Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-02-27
WINS AWAKENING

Whenever conversation in Three
Pines reached the point where people
wanted to express the superlative q
tyranny they said: "As bossy - WIN
NeAeens' wife."
Win Neffens' wife had been nameo
Serena before her characteristics ma
. chance 10 develop. She was pretty
In . birdlike way. with mapping
black eyes and pert twist OF the
neck and . general snug. trim round
ness Of person that reminded one OF
Q sparrow. When Win flrst knew her
he was charmed with her little adr q
PROFESSIONALLY and the way she yulsa
him and ordered him around.
It was pleasing to think that girl
took enough interest in him to act -
though she owned him. Nobody had
sver interfered with his having his
own way before and It amused him TO
lot such . scrap Of . girl bend him.
= six-footsr and broad In proportion.
70 her win. After the novelty wore
OF It was different.
et1ll. being good-natured ana
placid fellow, he endured 1t ana was
not particularly unhappy about 1t TIL
the question of Joining the Antelopes
came up. The Antelopes were primar
lly q fraternal order, but they were
hitting up real club rooms, with .
reading room, billiard and card rooms,
and Three Pines had never had any
thing Of the sort before.
Up to that time when fell the
Bhades Of night and business men IN
Main street shut up shop there was
no place to go but home, and they
went. II clustering around the eve-
ming lamp reading the Daily Clarion
and the Farm Journal ever palled
lhey did not voice their boredom. b.
cause the case was hopeless. With
The advent of the Antelopes . great
light shone out. All the male popular
hon fastened to Join the Antelopes.
Then and there Serena Neffens de-
ltvered her ultimatum.
Don't you let me hear Of your go
ing near those Antslopes. Win Nef-
eens!" she told her husband. Its
perfectly scandalous the way the men
aro acting about 1t. I for one am go
ing to keep my husband at home!
Where should q married man be but
home, I'd like to know? Pretty idea,
aeserting his wife and family just to
waste money on cigars and billiards
and gossip! You don't see me going
but to clubs evenings. do you? Well.
vou don't 90. either!"
Win Neffens walked out Of the
house without word, as was usual
with him when Serena talked, but he
wore a frown, which was unusual.
Every man in town but himself was
going to join the Antelopes and he
wanted to join, also. 1t would be nice
10 have a comfortable club to drop
Into ccasionally-Serena needn't
have been so peremptory and selfish.
He felt rebellious. 1t was while he
was tuning bitterly that the tempter
In the shape Of Ben Sprankle got hold
Of him.
"S'pose Serena kicked up row. eh?"
asked that astute elderly parsonage
when Win told him shortly that he
wasn't going to Join. Huh! Don't be
IN idiot! You Join anyhow and she'll
never know it! The boys won't tell
on yeh!"
In fit of reckless daring Win Nef.
tens followed Sprankle's advice and
with the freemasonry Of small
town all the other members were
aware that they were to keep still
about It at home. Thereupon Win
launched out on his double life.
When he was date to supper he ex-
planned that he had been talking with
travelling man. Besides, his business
Increased 80 that every once in q
while he had to go back to the store
after supper to work on the books and
his correspondence.
It wore on Win and he developed
nerves. Serena was always lecturing
on the sins of the Antelopes. She
called the club a home-breaker and
said she, for one, wouldn't stand It tho
way the other women did.
Win was always guiltily expecting
the blow to fall. When Serena did not
como home one day till half hour
after he arrived for supper, he took
ono look at her face and knew the
blow had fallen. Somebody had told
her. As he surveyed her standing
gazing at him breathlessly, biting her
lip. collecting her forces for one grand
explosive attack, curious calm fell
over him, the calm of despair. Then
to his utter amazement, he heard HIM
self speaking, or rather, roaring. He
even pounded the table with his big
0st
What do you mean," he heard com,
Ing from own lips, "by being away
from your homo this time of the dayY
What do you mean by keeping me
waiting for my support 0adding
about, gossiping, neglecting your hus-
band and your duty"
'Wh-wh-why, Win!" gasped his
startled wife. He had never In all the
years even raised his voice before.
Il tell you, l won't stand I'll" he
concluded at the end Of f1ve minutes
heated remarks that seemed to form
themselves. This ia what drives n
man to clubs! You can get your sun
per and eat II alone-na for ma ~