The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-02
A CLEVER
WOMAN
Mr.. Ellsworth Was Pleased with
Her Sagac;ty


lightful to Ellsworth then, but it
wasn't SO nice after he got married.
The glamor of uncertainty having worn
off, he began to wonder why Mrs. Ellis
worth could not display glimmering
of common sense on rare occasions.
It's mighty unpleasant for a fell
low" he growled. Here | am,
plunged up to my ears in business
schemes that promise to turn out bet
ter than anything l ever touched, yet
not one word of sympathy can / get
in regard to them. l don't want to
talk shop all the time, but if could
| just come home once in while and go
over my plans and have them listened
to with interest and appreciation it
would make me feel that all this dig
ging was worth while. But | can't do
that. No matter how hard | try to
talk sense the only thing l can get out
of you in reply is, 'Tra-la-la-la.
Well" returned Mrs. Ellsworth
calmly, what do you expect? You
knew when you married me that l was
a tra-la-la girl and could never become
anything else.'
Ellsworth groaned. Finding that
that sepulchral expression of despair
was going to be his only reply, Mrs.
Ellsworth went on:
IF you want somebody to talk bust
ness to every night after dinner, | will
invite Martha Bennett to say with us
while she is in New York. She is a
sensible, strong-minded girl"
Ellsworth suddenly ceased to sulk.
who is Martha Bennett" he asked.
"A girl knew at Smith college. She
really has a masculine intellect. More
over, she is of decidedly practical
turn of mind and is going into bust
ness for herself. She is coming to
New York to take lessons in broker
age or insurance or some other line of
work that will give her a chance to ex-
ercise her exceptional mental quail
ties. l always liked Martha in spite
of her superiority. If you wish it l
will ask her to stay with us until she
gets settled"
Ellsworth hesitated. He did not ex-
actly relish the prospect of triangu-
lar household still he recognized the
possibility of cultivating his wifes
mind by demonstrating in her pres
} ence the Unreasonable benefits accru-
| ing to a man through a sympathetic
discussion of his affairs with a clever
woman, and he consented to the tenn
, porary entertainment of Martha Ben
: nett
Ellsworth considered himself very
deep. 1t was his plan that he and Mar
: tina should speedily become good
friends. He hoped by means of that
> friendship to influence Mrs. Ellis
3 worth's gentle heart with the fires of
3 jealousy, which would, in turn, arouse
r her to real or simulated interest in
? his affairs. To that end he labored
arduously. He was interested in min
ing deals just then. certain COM
pany was known to be looking for a
capable person to take charge of a
new enterprise, and it was Ellsworth s
ambition to procure the managerial pc
sltion. He was familiar with the de
tails of the business, and he explained
them to Miss Bennett.
But Mrs. Ellsworth's mind showed
no sign of quickening She sat In heI
favorite corner of the room, from
which comfortable nook she beame6
with pleasure and affection upon hel
husband and their guest. Finally Ellis
worth began to despair of ever ground
ing his wife in commercial principles
but he kept on talking to Martha Ben
nett. He not only talked to her; HI
talked about her.
& by Jove!" he said to Mrs. Ellis
70 worth, that woman is gem. The fel
low that gets her will have help
:; mate thatis helpmate, tell you"
q Mrs. Ellsworth smiled affably. TN
10 glad you like Martha she said.
Like herr" echoed Ellsworth. well
l should say do like her. should b,
=, ungrateful if l didn't. She has beel
. an incalculable help to me. II it hadn'
:, been for her sympathetic attention
= could never have got my ideas int
IA shape for presentation to the Big Stea
!, Mining Company. | had a long tall
;, with these fellows this morning.
- think l made a good impression. Tn
1, only thing that will stand in my wa
. is the salary. They don't want to pa
!, my price. They seem to have foun
=, some person, woman, too, by tn
- way, who has offered to undertake tn
"a job at much lower figure, and the
=. may be persuaded to give her tria
"A They were to have a final talk wit
her this afternoon. They say sh
"A seems quite competent That's tn
trouble with these educated freaks
Do petticoats-they' apt to steal tn
90 bread right out of fellows mouth,
III But they are very communicable
remarked Mrs. Ellsworth, sweet
Take you and Martha Bennett" fl
IN instance. You have been mutual
helpful. She was telling me when 81
10 came In this evening that you ha'
been the making of her She got
position to-day. 1t seems to be som
thing very good. Martha says 81
no will be eternally grateful to you"
,rs Ellsworth stopped whistling. Got