The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-05-20
Fink. who had striven over It.

pers to read. He sat in his stockinged
feet.
Arise. some new Dante, and sing me
the BETTING corner of perdition for the
man who stitch In the house In his
stockinGcd feet, Sisters of patience
who by reason Of ties or duty have
endured it IN silk, yarn, cotton, Isle
thread or woolen-does not the new
canto belong?
The next day was Labor day. The
occupations If Mr.. Cassidy and Mr..
Fink ceased for one passage of the
sun. Labor. triumphant. would parade
and otherwise disport itself.
Mrs. Fink took Mrs. Cassidy's pat
tern down early. Name had on her
new silk waist. Even her damaged
eye managed TO emit a holiday CLEAN.
Jack was f%ruitfully penitent, and there
was a hilarious scheme for the day
| afoot, with parks and picnics and
Pilsener in 1t.
A rising, indignant jealousy seized
! Mrs. Fink as she returned to her fiat
above. oh, happy Name, with her
bruises aud her quick following balm!
But was Name to have a monopoly Of
happiness? Surely Martin Fink was
as good a man as Jack Cassidy. Was
his wife TO go always unbelabored and
uncaressed? a sudden, brilliant, breath
less idea came to Mrs. Fink. She
would show Name that there were
husbands as able 10 use their fists and
perhaps 20 be rs tender afterward rs
any Jack.
The holiday promised to be Il nominal
one with the Finks. Mrs. Fink had
the stationary washtubs In the kitchen
filed with a two weeks wash that had
been soaking overnight. Mr.. Fink sat
In his stockingcd feet reading a news
paper. Thus Labor day presaged to
speed.
Jealousy Surged high in Mrs. Fink's
heart, and higher still surged an auda.
cious resolve. If her man would not
strike her-if he would not so far
prove his manhood, his ~prerogative and
his interest in conjugal affairs, he must
be prompted to his duty.
Mr.. Fink lit his pipe anG peacefully
rubbed an ankle with a stockinged toe.
He reposed in the state Of matrimony
like n lump Of unblendcd suet In a
pudding. This was his level Elysium-
to sit at ease vicariously girdling the
world In print amid the wifely splash
Ing of suds and the agreeable smells
Of breakfast dishes departed and din
~ npnS 70 nnnon Many i1npS yrnrn
far from his mind. but the furthest one
was the thought of beating his wife.
Mrs. Fink turned on the hot water
and set the ~waShboards in the sudS.
Up from the fiat below came the gay
laugh OF Mrs Cassidy. 1t sounded like
a taunt, a Haunting OF her W hap
piness in the face Of the unslug2ed
bride above. Now was Mrs. Fink's
time.
Suddenly she turned like a fury upon
the man reading.
"You lazy loafer!!" she cried. Must
work my arms off washing and toiling
for the ugly likes Of you? Are you a
man, or are you a kitchen houndT"
Mr.. Fink dropped his paper, motion
less from surprise. She feared that
he would not strike-that the prOvoca-
ton had been insufficient. She leaped
at him and struck him iercely in the
face with her clinched hand. In that
instant she felt a thrill Of love for him
such as she had not felt for many a
day. Rise up, Martin Fink, and come
into your kingdom. Oh, she must feel
the weight Of his hand now just to
show hat he cared-just to show that
he cared!
Mr.. Fink sprang to his feet. Mag
gle caught him again on the jaw with
a wide swing Of her other hand. She
closed her eyes in that fearful, bliss
full moment before his blow should
come. She whispered his name to her
self. She leaned to the expected shock,
hungry for it.
IN the fiat below Mr.. Cassidy. with
a shamed and COntrite face, was pow
dering Names eye in preparation for
their junket. From the fat above
| came the sound Of q woman's voice,
high raised. a humping, a stumbling
anl a shutting, a chair overturned
unmistakable sounds Of domestic con
fict.
Mart and Mag scrapping?" postulat-
ed Mr.. Cassidy. Didn't know they
ever INDUCED. Shall l trot UP and see
If they need n sponge hOlder?'
one of Mrs. Cassidy's eyes sparkled
Ike a diamond. The other twinkled
at Least like paste.
"Oh, OH she said softly and with
out apparent meaning, in the feminine
eja~culatory manner, II wonder if
wonder if-wait, Jack, till l go up and
see"
Up the stairs she sped. AS her foot
struck the hallway above out from the
kitchen door of her fiat wildly founced
Mrs. Fink.
"Oh. Maggie" cried Mrs. Cassidy in a
delighted whisper, did he? oh, did he -
Mrs. Fink ran and laid her face upon
her chum's shoulder and sobbed hope
lesSly.
Mrs. Cassidy took Maggie's face be-
tween bpr ha p6s and lifted II gently