The Press., 1912-12-18
The Dark of the Honeymoon Showing the Difficulty of Working In Double
 Harness
By r1. F. ARCHIBALD

A newly married couple have often been compared to a team of horses yeked for the first time in double har- ness. It is an excellent comparison. The start is made when the wedding journey is over and the couple enter upon the routine of ordinary life. Their expectation usually is that the billing and cooing will last so long as they live. But lovers are elevated upon an emotional plain that cannot be main tained any more than one can listen to music or look at beautiful works of art or read poetry day. in and day out without doing anything else.
 On starting upon a united journey they find that one has been accus- toned to go at one pace, the other at another One has one gait, the other different one. But it is the coming down from the antenuptial roseate condition that often brings about the breaking in to travelling double on life's turnpike.
 Phil Ormsby and Rosalind Scrimser returned from their wedding journey to enter their cozy little home. Rosalind was nineteen and Phil was twenty eight ROsafind was at an age wherein a newly married person, especially woman, is not prepared for sudden descent from the courtship condition.
 Phil was naturally practical and old for his age. The season of preparation for the wedding had come upon him when he was actively engaged in busl- ness, and the two together had worn upon him. Then came the honeymoon, and, though at first 1t brought de lightful rest. before it was finished he desired to get back to some important matters which he had left unfinished. The result was that when he found himself at home he was pleased to re turn to a normal condition both in his private and business life. The first day on coming home from business he greeted his wife with just trif1e less of a lovers exuberance than he had been in the habit of showing, and. throwing himself in an easy chair, took up an evening newspaper and began to look it over. - -...-,-. =
 His wife eyed him askance. They had entered upon the collapse of the .courtship honeymoon period. the begin ming of the real matrimonial life. Un- fortunately both had not reached the portal of their new -companionship at H.. fvn %hn of a span of newly yoked horses, where the one has settled down to trot while the other is still caracOling-so had Phil entered upon the affairs of ordinary life. while Rosalind had not left world of romance.
 Phil went on reading his newspaper. He was somewhat tired, but this was not the prime course of his disposition to glance over the news of the day. He half expected that his young wife would say whatever she might have to, say, while he read, but she didn't. FL nally he looked up. There was cloud on Rosalind's face no bigger than a mans hand. ''s-'
 Anything especial happened during the day?" he asked.
 "A great deal has happened, but you have been so occupied with your news paper that I supposed you took no in terest in your home"
 "Wbat's gone wrong?"
 Nothing that would interest you"
 "AIy dear, how can you say that? Anything that concerns you interests me-
 50 thought, until you came home the first evening after our return from our wedding journey and took more in' own household"
 Phil didn't reply to this at once. For months he had been very much pleased at anyrreproach for any inattention to his love. Now he wondered why this one annoyed him. -'.
 'Tell me, sweetheart, what has gone wrong today"
 "Oh. nothing that you need worry about. I dare say the cares of business have been quite enough for you to en- dure. I can bear the rest"
 ''TeH me one thing you have had bear"
 Well, in the first place, telefall the butcher to send porterhou~a and he sent a sirloin."
 That's too bad. What else
 There are mice in the hot came out today and ran d! sbaseboard."
 ''tWe'll put traps about"
 ."0r cat.''
 "rhat's a good idea"
 He drew her down onto his lap auc there was a little cooling, but somehow now that they could coo as much as they cared 10, there didn't seem to be the same vest to 1t At any rate, Phil was not sorry when. they, were sum- moned to dinner. .-...~ .--
 A fortnight passed during which there were many occurrences of such scenes. though the husband did not succeed in maintaining his serenity as well aN upon their first tiny spat. Dur ing these two weeks the bride was m nidly coming to the condition of one 'wIo assumes that in her marriage a terrihle mistake has been made, that her husband doesn't love her, and the iOttom has dropped out of the universe. One afternoon. returning from busi. ness. Phil found his abode empty and q note from his wife stating that she could not stand the existing status any longer She had gone to live the rest of her life with her mother and would never return to him.
 Most men would have looked upon this kicking of the, matrimonial traces on the part of his running mate as a very serious matter and would have gone after his wife to try to pacify her or to upbraid her; but, as have said, phiI had an old rnon,S had nn a