Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-28
JF INTEREST TO THE WOMEN
THE STRUGGLES OF A WIFE
By Virginia Terhune Van de Water
was we'll. Myra." he replied.

| I was we'll, Myra." he replied, II
also intimated that l was simply
tired and worried, that's ALL.
The tone of reproof nettled the
wife, The events of the day had
worn upon her nerves The triumph
self somewhat of a strain, and the
lack of enthusiasm with which
Horace had received the news of
her good fortune had dashed her
spirits cruelty.
Now with her endeavors to make
felt her self-control replaced by a
subtle sense of resentment at the
Injustice of her companions.
Il am tired myself" she re-
marked, her voice vibrating with
hardly suppressed impatience. And
do think that If 1 try to talk and
be agreeable while we are at table,
the least the rest of the family
can do is to help me out"
Her husband looked at her in sur
prise. My dear wife," he said in
fires of NeXation, there is no need
of Your assuming that injured man
ner. If you had been down town
all day, as [ have, / doubt IL you
would feel any more like talking of
trivialities than 1 do"
Tears sprang to Myras eyes, but
she winled them back resolutely.
| Grace. glancing at her saw her dis
comtture and feared that there
might cnsue an alteration such as
she especially disliked. Therefore,
/ she pushed her chair back from the
table and rose to her feet.
IF you will excuse me, l think I
will go to my. room now," she ex-
planned. II have a great deal to do,
| and | am so tired that I do not think
that ] will wait for any dessert -
but get right to work"
| When she was gone, the meal
ended in complete stiffness so far
as the pair in the dinngroom was
concerned. Horace ate one tart, and
| helped himself to another. To the
| wife, the dessert tasted of sawdust.
She felt as if she shourd choke If
she did not get away by herself
soon.
Even Singing Is Barred
From the kitchen came the rattle
of dish washing, mingled with the
unmelodious grooming of the maid.
Lizzie was evidently reeIing we'll
once more and was so deeply occu-
pied in her task or in the music of
| her own Irish song, that she forgot
all else. over and over again she
sang the same refrain. until the
master OF the house set down his
coffee cup with a mutter of eXas-
peration.
81 declare" he exclaimed. THAT
girls singing is enough TO set one
crazy! You must tell her to stop
! it, Myra."
The wife herself had been an
noyed by the sound but at her hus-
bands speech she forgot all except
his outburst.
"Oh, Horace" she protested quick
| ly, IF anyone can be happy enough
to sing, let her do it! Few of us
can"
Her husbands look conveyed re-
proach even more strongly than his
words.
THAT is not a very kind thing to
say, Myra," he remarked. Things
out your complaining and making
them harder"
Il have not been complaining"
the wife retorted. "I am merely
stating a fact. And perhaps if all
of us tried harder to be pleasant
around"
Are you trying now?" the man
demanded, sarcastically, his New
England temper - the one emotion
which the descendants of the Puri-
tans are not ashamed to display -
getting the best of him.
And that is hardly a kind thing
for you to say" Myra reminded him
Il am sorry if l have seemed cross
or depressed, but l have received no
encouragement to be otherwise
since we sat down to dinner"
The husbands eyes snapped an
grily
II suppose you mean that all the
effort in everything is on your
part?" he accused. i've been a
failure in business and in my home
as well. You probably feel because
you have sold story that YOU are
becoming a success where l failed.
Well, it is not the pleasantest thing
in the world for man to feel that
his wife is helping support his
household. Please bear that in
mind, Myra!'
She did not flash back at him. She
told herself that he was angry and
did not mean what he said. Still,
the hurt went deep and ranked.
ITO Be Continued).
II HIa Gil