The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-11-14
A FAMILY
AFFAIR
By OLIVE EDNA MAY

devoted. for his wife. Why he pre-
ferred the latter did not appear. Pos
sibly he might have thought that she
would on the whole make him better
wife. Those who knew him believed
that he would rather have married
Clementine Brooks, but that there
were certain objections in the way OF
his doing 50. Miss Brant was mer-
~, devil-may- creature, without
any predispositiOn to economy, ana
would not have made good manager.
There were other reasons why Jones
might have decided against her. but
whether they influenced him or not
nobody but himself knows.
Jones insisted on retaining his init
macy with his old fame. His wife
objected. but Jones would not give mp
Miss Brant, though he simply retain
ed her as a friend. And there was no
suspicion on the part Of those who
knew him best that he acted toward
her as anything more than a friend.
But naturally his wife was not salts
fed She consented to receive Miss
Brant at her home. but never display
ed any COrdiality toward her.
One day Jones came home from bust
ness much earlier than usual and found
a gentleman making an afternoon call
on his wife. Jones bowed to the WISH
tor coOlly and passed on upstairs. Aft
er the man had gone Jones asked who
he was. Mrs. Jones informed him that
her visitors name was Steadman and
was very old and very dear friend
of hers. Then Jones remembered that
some one had in his presence twitted
his wife about a man named Stead
man. and he grew very Jealous.
what do you mean by receiving
this old lover of yours during my alb
sence?" he asked.
what do you mean by keeping up
your intimacy with Julia Brant after
our marriageT'
Julia Brant and are old friends"
Henry Steadman and 1 are older
friends than you and Julia"
Jones saw the point. II presume you
intend" he said, ito use this man
Steadman to separate me from my
friend. Jealousy-absurd jealousy-has
separated more couples than any other
cause"
"Then don't be jealous of me-"
Jones went away grumbling, but he
had sense enough to see that his wife
had as much right to keep up her init
macy with Steadman as he had to keep
up his intimacy with Miss Brant. But
he did not intend to be forced away
from his friend in this way. He ar
gued that he was conducting himself
with perfect propriety toward her-in-
deed, that he had no desire to conduct
himself toward her in any other way.
His wife should take his word for this
and not try to break up a friendship
Of long standing on account of her sus-
picion, to which Mrs. Jones replied
that there was no more reason for her
breaking off her relations with Stead
man than for Jones to break with
Julia.
Finally Jones, who was perfectly sat
isfied with his wife and really had only
a friendly interest in Miss Brant, as
sured the former that the only reason
he had for not breaking with her was
that he didn't like to do so without
giving the true reason, which was that
his wife was Jealous Of her, to which
Mrs. Jones replied that there was no
necessity of his giving a reason. All
he had to do was to drop Miss Brant.
He asked his wife If in that event she
intended to drop Steadman, and she re-
piled that since she considered that a
wife should receive no man her hus-
band objected to she certainly would
in that event give Mr.. Steadman notice
to discontinue his calls.
Jones couldn't make up his mind to
break with Miss Brant-not that her
friendship was necessary to his com
fort, but because he did not like to
treat q woman friend harshly. And
. how could he discontinue his visits to
her and cease TO invite her to his home
without indicating that 1t meant a
break between them?' Nevertheless
Mrs. Jones insisted on accepting the at,
tentions Of Steadman as long as Jones
continued on friendly terms with Miss
Brant, and II he was ever to be reliev.
ed OF the occasional presence Of man
he hated he must give in. He did so
The next time Miss Brant came to the
Spuse he remained in his room, and he
Eer called on her again.
Mr.. Steadman did not again appear
at the Jones home, and both bones OF
contention were removed Children
were born to the Joneses. and a united
family was the result
Mrs. Jones died after the children
were all grown and most OF them had
been married. At last MFR. Jones was
left alone. He had only the memory
of his life companion, and the more
he thought over her many good traits
the more he revered her One day he
set about destroying the letters she
had received and kept. thinking 1t best
that they should not be perused by 9th.
ers. Among them he found a small
package marked Concerning Julia
Brant" He read som, Of them. They
were letters to his late wife, giving con-
fldential opinions Of the lady, and did
not rate her very high. One was from
Mrs. Jones' brother. who recommend
ed her by all means to break up her