Evening journal., 1910-04-09
HIS STUPID
LITTLE WIFE
BY ESTELLE MARSH
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

Both were young. and one was beautiful.
The crown Of her hat was big enough
to it the head Of the colossal statue
OF Athena on the Acropolis at Ath-
ems. They were talking Of love and
marriage. Most young couples while
dawdling talk either of love and mar
riage or platonic friendship, the man
taking the ground that it is impossi-
Bile, the girl that it is the most desir-
able form Of affection between the
sexes.
"As for me-" he said. "when I marry
] prefer a girl whom can love with
my whole heart and soul"
"Then you must get one with a
strong personality, good judgment and
an excellent mind"
Il wish nothing of the kind. Give
me a girl with a pink and white com
plexion. a pretty pair Of rose lips and
not too much brain"
"Well, declarer -
"she must not only be stupid, but
must prove herself stupid. No; will
not even trust her to do that. I wiz
prove her stupid myself"
"You don't mean what you say.
How could you love such a girl?"
II love her already"
She cast a quick glance at him, then
bent her eyes to the ground She had
been under the impression that he had
been falling in love with her. She was
at a loss to know what this meant
Had she q rival?
"a man doesn't wish the counter
part Of himself in a woman. Her in
tellectual gifts repel him; her feminine
stupidity delights him. II she is
strong he looks upon her as he would
man. II she is weak he longs to
protect and comfort her"
"This Ounce that you love, is she"-
"She is not a Ounce judged by a
proper standard. There must be one
standard for men and another for wo-
men. A mana real man-wouldn't
know how to take care Of a baby-at
least he wouldn't do it the right way.
When was a boy my mother left me
one afternoon to mind my little sister
eight months old. wished to go and
play II could put the baby to sleep
! would be free. l blew in the little
things eyes. forcing her TO shut them.
l kept up this process till she went to
sleep. You see. ! didn't know any
thing about babies"
She thought awhile before saying
at seems to me that was rather clever
for a boy"
But you couldn't lay it down as
recipe for putting babies to Sleep"
mo l suppose it wouldn't do al
ways"
"Wil you kindly tell me-" he asked.
breaking away from the topic of con-
versation. how you women make
those big crowned hats stay on the
tops Of your heads2 I don't under
stand why they don't slip down over
your eyes. If wore one Of them I'd
have TO cut holes to see through"
'Well, you see. we women have a
lot OF hair and all that to ill them up"
"Oh. / supposed there was some
patent contrivance for the purpose"
1--WE have hatpins. you know"
"You mean those rapiers with coach
mans buttons for hilts"
"They must be long to go through
the large crowns"
II see. Would you mind unsheath-
ing yours and letting me see the inside
Of your hatY'
She removed the hatpins and, tax
ing Oft her hat, showed him the inner
crown.
"Why, the diameter is two or three
inches less within than 1t is Without!
Il don't understand you"
. This part inside is smaller than an!
mans hat. There is a false inne
crown"
.erhere is a difference, isn't thereT
"I should say So"
''I didn't know that"
Better put it on again and tn
swords through. 1t might fall dow
over your eyes"
81 dare say" pouting, you conside
me very stupid"
II have rot left it to you to prov
yourself so. have done it myself
You know I said ! would"
I'm the case Of the creature 20
wished to marry"
"There is a method in my madness.
"Wnl you kindly explain wherei
the method llesI"
Il told you wished a stupid girl fc
a wife. Could there be anything MOI
stupid than a girl wearing one Of thes
hats on her head and not knowing ho'
Il is kept on the top Of her head?"e
There was a slap with one han'
a caress with the other She may hav
been stupid about the hat. but sh
was bright enough 10 catch his "metl
cd" and. catching it. held her tongu
Indeed. from this point she let hiI
TO do all the talking. He took hC
hand and whispered a number OF low
ly things in her ear.
They had been married long enoug
for the problems OF life TO loom N
such AS winter coal bills, gas bill
, doctors fees and other items that wi
always be coming up without bein
expected Notwithstanding her stl
pidity she proved a good manage
5 But at the end OF the first year on
Cay her husband received a bill for
new hat the amount OF which astol
ished him. He demonstrated.
IT thought it very cheap" she said