The San Francisco call., 1910-05-29
u " 1FR (F1Ic INDtpTNDENcE@. ThE STAY At FIoMEc

The uplifted hand OF her husband i'm
plored her to cease; his smile denoted
patient suffering. My dear Mary. It Is
hardly worth your while, is it? You know
the arrangement was quite positive as
to the unconditional surrender of that
particular room to my personal use and
my personal guests. We agreed that the
house was large enough for all your en-
tertaining without encroaching upon it;
and fear l must insist, even at the risk
of seeming discourteous." When annoy
ed Mr.. Peters waxed somewhat oratori-
cal. 1T seems to me most important to
preserve the spirit of such an agreement
absolutely intact. The first exception
the secondhand before we realize 1t the
barrier is down.
Mrs. Peters cheerfully tried again.
But. Horace. If you'd only listen you
would understand that this isn't an or
dinary exception. 1t Is especially inter
esting to you because
My dear" interrupted Mr.. Peters
again, with the beautiful. maddening pa
tience of the very. very reasonable man,
Il feel that this is a point upon which
must be firm: so please do not take the
trouble to explain further. Besides"
MIR. Peters thought hard and fast. II
shall be obliged to use the den myself.
on that evening for business consulta-
ton, SO of course that ends the matter
definitely. Robinson has been at me for
a month past to take UP his new inven-
tion and help put 1t through If 1t is prac-
tieable. and | have promised him my
first free evening. My hrst and only free
evening next week is Wednesday, and /
shall telephone him TO that effect in the
morning. Don't you see that the point
really must be yielded? I do not wish
10 fai n n Uo7r
day evening and. furthermore | do
wish to use 1t myself for necessary
business conference. Could anything be
clearer or more reasonable? l think you
will admit, my dear, that / am entitled
to my own way In TINS
Mrs. Peters surveyed him thoughtfuLy
for moment, and then replied with her
sweet southern elaboration: Well, yes,
Horace; l reckon you surely are" Her
sudden. radiant smile showed that she
felt no resentment, which pleased MIR.
ed. for there was a disconcerting twinkle
in her eye He rose deeming it wise to
abandon the subject at this favorable
moment.
to the den and lie down awhile. I may
sleep off this beastly headache" he re-
marked. and departed without undue
haste, yet without delay. Safe within
ease upon his big leather couch, he re-
viewed the conversation, and decided
that he had settled the matter very
neatly, without loss of dignity. and he
rejoiced also that there had been no un-
due show of emotion on Mary's part.
Though, to do Mary justice. she never
did make scenes; indeed. she was
mighty comforta BILE person to live with,
was Mary. She didn't gossip, like Mrs
Willis, nor overdress, like Mrs Smith,
nor do any of the things of which he
disapproved in the wives of his partic-
ular friends, and she was prettier than
any OF them. Her tolerant attitude
toward harmless masculine amusements
was delightful; she even helped the good
times along by concocting superlative
tidbits in the chaf1ng dish when he and
his guests came down from their little
game in the den. Yes, Mary was an un-
usual woman. But even the best of
them needed bit of firnlness now and
then, when they encroached upon a
mans Independence.