Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-12-24
II he Y iirst
Quarrel

is the way it was:
They had been married two weeks
and were settled in a Harlem fat. He
sat in the Morris chair, smoking with
apparent oontentmsnt, but there were
signs that he was bit restless. She
IDLY picked up the evening paper and
glanced over it, but no divorce suits
were chronicled at any length and
there were no now affinity cases
practically nothing but whole pages of
polluos, so she tossed the paper away.
There wore few dssultory observa-
uons from each other, but, strange to
say, 1t seemed a trifle difficult to keep
conversation going. OF course there
was the stornally 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
nke taking it up again now They
were trying now to ignore their new
ness to each other and wanted to seem
settled and married-like. So there
was hint OF uncertainty, a vague
uneaslness 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
70 do or say something OF 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
seH-conscious. Finally he spoke.
Would you like to go to show this
evening""
why, don't know; do you want
to go?' inquired tho bride sweetly.
Why, no, not specially; but l
thought maybe you'd like to co.
why, yes, I'd like to go if you
think you'd care to-"
Well, | don't particularly wish to;
but l thought if you felt as if you
wanted to see show, why, we'd CO."
But l 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, 1 want to go if
you want to CO."
Yes, that's just it! But 1 don't
want to go unless you do
But then it will give me no partic-
ular pleasure to go to show unless
know you are enjoying it,"
| why, of course / will enjoy it If
you're along"
"All right, them" said he promptly.
Come on and we'll co.
But just now" said she anxiously,
you said you didn't particularly care
to; | am sure | shouldn't want to go
unless | felt that you were getting as
much fun out of it as L.
'Ffddlesticks!" He said it a trifle
impatiently. 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 to, but"
"All right, them we'll 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 co. man
fully depressing 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 sat
perturbed and anxious, feeling as if
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. Il did think when you first
mentioned a show that it would be
nice to see John Drew. I've been Just
crazy to see him in that new play of
his, but l 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 the
theater, but"
Then. for heavens sake, come ON
and let's go!"
| So they went, but neither enjoyed
the play, because Harry was grump-
ish and his wife was hurt On their
return Harry stumbled over something
in the dark hallway, and said "h-l!"
and the brides feelings gave way i'm.
mediately. Then ensued their first
quarrel. 1t is said they all go through
1t some time or other, generally in the
early part of the married state.
Various SCHOOLS" of Painters.