Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-02-24
A CLEVER
WOMAN
MI. Ellsworth Was Pleased with
Her Sagacity

| In the days of their courtship Mr.
and Mrs. Ellsworth often compared
themselves to David Copperfield and
& Dora. The fantasy seemed very de-
/ 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. ELS
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 l get
IN regard to them. | don't want to
talk shop all the time, but if | could
4 just come home once in a while and go
i over my plans and have them listened
to with interest and appreciation it
would make NE feel that all this dig
ging was worth while. But l 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.'
We'll" returned Mrs. Ellsworth
calmly, what do you expect? You
knew when you married me that 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. l will
invite Martha Bennett to say with us
while she is in New York. She is
sensible, strong-minded girl"
Ellsworth suddenly ceased to sulk.
who is Martha Bennett?" he asked.
"A girl knew at Smith college. She
really has masculine intellect More
over, she is of a 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 chance to ex-
ercise her exceptional mental qualf-
ties. always liked Martha in spite
of her superiority. If you wish it
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 wife's
mind by demonstrating in her pres
ence the Unreasonable benefits accru-
ing to man through a sympathetic
discussion OF his affairs with clever
, woman, and he consented to the tenn
porary entertainment of Martha Ben
NETT.
Ellsworth considered himself very
Ideep. 1t was his plan that he and Mar
tina should speedily become good
friends. He hoped by means of that
Friendship to influence Mrs. ELS
worth's gentle heart with the fires of
jealousy, which would, in turn, arouse
her to real or simulated interest in
!, his affairs. To that end he labored
arduously. He was interested in min
ing deals just then. A certain com
, pany was known to be looking for a
capable person to take charge of a
new enterprise, and it was Ellsworth S
p ambition to procure the managerial DO
sition. He was familiar with the de-
tails of the business. and he explained
o them to Miss Bennett
But Mrs Ellsworth's mind showed
no sign of quickening. She sat in her
favorite corner of the room, from
i which comfortable nook she beamed
Q with pleasure and affection upon hel
t husband and their guest. Finally Ellis
worth began to despair of ever ground
ing his wife in commercial principles
i but he kept on talking to Martha Ben
D., nett. He not only talked to her: he
talked about her
BY Jove!" he said to Mrs Ellis
= worth, that woman is a gem. The Eel
e low that gets her will have help
d mate that is helpmate, tell you"
, Mrs. Ellsworth smiled affably Pm
:, glad you like Martha" she said.
Like herr" echoed Ellsworth. well
should say do like her. should bt
: ungrateful if l didn't. She has beer
an incalculable help to me. If it hadn'
been for her sympathetic attention
It could never have got my ideas int,
shape for presentation to the Big Stea
Mining Company. | had long tall
with these fellows this morning.
IS think l made good impression TIL
II only thing that will stand in my wa.
At Is the salary. They don't want to pa,
~ my price. They seem to have foun,
g some person, woman, too, by tn
le way, who has offered to undertake tn
,e job at a much lower figure, and the
81 may be persuaded to give her a tria
At They were to have a final talk wit
re her this afternoon. They say sh
seems quite competent. That's tn
le trouble with these educated freaks Il
,e petticoats-they'r apt to steal tn
to bread right out Of fellows mouth
D. But they are very companionable,
IS remarked Mrs. Ellsworth, sweetly
IN Take you and Martha Bennett" TO
d, instance. You have been mutual
he helpful. She was telling me when sh
IN came in this evening that you hav
o. been the making of her. She got