Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-06-22
TF.E CRACK
~ The WHIP
By SADIE CLCOTT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. vi.
By SADIE OLCOTT

one day he told me where the Mitch
was.
"Amiability." he said lis indispen-
sable in wife How can know be,
fore marriage that you are amiable?'
you show great deal Of good
sense | replied There is a 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
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 bis arms
around my neck. he covered my face
with kisses.
Now. we women have a way Of do
ing things by strategy. | didn't feel
any more fear Of betraying disagree
able nature with Neil in the house
than when he came to call on me. I
knew we'll enough that matrimony is
different from cOurtship and that when
two people settle down to work in dou
BILE harness there is going to be a
good deal Of friction. for awhile, at
any rate. | thought it fine chance to
let Neil see before marriage that these
frictionS are not all the wifes fault
was especially equipped to do this,
for my little brother Jack was at
hDv I hn al
could stand Jacks antics without los
ing his temper he would be quite able
to stagger under my most glaring
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
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 a
stick and Il horses hair and q tiny ball
Of paper would make him think that
q bumblebee was lighting on his nose
Jack sneaked into Neils room and
filed his understanding ION the insideI
with burS. Neil got the clothing on
then had to take it off again and was
half an hour picking out the burs.
He was late to business that day and
came home in 4 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 |
simply said that it was evident he
didn't like children 70 me these little
FRANKS were delightful. Neil said that.
the boy beng my brother. | was doubt
less used 10 him.
Jack during this preparation for a
honeymoon found a boy he would
rather play with than annoy Neil. SO
I was obliged to bride my brother with
candy every day and the promise Of a
football at the end of the season to
keep him at home during this test Of
my disposition. Besides, was obliged
to conjure up methods for harassing
my lover and suggesting them to the
dear boy. When Neil was snoOZing
Jack poured sand in his ear. Then
Jack would steal up behind Neil and
slip a small piece of ice down his
back under his clothing. And one day
when Neil and | were walking over
the lawn together Jack. who was
watering the grass With the hose,
turned it on my companion and
drenched him.
This was the climax of a long term
of annoyances. and Neil could not have
kept his equanimity any longer unless
he had been descended from the
of Bible quotations in which the word
ELIMINATION" occurred ofteneSt. Then
he ran after Jack, vowing that he
would knock every bit of spirit out of
his villainouS little body:
"Mr. Walker" / exclaimed severely,
HOW can you Spedh 50 VI tue uetti
child"'
Child he cried. "Hel!ion, rather"'
"Mr. Walker" | continued in a dig
nifed tone, Il am disappointed. | sup
posed that your disposition was as
gentle as q lambs. | find that you are
easily angered and when angered not
only fierce, but vindictive. How fortu-
nate that | should have discovered the
true acerbity of your makeup, Our
engagement is at an end Had | mar
ried man with such temper l
should have looked forward to the
rest of my life with horror"
These last words We're the same as
he had used 10 me. but he didn re
member them.
And had | married YOU he re-
torted. forgetting himself in new
burst of anger. zone in whose veins
flows the blood of that little viper,
would
walked straight into the house and
shut the door after me-
Where be stayed that night | didn't
know. but the next morning he came