The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17
SIS WIFE.
True story OF n woman, q Bitterly
and a " licked Cat

|
To THE EDITOR or THE suN--sir. For
the past few days my thoughts have
turned to gardening: and in reviewing
the experiences Of last year l wildly
recall a simple incident that shows how
man may lose his temper over small things
that to an outsider may appear rldicu-
lous. 1t also throws q beam Of light upon
the way OF woman.
One day last May I noticed a large,
prosperous looking green worm feeding
| on the tender leaves Of one of my cab
bage plants. Although | believe In that
broad philosophy that bids us live and
let live, I cannot deny that I was dis
tinctly annoyed.
There is something about little worms
that makes you feel charitable; but it's
| different with the larger varieties, and
this worm was four inches long and had
the appetite of small child.
l knocked It to the ground and was
| about to crush 1t beneath my heel when
l was stayed by a sudden thought. Sup
pose 1t was "A butterfly in embryo! What
"A beauty Ii would make, what n gor-
geous beauty! And I had been about
to destroy 1t as II IT were a viper.
carried 1t into the house and found
glass covered case in which, years be-
fore. had kept a nondescript collection
| OF BIRDS eggs. In this case / placed a
| number OF cabbage leaves. on one OF
| which reposed the motionless captive.
then assembled to the attic, where ] ar
ranged things SO that the precious worm
! would get the benefit OF the warm sun
on clear mornings.
About week afterward 7 noticed that
| my prize had attached itself to one OF
the sides Of the case by means OF hay
| iilaments that partially concealed Its
| form. Gradually these filaments deve,-
| oped into a grayish white web and soon
the captive was completely enveloped In
| huge compact cocoon.
Weeks passed. during which exam
| ined the cocoon almost daily then one
I morning In late summer beheld the mir
| acle. There was an opening IN the CO.
coon. and near one OF the dried leaves
| In the centre OF the case was one OF the
| most beautiful butterflies I have ever
seen. with wings OF deep brown ana
black and gold, each spotted with little
circles that shone like rings OF dull fire.
In thoughtless moment l called my
wife to view the prize.
What are you going to do with liz"
she asked.
why. keep II. Of course" ! replied
Had ] not, in Il measure. been respon-
sible for its birth? 81 think It's a shame
she answered. ito keep delicate thing
like that confined IN an old box in the
attic when II ought TO be flying around
I In the sunlight. enjoying It's brief span
| OF life. You know" she added reproach-
fully, butterflies live only three days"
Now. l didn't know this. and she didn't
either; but II is one of my wlfe's weak
nesses TO accept common superstitions at
/ their face value. For some time after
our marriage she fondly believed that
amy person who touched a toad would be
certain to have warts, and II was only
after had handled with impunty a
/ dozen or more Of these reptiles in her
I presence that she was willing TO admit
there was AN error somewhere.
! ] now saw an opportunity 20 deal n
death blow 10 another superstition.
Who told YOU that stuff I asked
! quietly, What STUFF" she exclaimed
In mild surprise "Why. that fairy story
about how long butterflies i've: who told
YOU that nonsense" Nobody told me-"
she replied; ITS common knowledge
everybody knows it, DO YOU believe
lt?'' / persisted. determined - leave no
\ loophole for escape certainly I do"
/ said she don't your
Now see here" I said firmly: at
doesn't do any scod TO argue with you.
| It's "A waste of time: but I'll tell you
what I'll do. II that butterfly isn't alive
and well three days from to-day I'll buy
| you new dress. but II IL is alive. mind
| you, you are to confess publicly that
| you've been guided again by simple fools
who don't know any more about butter
| dies than they do about animal life on the
planet Mars. Do you agree to that
She said she did; and mighty willing
]
often had occasion to remark the stub
born faith of people who are STEPPED In
| old beliefs and superstitions. I at once
gathered a quantity OF flowers, weeds and
grasses, carried them w TO the attic and
scattered them about the floor. furniture
and window castings. The butterfly, which
had been released from the case. roamed
at large about the room, fitting from
| place 40 place with d charming vivacity
that seemed to Indicate "A robust state
OF health. Thus things continued until
the morning of the third day.
On that morning when l went up to
the room l discovered that Thomas. our
old gray cat, had preceded me. As !
entered he departed swiftly and stealth
lily. My butterfly lay upon the floor
crushed and broken. As picked up the
remains and laid them on the table, my
wife entered the room. For a moment
she stood in mild surprise. silent and cir
cumspect, but l could see no look OF
, sympathy on her face. not Il trace of H.
It's remarkable how cold and pitiess
woman can be without half trying. When
her self-interest Is at stake she can be
as cruel as the grave. 1t WAS so now
with my wife. Not Il single thought did
sho give to the beautiful broken thing
that moment before had been pusating
with life, not Il single thought
She came over and touched my arm.
"Si" she said--and ! hate TO be called
"Si' under such circumstances. "Tve de-
cided upon a dark brown satin messaline.
] made up my mind day before yester-
day: I've always wanted messaline and
I think brown becomes me better than
any other color, don't you, dear?'
steeled myself against this insidious.
untimely term of affection. and referred
briefly to the impending dissolution of
Thomas.
But her next remark was too much.
You ought to have known" she said
condescendingly, that butterflies live
only three days: It's a scientific fact. and
this proves IT," Up TO that moment
had kept my temper, but this was the
last straw. l exploded In wild diatribe
on all things feminine, especially fem- |
nine logic and intuition. And I'll bet
nine men out of ten would have done the
same. SIMON CREEL.
ALBANY, May IS.