The Ordway new era., 1917-09-21


we'd bought seats on the center aisle"
"Yes, that is annoying" propitiated
Helen.
"Annoying2 I couldn't see thing !!
And William would have sat there.
He'll take anything rather than make
a fuss. If there's any objecting-I al
ways have to do it."
"Well, you seem to enjoy it, my
dear. You've a natural aptitude that
way"
There! That's a sample Of the
pleasant things he says to me-"
Dear, perhaps Mr.. Barton will have
some more lamb" broke in Helen, tact
fully.
"Why didn't you holier?' Warren
took up the carving knife. you've got
to sing out for what you want here.
How's this? Too rare?"
"No, just right" Then to his wife :
"That's the way to cook lamb. We
always have 1t done to DEATH"
II think Hilda's an exceptionally
good cook" coInbatively. "You never
said you wanted lamb rare"
"Want all meat rare-except pork.
But I never get anything at home the
way I want it."
"Mrs. Barton, is that window too
much on you?" interrupted Helen.
"Oh, no, like 1t. You'd better ask
William; he's the fragile flower Of our
family"
fragile flower! That's good
grinned Warren. I'm afraid come
under that class myself, but Helen's
never happy unless she has a ten
knot breeze blowing on the back Of her
neck"
"Then she can sympathize with me
William is simply impossible! He
wants to sleep with all the windows
down."
"That's the way You tell it. As q
matter of fact, when the thermometers
below zero-they're all up. Twice last
winter I woke to find snow an inch
deep on the bed"
swell, you know what the doctor
said. When we build, we're going to
have a big sleeping porch"
"Fine! If you sleep out there
maybe I'll have some peace"
"Oh, If that's what you mean-you
don't have to wait until we build q
sleeping porch"
There was an uncomfortable silence
as Mrs. Barton, with heightened color
viciously shredded n piece of celery
while her husband drained his wine.
glass.
Helen had heard that the Bartons
were always quarreling, but 1t seemed
incredible that they should air their
hostilities so openly. U..
All through the evening they had
kept up running fire Of sarcastic rep
artee. They agreed on nothing. On
every subject they had clashing diff
ference of opinion. Whatever turn the
conversation took, they managed to
give each other some caustic thrust.
It was a relief when the dinner was
over and Helen and Mrs. Barton re.
turned to the library, while the men
fingered over their cigars.
"William is so provoking!" drawing
the chiffon scarf about her bare shoul.
ders. "He always says something to
upset me. Does Mr.. Curtis get on your
nerves like that?"
"I think we all have disputes al
times" Helen conceded.
"At times7 It's always like this. he
loves to irritate me. He says things
deliberately-things that he knows
will drive me wildl"
"Perhaps If you didn't show it quite
SO much"
"How can I help showing 1t? Wasn't
that hateful, uncalled-for thing ne
said about the roast2"
"oh, he just wanted to seem compli-
mentary about the dinner" murmured
Helen appeasingly.
aNo. 1t wasn't that. Whenever we
dine out he delights in deprecating my
housekeeping. Does Mr.. Curtis say
those things? Is he always making In
situations about the way you run the
houseT =,
"I suppose all men are irritatfng-in
different ways"
swell. william can be irritating IN
more ways than anyone ! ever knew"
SIS Mrs. Barton extolling my vir-
.,,.s j :. asked M. Barton, as Warren
and he now Joined them. ''That'1 her
fayorite theme nowadays"
But his wife. ignoring this piess'
antry, adjusted the nowers - her cozs
saee With elaborate cars. !.
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