Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-09-06
THE CRACK
OFTHE WHIP
By SADIE OLCOTT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
b. SADIE OLCOTT

Neil Walker had been counting me
for some time. but no proposal came.
One day he told me where the hitch
was.
"Amiabil:ty," he said. lis fndispen-
sable in q wife. How can l know be-
fore marriage that you are amjable?"
"You show a great deal of good
Eense,' l replied. There is great
deal in what you say. Come and take
up your quarters with US for a month.
There you will see ME every day and
often when l am off my guard. L
shall be compelled to show my natu-
raj disposition
"And as soon as the month is over
we will enter upon that other month
called the honeymoon" he cried enthu-
siastically, and. throwing his arms
around my neck, he covered my face
with kisses.
Now. we women have a way of do.
! ing things by strategy. l didn't feel
! any more fear Of betraying a disagree
able nature with Neil in the house
than when he came to call on me. I
knew we'll enough that lmatrimony is
|
two people settle down to work in dou-
BILE harness there is going to be
| good deal Of friction. for awhile, at
any rate I thought it a fine chance to
let Neil see before marriage that these
frictions are pot all the wife's fault.
l was especially equipped to do this.
for my little brother Jack was at
home, and I well knew that if Neil
could stand Jacks antics without los
ing his temper he would be quite able
to stagger under my most glazing
faults.
, Neil came and settled himself for
the trial-my trial. He hadn't said
anything about being tried himself.
and | didn't tell him that he was to
be under observation. Neil went to
{ business in the morning. returning
about in the afternoon. Jack took
him in charge as soon as he arrived.
= Neil tried to get rid of him, but Jack
stuck like leech. Neil would be read
/ ing poetry to me in the garden. Jack
would come up behind him and with
stick and a horses hair and tiny ball
Of paper would make him think that
a bumblebee was lighting on his nose.
Jack sneaked into Neil's room and
. filed his underclothing ION the inside)
with burs Neil got the clothing on
then had to take it off again and was
half an hour picking out the burs.
He w&s late to business that day and
came home in a very bad humor.
, By such innocent Juvenile express
sions of child's nature did Jack in
, gratiate himself into Neil's disfavor.
Neil remarked that the boy had been
: very badly brought up. whereupon L
simply said that it was evident he
didn't like children. To me these little
FRANKS We're delightful. Neil said that
the bov being my brother, was doubt
less used to him.
Jack during this preparation for a
L honeymoon found a boy he would
l. rather play with than annoy Neil. Sc
- 7 was obliged to bride my brother with
Il candy every day and the promise Of q
- football at the end Of the season tt
=, keen him at home during this test OF
my disposition. Besides. was obliged
10 cOniure w methods for harasSln:
my hover and suggesting them to tht
dear boy. When Neil was SnO0Zint
Jack poured sand in his ear. The
Jack would steal up behind Neil an
slip a small piece Of ice down hi
back under his clothing. And one da
when Neil and l were walking owe
the lawn together Jack. who wa
watering the grass with the hose
turned it on my companion an
,lrenched him.
This was the climax of long teri
f annoyances. and Neil could not hav
-ent his eQuanimity any longer unies
p, z had been descended from th
.ngels He broke loose i'll a profusio
s Bible quotations in which the wor
- 'damnation'' occurred oftenest. The
he ran after Jack, vOwing that b
{ would knock every bit of spirit out {
his villainous little body.
Mr.. Walker" ! exclaimed severed.
how can you speak SO of the dea
.hildr'
Child be cried. ''Hellion. rather
1e "Mr. Walker" | continued in a di;
nified tone, Il am disappointed. I SUI
- posed tnat your disposition was
ct gentle as a lambs. l find that you al
easily angered and when angered NJ
only fierce, but vindictive. How fortI
nate that | should have discovered tt
true acerbity of your makeup! on
engagement is at an end. Had ma
ried a man with such a temper
should have looked forward to tn
rest of my life with horror"
as ;, haa , ,aos w" w h,t no didn,t p
member them.
~ And had l married you" he r
70 iorted, forgetting himself in a ne
,n burst of anger. lone in whose veir
NJ dows the blood Of that little viper,
would
- walked straioht into the house an