The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-08-08

THE AWAKENING
BY GEORGE ELMER COBB.

1 AOuu lAAAAn ~
vas a iancee you vas making a pres
ent to, instead Of a staid, sensible
wife,"
SWELL, you see, Winnie and I are
about as silly and sentimental as We
were when we were only engaged" re
sponded Hal Devon. "It's these deli
cate attentions that please the wom
en-fowers, a box Of sweetmeats, 9
pretty collar pin. 1t isn't much, but
it lifts the wife out of the ordinarily
recalls old girlhood days and makes
her happy"
"a woman's home is her idol" quot:
ed practical Wade Guthrie. "Provide
for that first"
Sometimes it gets to be a prison.
What do you do for your wife on her
birthday"
"Give her . something useful, OF
course. Last year it was a sewing ms.
chine"
"To give her more work to do, chi"
"Well, she wanted it and appreciated
1t. When the birthday came around
last week it was a carpet sweeper"
sand what does she give you on
such occasions?
"Oh, a box Of ties; year before last
a seal ring. She never forgets me
I'm wanting q watch fob. I calculate
it will come along, next week. You
see, our birthdays are near together"
Guthrie will be giving his wife 8
coal hod or q stepladder next time,
if something doesn't reform him." OBJ.
served Hal to his wife that evening
r%ecounting his colloquy with his fel.
low clerk ut the bank.
Winnie Devon and Myrtle Guthrie
had been schoolmates and saw a good
deal Of one another in these later
days. Wade Guthrie was q model mar
in his habits and reputation, but he
had fallen q victim to the old-time fal.
lacy that to be "a good provider" be.
gan and ended the duty Of a husband.
Myrtle had never complained, but
more than once Winnie had noted O
wearied expression upon her face, the
sure sign of a dull home life. Eve.
nings at least twice a week Hal took
Winnie to some entertainment. Wade,
slippers and pipe tray close to hand,
read and smoked, while Myrtle silent.
ly sewed or mended, and then he
dozed in his chair until bedtime.
He was proud of her housekeeping
capabilities and Dragged Of the same,
but he had been spoiled as the only
son of q family Of sisters. was selfish
in his exactions without realizing it.
and withheld unconsciously from his
wife those superficial, but heartsome
little attentions that keep q woman
young.
1.-THE pink in Myrtle's cheeks is be-
ginning to fade" Winnie intimated to
a sister Of Wade q few days later.
"Don't you think she stays in the
house too much?"
Il know It," promptly agreed the
outspoken sister-in-law of Wade. HE
has settled down into q regular rut
and has pulled Myrtle into it with
him."
"Also he has forgotten how to act
the lover, and he is starving her dear
little heart. Let us become crusaders
in waking him up. Next week is his
birthday"
"Yes."
"You think up all the gifts you imag-
inc would please him most. You've
spoiled him, that's what's the matter.
Do you want to rouse him up for his
own and Myrtle's sake? Then-listen,'
and a low-toned consultation ensued,
which made them talk and look like
plotters.
Hal Devon kept his eye on Wade
upon his birthday. Practical and un'
poetical as was Wade, the fact that 1t
was his natal day inspired him Ito
perk up somewhat" as Hal expressed
it.
Usual supply Of gifts, I suppose
he remarked, with feigned indifference
to Hal. "There's not only Myrtle. but
mother and my sisters wasting their
money on trifes," and his fingers
twirled about the pocket where his
watch reposed. apparently in antici.
patton of the expected new fob.
But for Wade Guthrie that evening
there arrived the surprise Of his life
when the dinner was over and they ad.
journed to the dining room, Wade's
mother prefaced the gift giving with
the remark:
1--WE are all turning owe a new leaf
this year, Wade. You always give
Myrtle such sensible, practical gifts.
that go towards adding to the home,
that we decided to follow your exam
pie"
Wade Guthrie looked blank, then
suspicious, and finally thoughtful as
his mother revealed her gift-a snow
shovel. His sisters followed, with
a shoe-blacking outfit, another with q
whisk broom, a third with a garden
hose. Wade, however, looked shocked,
but guilty, when Myrtle presented him
with a lawn mower. When they were
all gone he glanced at her in a re-
%proachful way. She burst into tears
and fell into his lap and wept out her