The Washington herald., 1913-11-11
AN OLD MAIDS DUTY.
By oRAcE KERRIGAN.

4
BY GRACE KERRIGAN.
Stephen olney and Mary Williams had
Tpeen married a year, and all had gone
wei. 1t hadn't been what might be called
auick-lunch or rapid-transit match
stephen was steady young man of
three-and-twenty and Mary was three
years younger. They had courted a
year and studied each other. Stephen
hadn't written an average Of three love
letters day. and 1t hadn't gone forth
that Mary would commit suicide IL any
thing occurred to prevent the marriage.
There was romance. but there was also
common sense.
There had been no disagreement for
the year. On only one occasion was there
little cloud. That was when a lame
man passed the cottage as husband and
wife sat on the steps, and the wife re-
Ieg?"
The limp is in the left leg. dear" was
the reply.
ITS in the rightr' n
Its in the lefty
stephen Olney. do you think I'm
blind!"
Mary olney. do you think 1 amr'
| And just at that critical moment. as II
sent by Providence. Mr.. Shoemaker came
along and said:
That's Mr.. Savage. who hurt his back
a year ago and will never get over it!''
80. then. It wasn't limp in his right
legr'
Nor limp in the left leg
And what was there to do but laugh
and make up. but at the same time
heed the moral of it-that almost every
quarrel in married life starts at a trine
One day there was an arrival The
| arrival was woman She came stalking
up TO the Olney house through six inches
OF snow. Her name was Agatha Saun-
ders- She was a cousin CT Mrs. Olney,
and lived fifty miles away. and she was
an old maid. She had not been heard
| from, by letter or otherwise. for three
years. She had not been invited to ar
rive.
The visitor had to Identify herself, and
when she had done so she said: II sus-
pect you are surprised to see me, but 1
felt II my duty to come"
Yes, but no one is Ill.," was the reply
ITS worse than illness, according to
| what hear.
''Why, what is it?''
ITS that man you married.''
But Stephen Is all right"
You needn't tell me that Mary! No
4
| Is all wrong. 1 have come TO give you
my aid and sympathy and help you
bring about change 1 meant to have
| come six months ago, when heard how
| Stephen was using you. but sickness and
other things prevented I am here now,
however. and 1 trust it is not too late"
But Stephen has used me as only a
| loving husband should"
Don't seek TO blind my eyes. for I've
heard all about it. There's six inches OF
snow all around your house. and the well
| must wade to them,"
But is Stephen to blame?"
rs he home here using the snow
! shovel? II SO. ] don't see him. He Is
| utterly Indifferent whether you wade or
not. Wet feet lead to pneumonia and
death. Does Stephen carer"
But when he gets home"
"Oh. that Is a different thingI have
heard that when he enters the house he
throws his hat on the floor or any old
where and expects you TO pick II up"
He may sometimes"
He orders you to get his slippers
HE asks me to-
Don't split hairs, Mary. Stephen goes
out evenings and leaves you alone"
He goes to his lodge now and then"
His lodge! Why, Mary, you are a
greater simpleton than 1 thought you!
Lodge! Lodgei Out Of every one hun
dred cases of divorce ninety-eight come
about through the husband going to his
lodge. or pretending that he does But
we'll say no more about 1t Just now. 1t
was my duty to come, and here 1 am. 1
shall try to bring about a great change
| In Stephen. II he is selfish and obstinate
about II, as most husbands are, ! shall
stand by you in getting a divorce"
But you were never married. and how
do you know what a husband ought to
be?" demanded the young wife.
MY dear cousin, i have been engaged
three times, and almost engaged four
ether times, and / think 1 know some
thing about mankind. We will renew
this conversation at another time"
II Miss Agatha Saunders hadn't been
| blood relative she would have been
invited or commanded to make tracks
in that six inches of snow-fresh tracks
tracks leading back to the railroad
depot You can't take relative by the
neck, however, unless the offense is more
serious. 1t was certain that the old
maid had come to NEEDLE and make
trouble but the young wife resolved not
to say word to her husband until forced
to. Two days had passed when the
visitor said:
Cousin Mary, Stephen took his seat at
the breakfast table this morning before
you did. In leaving the house this morn
ing he simply kissed you on the ear"
We neither Of us go much on kissing"
when you asked il you should have
boiled dinner he merely grunted in
reply. He didn't wave his hand at you
when be went out OF the gate"
Because had gone back into the |
kitchen"
Mary olney. you see the handwriting !
on the wall as clearly as do but you
are bound not to admit It I tell you |
that Stephen has become Indifferent to |
you. and when a husband becomes in |
different a separation is not far offr'
Two or three days later Il was:
MARY, when stephen arrives home at |
6 o'clock he doesn't kiss you"