The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-12-07
The First
Quarrel

1t is said they all go through II
some time or other. generally in the
early part of the married state. Here
is the way 1t was:
They had been married two weeks
and were settled in a Harlem fat He
sat in the Morris chair, smoking with
apparent contentment, but there were
signs that he was bit restless. She
Idly picked up the evening paper and
glanced over 1t, but no divorce suits
were chronicled at any length and
there were no new affinity cases
practically nothing but whole pages of
politics, so she tossed the paper away.
There were few desultory observa-
tons from each other, but, strange to
say, 1t semed trifie difficult to keep
a conversation going. OF course there
was the eternally fruitful topic of
themselves and what each meant to
the other, but this subject had been
so thoroughly discussed during their
honeymoon that neither felt exactly
like taking it up again now. They
were trying nov to ignore their new
ness to each other and wanted to seem
settled and married-like. So there
was a hint of uncertainty, a vague
uneasiness in the air Hubby glanced
at his bride as if he felt that in his
capacity as head of the household and
her lord and master it was up to him
to do or say something or other, but
he didn't know what
He glanced at her again. Their eyes
met, and instantly each looked off
somewhere in an attempt not to seem
self-conscious. Finally he spoke
Would you like to go to chow this
EVENING""
why, l don't know; do you want
to go?" inquired the bride sweetly.
why, no, not specially; but I
thought maybe you'd like to &C." =
why. yes, I'd like to so If you
think you'd care to-"
We'll, don't particularly wish to;
but / thought if you felt as if you
wanted to see show. why, we'd CO."
But | don't want to drag you out
with you looking so comfy and fixed!"
| protested the bride affectionately
How absurd!" said hubby fondly.
That doesn't matter If you think you
| would like TO go out
But l don't want to go if you're
coming along just because you think
you're pleasing me-"
Nonsense! Why, want to go if
you want to co.
Yes, that's just 1t! But | don't
u IN on do
But then 1t will give me no partic-
ular pleasure to go to a show unless
| know you are enjoying it,"
why, of course l will enjoy it If
you're along"
"All right. then" said he promptly.
Come on and well CO."
But just now" said she anxiously,
you said you didn't particularly care
to-; l am sure | shouldn't want to go
unless | felt that you were getting as
much fun out of it as l."
"Fiddlesticks!" He said it a trife
lmpatiently. Now listen to me and
answer yes or no-do you or do you
not want to go to a show?"
why, you know, Harry, I'd just
love 10, put
"All right. then, Wen go!" ex-
claimed he a bit shortly, springing
to his feet.
But I'd be perfectly miserable all
the time," said the bride, thinking
that you'd come just to please me, and
that we might have had cozy little
evening at home if"
"All right then, we won't 60" man.
fully REFRESHING an impulse to anger
and replying resignedly as he sat
down again.
He picked up the paper and pre-
tended to become Immediately alb
sorbed in it, settling back in his chair
with an air of patient but irrevocable
finality. Mrs. Bride glanced appeal
ingly at him, but his face was stony
and gave her no comfort. She sal
perturbed and anxious, feeling as Il
something dreadful. had happened. A
deathlike silence ensued for perhaps
two minutes. Mrs. Bride then broke
it fearfully.
Harry" she said, Il feel perfectly
dreadful-as if you were terribly an
CRY at me. But you are not, are your
Pause. II did think when you frs
mentioned show that it would b.
nice to see John Drew. I'VE been jus
} crazy to see him in that new play o
his, but / was not sure that"
Then you do want to go, after all {?
} said her husband, laying down his pa
per and staring across at her mysti
fiedly.
} Why. l always love to go to tn
! theater, but"
Then. for heavens sake, come Of
, and let's go!"
) SO they went, but neither enjoye,
the play, because Harry was grumr