The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-10-26
Her Husbands
Letters
By HELolsE BRAYToN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

Though 1t was ordinary life, 1t was
changed life. There was the difference
between the single and the married
state, which is very great difference.
Instead Of remaining two individuals,
they were to begin tusing into one
double person. Those matters in
which a married couple must be weld.
ed are innumerGble. This story illus
trates but one Of them.
On returning from his Office at even
ing on the day after his return from
his wedding trip the young husband
found that the postman had left sew
eral letters for him. all VI which had
been opened by his wife. He repress-
ed any expression Of the slight shock
he felt and. taking up the letters, read
them. They were mostly from old
chums, who, knowing Of his arrival,
welcomed him back. some waxing
facetious on his altered condition. One
was from Mortimer Smith. Mr. Bal
linger's most intimate married friend.
Med" said Mrs. Ballinger, Il don't
see why your chum, Mr.. Smith, should
attack me in that way"
what wayr'
why" he says, your deaf ear viii
come In handy. When she gives you
curtain lecture In bed all you have
to do Is to bury your well ear on the
pillow and you won't hear her"
Do n
derstood the pleasantly Of his friends
remark perfectly. Mrs. Ballinger I'M
derstood only it's unpleasantry. He
knew that an explanation would be
hopeless. He didn't attempt one. He
concluded rather TO use the incident to
break up in the beginning his wife's
opening his letters.
"The remark was not intended for
you" he said, land you should not
have seen It. Old friends. especialiyi
men, understand each ether and WHAT
they say should be held In confidence,
If you had not opened his letter you'll
would not have read what he said and
would not have been irritated by it.
Mrs. Ballinger thought a bit beforei
replying. Don't you think that wifeJ
has right to know what her hus-I
bands friends think Of her?"
Nothing Is so irritating as to be,
obliged to argue with one who starts
with an incorrect assumption. Though,
Mr.. Ballinger controlled himself. he
erred in being led into an attempted
explanation. After ten or fifteen years
OF married life he would have taken
his friends advice and covered his,
well ear. I
"You see, my dear, that Smith, whci
is a good deal of a joker, has had Z
long experience in married life and /,
knows
rs Mrs. Smith vixcn?" (
Not at all. Mrs. Smith is a very
lovely woman
"0h. Then it is Mr.. Smith who
makes all the trouble in the family"
There is no trouble in the family"
"Do you mean to tell me that there
Is no trouble in family when the
husband is obliged to cover up his well;
ear TO escape what his wife has to say,
TO himT
.'But, my dear. you don't understands
I don't know a more united couple
than Mort Smith and his wife"
HIN. don't see how a couple can
be united when the husband has TO
cover up the only ear by which he can
hear TO escape what bis wife has to
say TO him. | suppose he irritated her
beyond endurance"
"You are attaching an Importance to
witicism that does not belong to it.
putting a matter of fact construction
upon H. Mort was not referring to you
especially. but to women generally"
"Oh. suppose he's one of those
men called women haters who think
that everything bad comes from wom-
en-. have no patience with such men,"
Mr.. Ballinger's self control began To
give way. you haven't it in you to
understand this matter" he said, "and
IL shouldn't have come up before you.
It's your own fault Had You respect
ed my correspondence you would not
have read that which you can't fathom.
In future you will oblige me by leav.S
Ing my mail untouched"
These were the first harsh words Mr.l
Ballinger had ever spoken to his newly
made wife. He had scarcely uttered
them when he saw a tear gathering In
her eye. She said nothing more. In
deed. 1t was all she could do to pen upi
her feelings. BaIlinger tore up the let-i
ters viciously and threw them into thei
wastebasket. His wife went out of
Inc room. putting her handkerchief TO,
her eyes at the same time.
The newly made husband had learn
ed his first lesson in married life, He
had learned that the logic hid down.
by Bishop Whately and more recent
writers on the science would not do for
home use. He followed his wife. nut
his arms around her and kissed away,
her tears.
'You have beer very unkind." she,
said
.'Forgive me, III never do IT again
And the first matrimonial quarrel,
Nas over.
But the wife's opening Of her hus
bands letters continued
Here are two letters she never saw
one from her husband to his friend
Smith and its reply;
Mort. you are fool to send such a