The Washington times., 1914-11-03
Peters
in Mdtri1nOnv
NO. IIJ.
STRAINED RELATIONS.
BY LEONA DALRYMPLE.
Upright. 1914. Newspaper Feature Service.

| NO. h
: STRAINED RELATIONS
| r REL lIRNED to my apartment in very
little better spirits than when left
| j merely knew that the, problem of
extravaganza that I was facing was
| being faced by men all over the CONT
| nent. That at least, | was young and
! beginning, and ought to take stand
once and for all
Mary sat by the library table reading
! 7 had dcvoutly hoped she would be in
! bed. Snc was evidently waiting for me-
She still maintained the utter silence
that might mean anything. Once more
; | felt that queer fury seething in my
veins. Why, in heavens name, didn't
I she say omethng-anything? This
, silence was getting on my nerves
! won't into my room and took off my
shoes. dropping them purposely with a
thund' rous bang. | got into my slippers
and looked at my watch. II was past
midnight. | had no more than slipped
! into my dressing gown when there came
, d knock on the hall door and the down.
stairs tenants maid stood outside look
ing sleepy and disgrUntled.
MI. AlVin's compliments, sir, she
said GROSSLY, but would We be maxim
a littl" loss noise. Hes had no great lot
Of sleep for several nights, what with
gOin' about and tonight he thought to
go to bed carly and get a bit of sleep"
''The devil with Mr.. Alvin,' shot back
fiercely, and instantly Mary was at my
side.
'.Pleasc do tell Mr.. Alvin were awful
" sOrry, she said, swcetly. but Mr..
Hunt is a little out nf sorts tonight.
He'll be feeling better in the morning."
The maid stared. | fclt the hot color
rising to the roots Of my hair. 1t was
a nasty way Of getting back. If a man
"a Wnllli
thrashcd him on the spot. When the
door was closed Mary and ] confronted
Zach other in silence. There was storm
in hrr eyes. and certainly plenty Of IT in
my heart
''Mary. said. how dare you do such
Il thing rs that? DO YOU want the
ncighbors to know that we quargel? DO
You want them 70 gossip and watch us?'
Il don't care" said Mary, IF they
'You de- care" flung back. You.
care NOR" for what people think than
any one ! ever knew. Women are al
ways that way. They care darn sight
more fol tn" superficial appearance OF
things than for aCtualities."
'Y"S?' said Mary cOOlly.
Il don't see how in heavens name you
can be 50 Inconsistent ! went on,
whipped into fury by her maddening
apathy. "Tomorrow yOuIl be sorry you
spoke So To- the Alvins' maid. and 1t
Marys chilly indifference came to
sudden end.
"YUu'rc A brute she blaZed. and, in
that instant the silly pickering over the
maid and. the shoes vanished from her
luind and her thoughts, in the way Of
women. went flying back TO the original
cause of grievance. How dare you
speak TO mother as you did tonight!
Haven't you any more decenCy in you
than to bTOw-bcat Il woman? How dare
YOU drop your shoes that way in fury,
and then tell Mr. Alvin to go to the
devil Let me tell you that my-my
mother was good and kind to me long
before / ever knew or heard Of you, and
! won't have her talked to So" and
Mary burst suddenly into wild passion
OF tears.
| have never seen anything so childish
and futile as her spasm Of wrath. A
great pity welled up in me suddenly. To
var with woman such as this, with
her petty mind and her petty rebellions,
was like warning with a sparrow.
So, plying my wife, somehow my
anger dissolved. | apologiZed. and Mary
cried. and we sat up until daylight talk
ing. Once Mr.. Alvin raped on the CELL
ing below when the sound of our voices
rose, but when | raped back, he
stopped.
Copyright. 1914 Newspaper Feature serviceo