in every
case"
Arising, the visitor shook the hand Of
the lighthouse keeper, left silver dol
lar in his palm and departed
A year later man called al. the --
lunatic asylum and asked for the d.
rector.
"Ahr' said the latter on entering.
"The lighthouse keeper"
'No, sir, the ex-lighthouse keeper. My
wife and live in town full Of people
and know every one Of them. Three
nights in the week we go somewhere
or some one comes In. Our fights are
ended. We're happy"
Ready For a Test.
"Do ymI think that absence really
1. o,.f IN