Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-07-16
THAT BRUTAL
HUSBAND,
BY HOWARD oTIs.
f0opyright. 1903. by American Press Asso.
citation


she and her husband lived in the
next fat above mine. and | pitied her.
How she could endure to live with
man who kept such irregular hours
could not imagine. | should rather
say regular hours. for be seldom came
I'm till morning. 1t would be 3 o'clock
ard sometimes 4 o'clock when he
passed my floor. | would hear door
omen above. and at times when :sy
own door stood ajar | could hear a
kiss Of welcome. After that there
would be moving about above, and
sometimes a ripple of feminine laugh
ter. never scolding word, escaped
4 from their apartments.
Often in summer. when doors and
windows were left open to admit air,
4 could hear the rattle of dishes. the
drawing of cork, the clink of glasses.
and knew the couple were having a
supper together. remember one
night when | could smell the odor of
some snvory dish. got up. dressed
myself. went out TO restaurant and
got a dozen oysters. with bottle of
ale. But 1t was only my stomach that
was appeased, not my heart. and
yearned for such an angel as lived In
the hat above me and thought what a
different husband | would make her.
Surely she must have had something
of the bohemian In her nature. and.
above all. | wanted for a wife a wo-
whose wives must always remain at
home and make their husbands misera-
bic unless they are always at home
too. What a jewel woman must be
who could receive her husband at all
hours of the morning after be had
spent nearly the whole night carous-
ing or playing poker at his club. give
him a loving kiss and cook supper
for him, And when this is kept up
might after night what must the en-.
During amiability of that woman be?
One day left my room just in time
10 meet her on the landing | lifted
my hat and moved aside for her 10
pass. taking at the same time a good
bong look al her face 1t was as fresh
as If she were not awakened every
morning by her brutal husband. 1t
was not such face as / had expected
to see. | had fancied it would con-
tain devil may-ca expression COM
mon with bohemian women. Her fea-
lures. on the contrary. were intelectu.
al, with trace'of seriousness in them.
Then 1t occurred to me that with
such a husband how could she help
being serious. 1t was a wonder that
she did not show traces OF suffering.
She was going upstairs; / was going
down. That was the first and only
glimpse | got of her.
One morning did not,hear the hus-
band come IN at the usual hour. and
|the next day a doctors buggy drove
PIP to the front door. The doctor went
Pup to their fiat. He came every day
FOR awhile; then Il hearse stopped at
the door. and | knew that the poor
Toman would not have longer TO suffer
the Irregularities of brutal husband.
Sbe never returned to the fat.
Some eighteen months afterward,
while at an evening party. / saw her
Standing chatting with the hostess.
recognized her at once. How could
help recognizing her since | had car
fied that one brief glimpse | had got
pf her in my heart ever since? In
noment | was Siding up to the hostess
Ind received the coveted introduction.
l refrained from telling the widow
hat had lived beneath her and was
ware Of how she had been Obliged to
pit up night after night waiting for
hat husband. | didn't wish to awak-
p painful memories | infinitely pre-
erred that she should think she was
heeting me for the first time.
The hostess arranged for a more
IAN casual acquaintance between me
ad the widow. saw much of her
mere was nothing Of the bohemian
bout her. Indeed. she seemed to have
omeStic tastes Nevertheless | want
her. and | did my best to win her
Il this while kept in the back
ound my knowledge Of her past and
surmises concerning her In time
consented TO become my wife.
had put of so long telling her that
had known of her former domestic
e that | resolved to defer doing so
Immediately after our marriage In
eed, | wished TO make an experiment
ouid she endure as much from me
from her first husbandg proposed
put her to the test On our return
ON the honeymoon ! told her that /
esired to visit a former bachelor
aum. She assented. At In the
orning ! opened my front door and
ent upstairs. | expected TO see my
les bedroom door open and feel her
ms about my neck. What was my
appointment 20 End that the door
manned closed. l opened it and en-
red My wife was sound asleep.
should have considered myself for .
nate not to receive a dressing. But
did not | was angry. made so
ueh noise purposely that finally +