The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-06-04
! WHAT COMES or NOT
TRUSTING ONES WIFE
0ooooooocooocooooooooooo

critolre In dainty morning gown, pnlc
blue to suit her hair and complexion,
attending to her correspondence, when
the postman arrived and left letter
for her husband. She took 1t up
looked at the postmark over the stamp
giving the date OF mailing, then Mt the
postmark on. the back giving date Of
reception, examined the handwriting
carefully and muscd
81 wonder Who'll mean whom--it is
from"
The handwriting was unfamiliar to
her, but she had not seen much Of
the writing Of any of her husbands
friends, since his letters were usually
addressed TO him st his Office.
HE won't be at home before 9
o'clock, she continued, thinking, "and
II It contains anything that requires
attention It might be too late and
cause no end of trouble. Then would
be blamed, and Justly blamed. Be-
sides, don't object to Alan's opening
my letters, though for some reason or
other he never does. I'm going to do
what I think right and take the con-
sequences"
However. to guard against contin.
gcncies she prIed open the envelope
with a hairpin and without tearing the
paper. She took out the letter and
read: si~ et fE
Dear Ketchum-I have no objection 10
going to Chicago to close the deal. but
81 al.tA
anywhere, especially when don't take
her with me. When 1 do / have to leave
her all day in hotel In a strange city,
which is worse for her than staying Mt
home. I shall keep my departure Sc
cret telegraphing her from Chicago that
I was called away suddenly. / give you
this that you may write me about the
matter at the house. for she opens all my
letters, Otherwise she is a model wife,
and this is the only fault I have TO find
with her. But I believe II is common
failing with women. congratulate you
on having wife who respects your pri-
waite correspondence. She Is an exception
to the rule.
Now. Mrs. Ketchum was no fool.
She saw In this letter covert lecture
addressed TO herself for opening her
husbands mail. Again she studied the
address, also the letter, gradually com.
Ing to see an excellent disguise OF her
husbands chlrography. She folded the
decoy and was about to replace 1t In
Its envelope when there was a howl
from the nursery. Dropping both let
ter and envelope on the desk. she ran
20 the nursery and picked up her dar-
ling Tommy. aged five, who In trying
TO climb on chiffonier had fallen on
the back OF his head.
When Mrs. Ketchum returned to her
cscritoire she was agitated. She had
heard that children who fail on the
back of their heads are liable to in
jure the base of the brain and thereby
be crippled for life. She hurriedly
picked up the -decoy better, placed 1t in
the envelope. wet what mucilage re-
mained and rubbed the flap down with
the palm OF her hand. This done, she
set the letter up on the mantel, brush
ed her own unfinished correspondence
Into a drawer and went back to coddle
her boy.
When Alan Ketchum came home to
dinner his wife was still worrying
about Tommy, who had headache
and was feverish. The father looked
ut the boy, then went into his wife's
room, where be saw the letter ON the
maDtel. r
"Hello!' he exclaimed. "That's from
Steve Britton. wonder IL he's going
TO Chicago. IL he doesn't shall have
to go myself"
II WONDER" said the wife. you don't
have your letters addressed to your Of
fee. You are always complaining of
my interfering with your private af-
fairs. 1t occurred to me that there
might be something requiring atten-
tion. but you're 30 particular about my
opening your letters that wouldn't
have opened II for farm. Some day
an important matter will need TO be
attended to for you and you'll wish
you hadn't been so''-
The reason she failed to finish the
sentence was peculiar expression on
her husbands face. Her heart began
to beat like a kettledrum. Something
had gone wrong. Mr.. ketchum read
aloud:
Madam-I am sorry that cannot get
any, stun to match your pink silk.
have been to every store In the city and
have found nothing that will be suitable
win you please instruct me what TO do {?
Respectfully yours.
ELISE coRBIrR.
BY the time the husband had finished
reading his wife was looking for an
avenue of escape. He saw her inten.
tion and sauntered TO the door.
What In the world does 1t meant"
he asked. "A letter from your dress.
maker in an envelope addressed in
Steve Brltton's handwriting? Is it
Steve Britton's or somebody In Nine,
Corbier's shop?'
1T may be that" said the wife In a
faint voice.
Singular! would lave sworn
Steve wrote that But now look at It
see the first letter of the address, A,
isn't Stcye's. He makes most of his
capitals big little ones. This A is a
real capital"
Hope was beginning to rise In Mrs
Kctchum's breast when her husbands
eye was turned to wastebasket be.
side the desk In which there was but