Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-11-02

wanting. Every good point she dis
counts in a.quiet, Elusive way he feels
but cannot combat, every virtue is
shown to have some failing wrapped
up in the seams. When he is most
interested in impressing her she looks
way off into the distance or flags his
train of thought at the way-station of
some commonplace observation that
shows she has only been half listening
as she interrupts to point out the fun
ny shade of cloud or to ask him If
he does not think old-rOse sash-cur-
tains are beautiful.
When he invites his friend to dinner
at their house for the first time he is
filled with boyish delight-and over
anxious that it will be success. He
is proud of his home and wantssto
have it admired; he is proud of his
wife and proud of his friend and wants
them really to like each other. She Is
pleasant but just little more digni-
fed than is absolutely necessary;
there is slight air of constraint; talk
does not flow freely. The fountain of
tentative spray occasionally and causes
only the faintest splash of a half
smile. After the coffee things bright
en- up little and over the cigars the
two talk over old butt is not real
trio. When goodnight time comes
and he goes to the door and helps his
friend on with his coat, and theyAStand
L.
at the stars and discuss the weather
prospects, there seems a note missing
in the music. Both are conscious
of 1t.
When he hurries back to the dining
room, where they have tarried because
it seemed more comfortable, to hear
the verdict of the jury of one, he is
disappointed even though he feared it
was prejudiced. The first remark,
Hasn't he large hands?" does not
seem really vital but it is significant.
He does get credit for dressing well
but as this was to be expected, it does
not count. He laughs too loudly; he
seems conceited; he mispronounced
four words; he called her husband by
some fiippant nickname; he has such.
strange views Of religion, she Is sure
he is an atheist; there must be some
thing wrong with his family, he never
mentioned any of them; she would
| wager anything there is a cruel streak
in him for she could tell it by the ex-
preston of his mouth. She seems to
| have a certain pleasure in checking off
the items, seemingly unconscious of
the pain she is giving. In her preju-
diced mood even st. Paul would be dis
qualified had he come in as a friend
upon whom the husband depended for
affection, counsel and comradeship.
In the days that follow the resent.
full rebellion stimulated by the defense
and protest helps her to find new flaws
and defects, and the never failing
trickle of comment and criticism may
begin to wear away rock of friend
ship. The friends visits become short
er as the interval between them grows
longer and then cease. The husband
occasionally meets him downtown and
he chafes at the thought that he is not
treating him squarely; it seems dis
loyal, but he cannot see how to change
it. He frets at the curtailment of his
freedom; he does not speak of the
meeting at home. He knows that If he
should speak 1t would mean a fusilade
of questions not of real interest but OF
curiosity, the instinct of being on guard
like a sentry whose duty it is to chal-
lenge. He does not care to invite the
inquisition. 1t Is sad when wife,
even through overzealous loving, closes
with her own hand the door of her
husbands confidence; 1t may rust on
its hinges and become difficult to re-
open.
Other friends Of his may be dropped
overheard in many ways and for many
excuses but with the same real rea-
son. One may borrow money, another
may have bad table manners which
her comments convert into almost a
crime, q third Is not tolerated because
of his wife, and so the catalogue of ex-
tinguishing the lights Of friendship
runs on until all the old ones are
o.
ness. The friends then are the new
ones they have made together since
their marriage and her old friends
that are new to him. They are those
that have not weathered the storms
and trials of life and been tested and
found staunch and true.
The old friendships carry with them
sentiment deep-rooted in the past, a
sweetness, tenderness, loyalty, a
communion of memories and expe-
riences that cannot be duplicated in
after life. They are like old books
that we have loved for years. The
binding is worn and smoothed by our
hands and by dear hands now stilled
forever; the inscription with the date
Is growing fainter for the eyes to de-
cipher but easier for the heart to read;
there are passages that helped and In
spired us still Loyalty retaining our
penciled lines so we could turn to
them in perfect confidence whenever