Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-05-12
WHAT COMES or NOT
TRUSTING ONES WIFE
By EUGENE HoLMEs BURT.

EAhAHAAg AA y 0AAAAAJ DA0hAAAAEt EOff RaAN
blue to suit her hair and complexion.
attending to her correspondence, when
the postman arrived and left a letter
for her husband. She took It up
locked at the pOstmark over the stamp
giving the date Of mailing, then at the
pOstmaFk on the back giving date Of
reception, examined the handwriting
carefully and unused:
II wonder Who'll mean whOm-it Is
from"
The handwriting was unfamiliar 10
her, but she had not seen much OF
the writing OF any Of her husbands
friends, since HIS letters were usually
addressed 10 him at his Office
HE won't be at home before o
O'Clock, she continued, thinking, "and
II II contains anything that requires
attention It might be tho late and
cause no end OF trouble. Then I would
be blamed, and justly blamed. Be
sides, don't object TO Alan's opening
my letters, though for some reason or
other be never does. I'm going to do
what I think right and take the con-
sequences"
However, to guard against contin-
gencies she pried open the envelope
with a hairpln and without tearing the
paper. She took out the letter and
read:
Dear Kotchum-I have no objection 70
going 70 Chicago 20 close the deal, but
my wife always objects to my going away
a. ~ rvha -
her with mo. When do ! have 20 leave
her all day in . hotel In a strange city.
which n worse for her than staying at
home shall keep my departure q Sc
Crot, tolegraphing her from Chicago that
was called away suddenly / give you
thin that you may write me about the
matter at the house. for she opens all my
iattaFs Otherwise she 10 q model wife,
and this n the only fault have TO ind
with her. But I believe II IL q common
failing with women. l congratulate you
on having wife who respects your prt-
waite correspondence. She Ia an exception
70 the rule,
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 chlrogTaphy. She folded the
decoy and was about to replace It In
its envelope when there was a howl
from the nursery. Dropping both let
ter and envelope on the desk. she ran
to the nursery and picked up her dar-
ling Tommy. aged Ave, who in trying
20 climb ON q chiffonier had fallen on
the back OF his head.
When Mrs. Ketchum returned to her
sscritolre she was agitated. She had
heard that children who fall on the
back Of their heads are liable to In
ture the base Of the brain and thereby
BE- crippled for life. She hurriedly
picked mp the decoy letter. placed It In
the envelope. wet what mucilage re-
malned and rubbed the Zap 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 eoddle
her boy.
when Alan Ketchum came home to
dinner his wife was still worrying
about Tommy, who had a headache
and was feveriah. The father looked
ut tho boy, then went into his wife's
room, where he saw the letter on the
mantel.
"Hellor' he exclaimed. That's from
BtPve Britton. wonder II he's going
TO Chicago, II he doesn't 1 shall have
to so myself"
II wonder" said the wife. ''you don't
have your letters addressed to your of
nee. You are always complaining Of
my interfering with your private af-
fairs. II occurred to me that there
might be something requiring atten-
tlOn. hut you're 20 particular about my
opening your letters that I wouldn't
have opened II for farm. Some day
az important matter win need 10 DO
attended 10 for you and you'n wish
you hadn't been So
The reason she failed to finish the
sentence was a peculiar expression on
her husbands face. Her heart began
10 beat like a kettledrum. Something
had gone wrong Mr.. Ketchum read
aloud.
MAdam-I am sorry that I cannot set
any stun 10 match your pink silk.
have been 10 every store In the city and
have found nothing that viii be suitable.
WIN you please instruct me what to dot
ELISE coRnIER.
ny the time the husband had finished
reading his wife was looking for an
avenue VI escape. He saw her inten-
tAon aud sauntered to the door.
what IN the world does Il meanT'
10 asked. "A letter from your dress
maker IN an envelope addressed In
Stsye Brltton's handwriting3 IL It
etav0 Britton's or somebody In Nine.
CoFbleE's shopf'
st may Be that" said the wife In a
faint voice.
seingularl would have sworn
Steve wrote that. But now look az Il
see the flrst letter Of tho address. A.
Isn't Steve's, lie makes most Of his
capitals biz little OnRs. This A Is a
rial capital"
Hope was beginning to rise In Mrs,