The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-03-19
JEALOUSY AND
THE CAR
By d. C. BURGESS.

SsOtSOts0SsOSsSesoes<S
Betsy Grace was young and beauti-
ful-very beautiful. Golden hair, blue
eyes, fresh complexion, buxom figure;
she was everything attractive. She
would have done excellently for the
heroine of a modern novel, externally;
but look within. She was very honest
and wholesome-minded, and almost In.
conveniently candid. That surely con-
dennis her for the role. Everything
she felt or did was thorough, and al
though, doubtless, she possessed one,
she was never reminded that she had
a liver.
She had ever been content with life
as she found it; but content is not
quite the same as happiness. Like all
healthy girls-she was 20-she had al
ways entertained a hope of marrying
an exceptionally attractive and i'm
mensely wealthy man.
Unlike the many, she was now going
to realize this ambition; nor did her
good fortune end here-she loved this
paragon devotedly, and he, whole
heartedly, reciprocated her affection.
Content was changed into radiant hap.
piness. There was no need for wait.
ing; the wedding was to be at once.
She knew her paragon could never
prove faithless; he had told her SO. 1t
is only those who have never known
who murmur, What nonsense!"
: Nothing else could she think of that
could possibly come between her and
bliss, and she mentally crowed.
The honeymoon was over Betsy
had enjoyed it, and what was more,
: was not ashamed to say so. They had
motored from place to place in her
husbands car. Though perfect, he
was one of those monsters bred Of the
twentieth century, the motor fanatic.
Betsy was the most obliging Of girls,
and, it must not be forgotten, adored
her husband. She had struggled to
cultivate a deep interest In motors in
: general, and the motor in particular
But, after month, she was bound to
admit she had failed; and being one Of
the few who cannot put feeling in
the window of which they have not
large stock within, this grieved her not
little.
1t wasn't that the paragon desired
her to understand the cars .'innards;;
on the contrary, he was not prude,
but he shared the opinion of many
men, that girl with truly mechani
cal mind is almost indeeently unmaid.
eniy.
But in spite of this he discussed mo-
tor matters necessarily, and referred
to his own car as She" Betsy could
hardly believe it of herself; but to this
latter she had strong objection.
He, Of course, drove his car; and,
needless to say, drove 1t recklessly.
She was not coward, but life was too
good to be risked at every sharp cor
ner; so she chose staying at home
while he went forth, worrying desper.
ately till he returned.
His leisure time was spent in tinker.
ing. He loved her none the less; she
knew that to her comfort; but the
time and attention spent away from
her she grudged. The thing had a
body certainly, but no soul-what
charm could it have?
For long time she said nothing
about this growing feeling. She tried
to see her own foolishness, knowing 1t
was there, but failed.
Like everything kept to oneself its
development was abnormal, until she
was bound to admit that its name was
Jealousy"
Then she told her husband He
laughed-of course he did. Could a
man, however fond, understand such a
sentiment? Could man, be he ever so
loving, comprehend one-half a WON.
ans feelings?
He spent less time over the car,
thinking to please her; but she knew
his motive, and was sorry she had
spoken.
She grew to hate the sight of the
motor, and she did that which she so
disliked her husband doing. She men.
tally called it "she."
This was fatal. A feeling of vim.
dictiveness was bound to follow.
For the first time in her life Betsy
developed nerves. She was easily irri.
tated, and when the motor was men.
toned she felt-well, it's difficult to
explain-but the feeling was rather
like impending combustion.
She had good fund of common
sense, and decided she needed a
change. She told her husband they
must go away somewhere for bit.
Very well, DEAR" he replied. what
do you say to running down to Brigh.
ton in the car, and then"
She interrupted him.
Il think I've changed my mind;
we'll stop at home"
What fool am" thought Betsy.
with everything to make me happy,
and yet letting this ridiculous jeal.
ousy'' (for so she now called it out
loud to HERSELF come between me
and happiness"
At last plan entered her head; 1t
was too daring to put into immediate
action. She couldn't weigh the con.
sequences, for she could form no idea
what they might be; but she had to
walt for her most courageous frame
of mind, and her husbands absence.
Both, in time, came simultaneously,
and she went forth armed with a
hammer to do the deed. She wished
she could have laid hands on a pickax.
She crept quietly into the motor
house (she couldn't get rid of the feel.
ing that the thing could hear and see),
opened the bonnet with decision, and
n,ornroorod on tho bopIocc opoipo IN,