The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-08-30
CONFESSIONS
OLA BRIDE.
Copyright, 1897

1
floating above the rattle Of the
dishes, reached my ears. My hus.
! bands fine bass tones harmonized
with it. Usually Bob does not con.
slider wipIng the dishes a mirth-
provoking entertainment. l sup
pose he wouldn't care to have any
one but his mother know that he
ever takes a dish towel In his
! hand. OF course, We could always
| avoid the task by going to one Of
| the clubs or hotels for dinner the
| evenings the maid Is away, but Bob
and ! prefer q dinner at home even
II the price Is doing the dishes"
aiterward. Bob likes all the time
he can get at home to do a little
reading.
Katherine Miller laughs exquis-
!tely. When ! heard Bob's laugh
/ mingled musically with hers, as
they worked at my kitchen sink, /
stood up as rigid as the fine glao.
iCll stalks | had been cutting.
| understood for the first time a
certain little criticism my husband
had recently made OF my voice.
Bob and | were waiting in a
noisy station for a train, and | was
telling him something important,
In nervous high tones, when M
husband interrupted me abruptly:
You're talking too loud! | like
a contralto voice, you know"
Bob don't intend TO be brutal
he never IS that-and didn't in
tend 10 be touchy. although | some
times am, ] suppose. realize that
my voice is Often strained and per.
haps unpleasant VIXEN | am com.
PEELED 10 raise it. Bob has said, &C
considerably, at sach times:
Softly, grille"
And have wanted 10 mug him
/ iOf his gentlenesS. And SO It Is
no worder that | was surprised
when ne spoke as be did in the rail
road station and that / had to turn
from him 10 conceal my tears. /
cOalda't go on with my bit OF news.
and Bob never noticed when stop
ped speaking!
The reason for his sharp criti.
cism came to me In a flash as | lis.
tened to Katherine's low laugh.
Il was the contralto note in he:
slow speech which my husband hai
contrasted with my rapid flow OF
words and my high-pitched voice.
Remembering her contralto, Bob
was irritated and exasperated by
the inferior quality Of my soprano
and for the first time in our wed.
ted life!
Isat down on a garden bench and
listened to the duet of small talk
In the kitchen. OF course, couldn'i
hear what they were saylng-l
wasn't listening in that sense. II
was taking Bob and Katherine al
unnecessarily long time to finish
those dishes. Ny little revenge for
their ride wasn't proving sweet.
| analysed KAtherine's laugh:
Il was too even, It was always ex.
actly the same. It sounded as II
she had practiced II like an actress.
Probably some man had once told
! her that her laugh was charming
above that OF all other women
and now-she was trying the charm
OF It on my husband! The hateful
thing!
And Bob couldn't see-or hear
as | did-that there was nothing
spontaneous = nothing sincere IN
her laugh.
He liked q contralto voice:
Maybe he can't help liking a
woman whose laugh harmonlzes
with his own" said myself to my.
! self as I tried to shape my lips into
smile before going back to the
+. kitchen. Maybe It's a trick Of ma.
ture. Maybe the harmonizing laugh
Of a man and q woman indicate
harmon!ztng dlspositions-or q dis.
position to harmonize!!"