Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-08-04
NUMBER 81
leart enyied my friend his wife.

heart envied my friend his wife.
Billy did not return ut 10 O'Clock or
at II. At half past II tore myself
away after having passed delightful
evening.
During the next week Billy and bis
wife were constantly telephoning for
me. I found myself becoming infatuat.
ed with her and tried to keep away.
but they wouldn't let me do so. Billy
was as persistent as his wife and she
as persistent as Billy.
A guilty conscience needs no ac-
cuser, and II seemed TO me that Billy
must notice my embarrassment, my
shamefacedness. But he didn't At any
rate, he was as cordial, as joyial, as af-
fectionate as he had ever been. And, as
for being jealous Of me, such an idea
appeared never to enter his head. In
deed, he seemed to be constantly con-
triving to leave me alone with his wife.
had not been introduced to Mrs
Bryce a week before Billy announced
that he was called away on business
and would be absent for about ten
days.
"Whatw l exclaimed. Leave your
wife so soon after your wedding"
What can do? Business won't
wait while man Is spooning with a
new wife. Besides. Lu won't go with
me-"
Indeed. I WON'T" said Lu. II detest
travelling. Besides. how would amuse
myself. shut up In hotel, while Billy
was attending to business? No. thank
you. I'm comfortable here"
There" said Billy. "You see what
marriage is. They're very sweet on you
till they get you; then you discover
that it's all put on"
His wife reproached him, but seemed
to have difficulty In repressing a smile.
Truly they were taking q great deal Of
trouble to make me feel that had been
gamer instead Of a loser by Billy's
marriage.
spent every evening at Billy's house
during his absence. made one sickly
effort to miss an evening, but Mrs.
Bryce asked me what in the world she
would 90 alone asked her II the rel
alive Billy had mentioned as being
with her would not be companion for
her, but she said that person had gone
the same day as Billy.
BY the time the ten days Of Billy's
absence had gone-and they seemed but
half q week. had so far given my
heart to his wife that dared not meet
him. I asked Mrs. Bryce when She eX-
pected him, and she said not for cou-
pie of days. But when dining with her
I heard key in the latch Of the front
door and knew that my bosom friend
now my bosom enemy-had returned
He ushered in lady who noticed re-
sembled his wife. She came up to me
smiling and put out her hand.
II am Mrs Bryce" she said I'VE
have all been playing game. Billy
thought 1t would be good Joke to In.
troduce you to my sister, Edith. rs
his wife. he said he thought 1t would
break the formality of your coming
under the new conditions. l kept out
of the way till Billy concluded to be
absent for awhile; then went with
HIM"
And you are the relative to whom
dinner was carried upstairsT
~ am"
ITO tell the truth. old man." Billy
broke in. "you were getting so devoted
to my wife that thought I'd better
"William" protested she who had
played the part Of his wife.
This was a great bouleversement both
for me and Edith. So long as she had
been the leading lady in play she
had not scrupled ut anything. but now
that she must be herself again she be.
gan to show signs Of embarrassment.
! was too stupid to see that this plot
had been Intended to take proper care
Of me In the loss Of my friend by CIV.
Ing me a wife. confess was at
loss to understand why they had
thought proper to play sucL joke on
me, but ! did not refer 1t to its true
source.
We had a merry dinner together,
which was only marred by Billy. who
rould not resist the temptation to guy
me for my devotion to one whom
had supposed to be his wife. His
taunts were only appreciated by him.
self. His wife tried to frown him
down. his sister.in-law looked daggers
ut him. while looked silly. However,
the dinner ut last ended. Billy and
his wife went upstairs ostensibly to
rest after their journey. but really to
leave me alone with Edith.
put an end to the embarrassment
attending the joke that had been pla
ed upon me by proposing to Edith
hat since she had played the role OF
wife so we'll she had better be real
wife. She assented. Mr. and Mrs.
Bryce were the next day informed
that the play lad ended in reality.
Billy enjoyed his joke hugely. declar-
ing that 1t was the only way l could
have been saved from a lonely old
pessimism.
all r;-. H.s chsrdaa