The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-03-21
The lead Of
the House
A Story For Young Men About
to Be Married.
BY EDWARD B. KNIGHT
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

- - - = y y = ~ y TFF%FTF%TE%
Sam Martindale and Theodore Trasl
had been engaged week. There ha,
been more billing and cooling and kiss
ing In that one week than there woul,
be In FIVE years of the married life be
fore them. Then Sam called a halt t,
look practically at the future. He wal
not man to drift through life; he pre-
ferred to prearrange everything. l
seemed that there was a great ocea1
ahead of him and Theo, of comfort Of
suffering, Of anxiety or discord, of con
tentment or unhappiness, and across
this ocean it became him as the heat
of the house, the pilot, to steer theil
bark. Before taking a voyage does no
the mariner familiarize himself will
the areas of probable storm and sun
shine, of navigable water and sunke1
rocks? Why should not he as com
mander lay down on a chart the exac
course the family ship should sail?
To begin at the bottom, was he to b,
the commander? The very fact of his
asking himself the question shows the
depth of his understanding. If a gen
eral is to conduct a campaign It 1:
necessary that his word be the Law
for his army. Martindale realized a
once that If he were to pilot the family
bark he must have no interference.
Having thus settled the matter BY
deliberation, Martindale concluded tt
breach the subject to his fiancee, mere
ly as preliminary reconnaissance ii
order to feel the enemy.
''Theo," he said gravely, "since yor
and are to pass our lives together
1t may be well for us to come to an
understanding on one important point
In every government, every business
every family, in order that the wheels
may run smoothly, there must be one
head. ! would like to know how yor
feel about the matter"
ut seems to me-" said Theo after
thought that we should both be
head"
Martindale was not prepared fol
what he considered flying right in the
face Of the fundamental principles OF
order. What was the family but 6
miniature state? And the idea of q
state having two governors! Absurd
Thee saw by the expression of his
face that she had assumed too much
So she FASTENED to say: why. dearie
don't you know that a woman Just
loves to lean on man for guidance.
You're to be head, of course"
This was a great relief to Sam. He
took his fiancee in his arms. kissed hei
and said:
Sweetheart. you have no idea how
happy you've made me by saying that
Our future happiness depends upon 1t
There must always be head to q
family. And how hard it would be fol
both Of us if you had disposition tc
usurp the husbands place."
II would never think of such q
thing"
He gave her a dozen kisses and left
her, filed with joy that the basic prin
ciple of married life-in his case-had
been settled without a word of dis
pute. Indeed. it eliminated all the rest
Of the problem. for since he was TO be
undisputed captain he had no doubt
that he could guide the family bark
safely.
The couple were married. There was
big wedding gifts galore. rice throw
ing, "trip and at last a settling down
in a home Of their own During the
engagement Theo had never expressed
an opinion. much less made a decision
that would have interfered with Sans
position as heir apparent to the soy
ereignty of the family.
Theo had long been connected with
q charitable association of which she
was the secretary One morning q
fortnight after the couples return
from their wedding trip she woke ur
with an aching of the bones, in a
feverish condition and in other ways
indicating that care must be taken ia
avoid severe illness, perhaps death
But there was to be a meeting that
day of the charitable society. and the
secretary was expected TO be there
Sam was astonished to see his wife
preparing to go out In storm. already
i'll and with the probability Of coming
back to face pneumonia.
what do you mean by even think
ing of going outY" he exclaimed.
"Why. dearie, they can't get on with.
out me-"
"They will get on without you. !
forbid your going"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly stay at
home III wrap up well. wear my
rubbers and keep dry There's not a
bit Of danger"
Martindale sat with his morning pa
per on his lap, looking fxedly at his
wife. while she continued to put on
her belongings with as much sang
froid as If she had not heard the com
mand of her lord and master When
she was ready she took up an um-
brella, bent over her husband. kissed
him and went out
"Well. by Jove! ! like THAR ex-
claimed Sam to himself as soon as the
door was closed behind his wife.
1t would be impossible to give an
adequate description of the disappoint-
ment, chagrin. modification and fore.
hodings the young husband experience
ed at this utter disregard for his word
Of command as captain Of the family
ship. He carried out the smile thus:
In the face of storm he had ordered
precautions. whereupon the crew had
crowded on sail to wreck the vessel
What was to be donef
Fight it out to finish. conquer now
or never.
When Mrs. Martindale came home
from the meeting her husband was not
there He had gone to business. Time
came for him to return, but his key
did not rattle in the lock of the front
door. He had gone to his club and
was sitting with the evening paper be-
fore him, trying to persuade himself
that he was reading it, but really In
a mental turmoil. The question Of
the domestic supremacy had come up
for settlement, and it must be settled
his way.
He ordered his dinner at the club
and when 1t was served went into the
dining room and ate it alone-that is,
he ate a few mouthfuls; he couldn't
eat any more. His wife would know
where to find him, and If she wanted
him very badly she would telephone
for him. Then he would insist on an
apology and promise never to do so
any more After that he would go
home and forgive her. 1t might be a
good lesson for her If she would be
very Ill in consequence Of her stupid,
obstinate defiance of his order not to
invite pneumonia. At one moment he
almost wished this would happen; at
the next he was in terror lest it should.