The Prescott daily news., 1913-02-01
What Happened Then

hopefully as she ladled out the soup. but he said nothing
 It had been rather a stressful dav 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 howl ana continued reading the column of wal street gossip about Hartman goobltng another railroad.
 Mrs. Jones stood the strain of si. fence as long as she could and then burst forth desperately: Well, what's new down town?"
 Nothing much" said Jones auto. matically.
 Have 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.
 T believe youW like her much bet. ter than you did that pert girl you had said Mrs. Jones. She seems sensible and respectful-quite differ. ent from that fluffy-haired thing who always looked at me so critically whenever l came down to the office l fairly detested her, the little niHny!"
 Mir. Jones stirred uneasily, but made no reply, and after a 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 tling Nelson I'm reading about when you keep firing question into me ev- cry two seconds?"
 Seeing that 1t was useless to try to make him talk, Mrs. Jones decided to do the next best thing-talk her self.
 That Mrs. Bowman who's moved into the fiat overhead was down again today" she began. Do you know, n I hot kx> St 70 it's no busineas of mine, and for all 1 know she play have taken 1t as medicine, but I was almost certain | caught the smell of whisky on her breath. 1 wonder if she drinks of course she acts liLe lady and wears can't tell what Mou're going to en- counter In New Ylrk. don't believe in spreading sea. l.dal, but when Mrs. Green dropped in here this afternoon I happened 10 mention my suspicious to her, and l asked If she didn't think 1t was awfui for woman to take to whisky and drink herself to death, and then she said she met woman that would deceive you just the same way down a, Bath Beach last summer She said this womau-"
 "Oh. I don't care what she said or what this woman did!" exclaimed Jones angrj,y showing back his chair from the table and fiinging his napkin down on the table.
 Mrs. Jones's lips quivered She buried her face in her handkerchief
 Now, don't start that." said Jones' You know I didn't mean to hurt your feelings"
 These were just the words needed to start Mrs. Jones off in full cry, liter ally. Her husband listened to her sohs for a moment and then as his wife begun to pour forth a torrent of reproach. he twisted uncomfortably for a few minutes. and then angry both at himself and at her. jumped up and put on his hat and stalked out of the flat. banging the door behind him. Straightaway he went to the corner emporium. hoping to find some old cronies there with whom he could laugh away his disgust with things in general. But he found none present and after a solitary drink, went out and slowly walked down the street Accusing thoughts assailed him.
 He reproached himself as he thought of her cooped up in the fiat all day. But at the thought of the ceaseless flow of language. he gritted his teeth and went on down to bowling alley, where he found some friends and i'm mediately joined in the sport.
 It was midnight when the play ceased. Then his conscience began to trouhla him. Suppose burglars had