The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-03-09
THEIR HONEYMOON,
BY r

Evan Wilder was a hard worker and
q despiser Of every one who was not
wrapped in his or her daily occupa-
ton. Ppm a practical sort Of fellow"
he used to say, land don't go much
on sentiment" 1t did not occur to him
that there are two worlds-the prac-
teal and the ideal. One who could
look out far into space at a spiral
nebula-a forming universe-and be
filled with contempt for a transaction
In cotton yarn Evan could not under
stand. He would call such q person
an idiotic star gazer.
On Evans thirtieth birthday he said
to himself: II have accumulated SUI
acient funds to have a home. There
can be no home without a woman.
| She is needed to run the household. I
will marry" r.
And SO he married. He wal careful
In his selection to secure a practical
girl like himself. He asked her friends
II there was any nonsense about her,
and they all replied in the negative.
He talked practical" to her, and she
convinced him that she was more
practical than he. In planning for the
wedding he told her that honeymoons
served no other purpose than to make
brides and grooms tired Of each other.
They would come home at the end Of
their honeymoon's first quarter. She
assented.
They had no sooner settled them
selves in their seats on the train after
the wedding than Mrs. Wilder took a
book out of her hand bag and began
to read. Evan turned and looked at
her curiously. She paid no attention
to him, but went OF reading, and he
first time in his life he had felt a de-
sire to say something tender. But
there was little encouragement to talk
soft" to a woman deeply interested in
q book. He desisted. On arrival at
their destination the newly married
wife told her husband that she was
very tired after the preparations for
the wedding and wished a room to
herself at the hotel. There was some
thing so decided in the proposition
that the husband did not venture an
objection.
The place Of their quarter of a hon.
eymoon was at the seaside. Evan
arose in the morning, having lain
awake all night in a mental grumble.
He went down to breakfast. After
waiting half an hour for his bride he
sent a servant to her room to learn
when she would be down. He receiv-
ed in reply a bit Of paper on which
was written: "Dear Evan-Don't mind
me. I'm making up sleep. Hope you'll
find something to do to kill time"
Evan sat down to breakfast alone.
he had pictured that first breakfast
and wondered how he would ever get
through it. He would read his paper
and his wife would object. He would
lay it aside and try to say something
agreeable to her and she would pout
She had relieved him of her presence
at this undesirable first breakfast, and
he was at perfect liberty to read his
paper as he liked.
He %strolled during the morning ove1
the beach thinking of how differ.
ent was the reality from what he had
conceived. He had expected to be
bored, but in a different way. An old
joke about the waning of the honey.
moon wherein the bride had wished
for some friend and the groom even
for an enemy occurred to him. He
caught sight at the same moment OF
n Of his chums walking ahead OF
him. He turned and walked in an op
posite direction.
At noon his wife came down looking
refreshed and very pretty. "Why
Evan" she said. show dismal 70,
look.'
81 think l have had cause. Am l tt
spend the whole time alone?"
"Not all of it. I've some letters tt
write this afternoon, but we can dine
: together"
"Do you consider your action proper
for a brideY"
"Evan. dear, don't you understands
understand what?'
"We don't wish to tire of each Other
during the first week of welded life."
] Wilder was silent.
l II wish you to get used to me grad
, ually," she continued, "as one be.
comes accustomed to a new dish fol
which a taste must be acquired"
"H'm"
"Get a boat n something this after
noon. Can't you go fishing? Wei
dine together at z and listen to tn,
music afterward."
"And thenY'
"Why, I'll do some reading"
"And tomorrow"
"You might go of with one Of thos'
9 yachting parties for the day"
8 Evan knit his brows. "Ill see abou
IT," he said.
They dined together and for awhil,
q after dinner listened to the hotel OF
chestra. Evan sat apparently conjur
ing up something in his mind. Pres
emily he said. "The moons full to
night"
Z "Some couples honeymoon is ende,