The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-27
Their First Anniversary
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED NAY.


"nen Miss Kitty seaforth became Mrs. Robert AM
osrson things had all been figured out. He was an
Insurance clerk at s25 per week. Some day he mighs
nave an increase of salary. present they
h h get along on this income. He enough 10
cottage -, puy .ne furniture and he had an eye on
~ o' Az m me suburbs. and they would not have
They They had been year and love and hap
fast table the nee when one morning at the break
said W WIN SHINING eses ana
Bob. do you know-know---
ahsie she stopped She had little plot
ana was near giving II away,
Kitty do a., ron hsr to finish In his turn he said
ana there he paused and said he would take anothsf
self 1t was their FIRST anniversary. Both knew il and
~e res going TO speak Of t. but held their
parior. It was dngy and worn and both hated the
laying aside dimes quarters and halves for year
sometimes stealing them from his lunch money and
bargains and retrimning her own hats
To-day that old rug into the dining room and
started for the car 80 p'Aes' 'A'' 'o'' - ~
When Bob comes home tonight I'll surprise him..
ehuckied Kitty, as she him depart
Al Az oclock in the Afternoon second hand man
drove up. looked the old rug over, made offer
and drove away with it, At 4 new rug came from
At noon Bob had cut his lunch hour short to visit
a. carpet store and purchase He didn't ask
tina, 1t should be delivered at his house On the
contrary, he called for 1t at o'clock He had
hire boy to help him carry 1t to the The
some folks didn't the difference between troll
ley car and a moving Another boy hired
Dinner was all ready. but Mrs Anderson sat on
,ne moor In the center OF the rug she had bough.
EXPLANATIONS Of surprise 1t there would call
his attention to the coiors-the harmony-thc
ana ten him she had saved UP $2s bit by bit He
would I'M her w and kiss her and call her his saw
There a dull thud in the little front hall There
was dragging sound There was grnmblins SOUND.
''why, Bob Bob. ''-'' 'A' 'e0f"
And the husband entered the and sat down
and mopped his brow and felt that would hays
70 wear porous plaster his back for the nexf
When he had got his breath he loked the new
The wife got up and examined the bundle he had
brought In. Then. in chorus:
You've gone and bought rug
1t was time for laughing but neither laughed.
Only one rug was needed. and good money had been
not having surprised other The young wife shed
tears and Bob muttered, BY and by she walled out:
And had you"
"A can't pick out "a rug anyhow"
He can do better 2than II you had paid
as much as five dollars for that rug. then you've had
the eyeteeth cheated out OF your head Look al
this one, VIII you? Here's a rug that Is a rug"
It's only a tapestry" she almost shouted he
while mine is hve-fr frame body Brussels why. Bob.
7 won't wear~-and the eolors will fade-and 1t don't
match the clock-and all the girls TO see
VIII know at ouee-and-and--@
They didn't speak during dinner. After din
ner BOB went out and took long walk 1t was lata
"hen ne returned. and Kitty sat on her crying.
ever. and he took her up his and anloothed
her down and warned her that marriage a fan
slave and economic and half-starve and lug rugs
around 3 and At tho end he would find ungratefni
but had been bitterly disappointed. and of course.
separation or divorce must follow.
Next morning he of TO the Office for the irst
time without the usual Kiss and pat He
looked just like one One OF them far
say that IL he was martyr he would commit sui
This the husband an idea AT night when
ne went home there was no wife to greet hrn--no
table set--no aroma OF coffee and fried chicken Al
the rear end OF the yard there shade trees
nosed rope dangling from the limb Of one OF Them
and on the ground under 1t hts wife. She
hence.
Mr.. Anderson placed the bottle of careolic in the
crash and then went off to restaurant
thing to eat He had been gone minutes wheR
have looked out and the hangman's rope and
her sitting beneath it, He must have realized that
that the neighbors shouldn't her kicking. but
sneaksd off to give her full swing He was glad that
she was to choke herself to death Now she must
surely through with 1T. she back and
down and shed more tears and bade the world adieu
and the evening came down. She wondering
how bad 1t would hurt, when voice sounded and
a voice hoarsely said:
business OF what to live when my wife says
don't know a tapestry rug from a ive-frame body
7 die by the rope" announced Kitty. with cob
in her throat Il had saved aud saved and saved.
but-he~-he--went and bought himself and then
jawed me. He win find my dead body swinging here.
she shouldn't have called i, an old tapestry rugi-
broke in the other voice.
He should have known a tapestry a nvs-
frame"
They that carboc acid gives excrueiatng
palms. and that II Is hours before the end comes.
but
ut must hurt ones neck awfully to hang, but a.
l unloved wife"
And then the Billy goat who prowling through
alley found the hole in the fence and entered the
yard He saw two human forms under the trees.
Human beings had stoned and dubbed and scorned
him, They had written jokes on him for the news
papers, they had thrown old cans out for him to feed
on they had dogs him. He boiled at the
recollection and down went his head and he charged.
Bob. what IS it,! asked Kitty she got through
rolling and
It's that blamed goat, dear"
And then they laughed and kissed and pulled the
rope down and threw the bottle away, and though
a late dinner, il was Joyous one. and they
even sold the tapestry neighbor next day for
all 1t cost.
In Honor OF Confederate Women.
The movement for the erection OF monument IN
this the of the Confederacy Ia taking