The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1912-02-22
Her Husbands
Letters
By HEEL OlsE BRAYTON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
Edward Ballinger and his bride had

1O"s ASe0AAeu lEOm luelr honeymoon
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 a married couple must be weld.
ed are innumerable. This story illus
trates but one Of them.
On returning from his ef3ce 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 CT tie 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
fingers most intimate married friend.
Med" said Mrs. Ballinger. II don't
see why your chum. Mr.. Smith. should
attack me in that way"
"Whot way?"
why" he says. "your deaf ear viii
come in handy. When she gives you
a 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. lie un-
derstood the pleasantly Of his friends
remark perfectly. Mrs. Ballinger un-
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. 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 a right to know what her hus-
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. be
erred in being led into an attempted
nj fo Gffnov, voo re
OF married life he would have taken
his friends advice and covered his
we'll ear.
"You see. my dear. that smith. who
n q good deal of Joker. has had o
long experience in married life and
knows
''Is Mrs. Smith vixen?"
"'Not at all. Mrs. Smith is a very
lovely woman"
"Oh! 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
IL no trouble in a family when the
husband is obliged to cover up his we'll
ear to escape what his wife has to say
| to him2"
But. my dear. you don't understand.
I don't know more united couple
than Mort Smith and his WIFE"
Hin: l 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 his wife has to
say to him. I suppose he irritated her
beyond endurance"
| you are attaching an Importance ia
n witfcism 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 won.
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. land
it 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 a tear gathering in
her eye. She said nothing more. In
Geed. it was all she could do to pen ul
her feelings. Ballinger tore up the let
ters viciously and threw them into thu
wastebasket. His wife went out OF
the room. putting her handkerchief tt
her eyes at the same time.
The newly made husband had learn
ed his first lesson in married life. HI
had learned that the logic laid dow1
by Bishop Whately and more recen
writer's on the science would not do f0l
home use He followed his wife. pu
his arms around her and kissed ava!
her tears.
"Yo1 have beer very unkind." sh'
said.
"Forgive me. I'll never do 1t again
| And tho Hrct mo trimOnio1 nrorro