Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-10-13
Her Husband 5
Letters
By HEEL olsE BRAYToN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.


and settled back into ordinary life.
Though it was ordinary life, it 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 fusing into one
double person. Those matters in
which married couple must be weld
ed are innumerable. 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 of 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
facetous on his altered condition. One
was from Mortimer Smith, Mr.. Bal
fingers most intimate married friend
"Ned," said Mrs. Ballinger, II don't
see why your chum, Mr.. Smith, should
attack me in that way"
what way?" !
"Why," he says, "your deaf ear VII
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"
| Mr.. Ballinger was puzzled. He un-
derstood the pleasantly of his friends
remark perfectly. Mrs. Ballinger I'M
derstood only its 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, "and you should not
have seen it. Old friends. especially
men, understand each other and what
they say should be held in confidence.
If you had not opened his letter you
would not have read what he said and
would not have been irritated by it."
| Mrs. Ballinger thought bit before
replying. Don't you think that wife
has right to know what her hus-
bands friends think Of herr"
| 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.
"You see, my dear, that Smith, who
ia a good deal of Joker, has had a
long experience in married life and
Knows
SIS Mrs. Smith vixen?"
".Not at ALL Mrs. Smith is very
lovely woman"
"Oh! Then 1t is Mr.. Smith who
makes all the trouble in the family"
"There is no trouble IN the family"
EDO you mean to 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 him?" N
"But, my dear, you don't understand.
don't know more united couple
than Mort Smith and his WIFE"
"H'm! I don't see how couple can
be united when the husband has to
cover up the only ear BY which he can
hear to escape what his wife has to
say to him. I suppose he irritated her
beyond endurance"
"You are attaching an importance to
a witicism that does not belong to it,
putting matter of fact construction
upon it. 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.. Ballingers self control began to
give way. you haven't it in you to
understand this matter" he said, "and
1t 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-
ing my mail untouched"
These were the first harsh words Mr..
Ballinger had ever spoken to his newly
made wife. He had scarcely uttered
them when he saw tear gathering in
her eye. She said nothing more. In
deed, it was all she could do to pen up
her feelings. Ballinger tore up the let
tiers viciously and threw them into the
wastebasket. His wife went out Of
the 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 laid down
by Bishop Whately and more recent
writer's on the science would not do for
home use He followed his wife, put
his arms around her and kissed away
her tears.
"You have beer very unkind," she
said.
":Forgive me. I'll never do it again"
And the first matrimonial quarrel
was 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:
snort. you are fool to send such a
letter to my house as the one just re-
ceived. One would suppose a married
man would have more sense"
"Ned, admit the impeachment. I'll
never do it again. Lunch with me to-
morrow"