Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-07-31
What
Happened
Then


hopefully as she ladled out the soup,
but he said nothing.
1t had been rather a stressful day
down at the Office and he felt like
nothing so much as simply being
quiet. saying nothing to any one and
having no one to say anything to him.
Consequently he silently propped the
evening paper against the sugar bowl
and continued reading the column of
Wall street gossip about Hartman
gobbling another railroad.
Mrs. Jones stood the strain Of ST.
lence as long as she could and then
burst forth desperately: well, what's
new down town."
Nothing much" said Jones auto
matically.
Have a good day down at the Of
fice?"
"oh. about as usual" answered
Jones.
Has Brown been giving you any
more trouble?"
Nope" he grunted shortly.
How does your new stenographer
get on?"
There was no hidden trap in this
question. no secret jealousy concealed.
Jones's new stenographer was an
elderly maiden who wore spectacles
and goloshes and Mrs. Jones's mind
was perfectly serene regarding her
"Aw RI" responded Jones between
mouthfuls.
Il believe you'll like her much bet
ter than you did that pert girl you
mad, said Mrs. Jones. she seems
sensible and respectful-quite differ
ent from that fuffy-haired thing who
always looked at me so critically
whenever l came down to the Office.
l fairly detested her. the little ninny!"
Mr.. Jones stirred uneassly. but made
no reply. and after pause Mrs. Jones
said; How much does that clerk she
married get?"
Now. see here, Maria" said her
husband. looking up impatiently.
Cant you see I'm reading? How can
l tell whether it's Hartman or Bat
| Ting Nelson I'm reading about when
you keep firing a question into me ev-
cry two secondss"
Seeing that IL was useless to try
TO make him talk. Mrs Jones decided
do the next best thdng-talk her.
self
That Mrs. Bowman who's moved
into the fiat overhead was down again
today" she began. DO you know.
Henry. / hate to say it, and of course
it's no business OF mine. and for all
/ know she may have taken It as
medicine, but l was almost certain I
caught the smell OF whisky on her
breath. I wonder If. she drinks. OF
course she acts like a lady and wears
good clothes and rs polite, but you
can't tell what you're going to en-
counter in New York. I don't believe
in spreading scandal. but when Mrs.
Green dropped in here this afternoon
| happened to mention my suspicious
to her, and I asked if she didn't think
1t was awful for a woman to take to
whisky and drink herself to death
and then she said she met a woman
that would deceive. you just the same
way down at Bath Beach last summer
She said this woman"
"Oh, l don't care what she said OF
what this woman did" exclaimed
Jones angrily. showing back his chair
from the table and finging his napkin
uOWn on the table.
Mrs. Jones's lips quivered. She
buried her face in her handkerchief.
Now, don't start tlrat," said Jones
"You know l didn't mean to hurt your
feelings"
These were just the words needed tc
start Mrs. Jones off IN full cry. liter
ally. Her husband listened to hel
sobs for a moment and then as hi.
wife begun to pour forth a torrent O
reproach. he twisted uncomfortabl,
for a few minutes, and then angr,
both at himself and at her. jumped up
and put on his hat and stalked out o
the fiat. banging the door behind him
Straightaway he went to the corne
emporium, hoping to find some oil,
cronies there with whom he coul,
laugh away his disgust with things fl
general. But he found none presen
and after a solitary drink, went on
and slowly walked down the street
Accusing thoughts assailed him.
He reproached himself as he though
Of her cooped up in the fiat all day
But at the thought of the ceaseles
flow Of language. he gritted his teetI
and went on down to a bowling alley
where he found some friends and i'm
mediately Joined In the sport
1t was midnight when the pla
ceased. Then his conscience began t
trouble him. Suppose burglars ha
, broken into the house during his all
u sence? Suppose there had been
!. fire, with him the natural protecto,
u away? Suppose his wife. in her e,
element and resentment, should thro,
herself-oh, no. that was foolish An
i vef he had heard of women dotn ~ III a,