Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-09-07
have the responsibility Of II all for

speech would I'LL Cherry's eyes with
tears and cause her to go about tho
house all morning with a heavy
heart.
She would find herself looking
thOughtfully at Martin In these days.
studying him as IL he were an utter
stranger. It bewildered her to feel
that he actually was no more than
that, after two years Of marriage. She
not only did not know him, but she
had bafiled sense that the very
nearness Of their union prevented her
from seeing him fairly. She knew that
she did him injustice in her thoughts.
1t must be injustice, decided Cherry.
For Martin seemed to her less clever,
less just. less intelligent, and less
generous than the average man Of her
acquaintance. And yet he did not
seem to Impress other people In the
way he impressed her.
He was extraordinarily healthy, and
had small sympathy for illness weak
ness. for the unfortunate, and the
complaining. He whIstled over mis-.
dressing, read the paper at breakfast.
and was gone. At noon he rushed in,
always late, devOured his lunch ap-
preciatively, and was gone again. At
night he was usually tired, inclined to
quarrel about small matters, inclined
to disapprove Of the new positions Of
the bedroom furniture, or the way
Cherry's hair was dressed.
He loved to play poker and was hos
n ,ipt,
whistle and joke over the preparn-
tions for rarebit after game, and
would willingly walk five blocks for
beer If Cherry had forgotten to get IL.
On Sunday he liked to see her prcttily
gowned; now and then they motored
with his friends from the mine; more
often walked, ate hearty chicken
dinner. and went to cold supper In
the ncighborhoOd, with "Five Hun
dred" to follow. At ten their hostess
would flutter into her kitchen; there
would be lemonade and beer and rich
layer cake. Then the men would be-
gin to match poker hands, and the
women to discuss babies in low tones.
Cherry never saw her husband so
animated or SO Interested as when
men he had known before CHANGED to
drift into town. mining men from Ne
vada or from Eel Nido, or men he had
known In college. They would dis
cuss personalities, would shout over,
recollected good times. would slap
each other on the back and laugh
tirelessly.
She thought him an extremely diff
cult man to live with. and was angered
when her hints to this effect led him
They had a serious quarrel one day,
when he told her that she was the
most selfish and spoiled @oman 10
had ever known. He called her at
tention to the other women Of the
town, busy. contented women, sending
children off to school, settling babies
down for maps In sunny dooryards
cooking and laughing and hurrying to
and fro.
"ies. and look at theml" Cherry
said with ready tears. "Shabby. thin.
tired all the time |"
"The trouble with you is," Martin
said. departing, you've been told that
you're pretty and sweet all your life
and you're spoiled You are pretty,
yes" he added, more mildly. "But,
BY George, you sulk 80 much, and you
crab 30 much, that I'm darned II l
see 1t any more All see Is troublel"
With this he left her. Left her to
a burst Of angry tears. at first. when
she dropped her lovely little head on
the blue gingham Of her apron sleeve
and cried bitterly.
The kettle began to sing on the
stove, a bee came In and wandered
about the hot Kitchen; the grocer
knocked, and Cherry let the big lout
Of boy stare at her red eyes un-
caring.
Then she went swiftly into the bed
room and began to pack and change
She'd show Martin Lloyd-she'd show
Martin Lloydl She was going straight
to Dad-she'd take the-take the
She frowned. She had. missed the
nine o'clock train; she must walt for
tho train al hnlf-pust two. Wait
where7 Well, she could only wait
here. Very we'll, she would wait here
She would not get Martin any lunch.
and when he ragged she would explain.
oiio Ahi'heu hcI paChihS anu put tne
house In order Then, In unaccustomed
mid-mOrning leisure, she sank into q
deep rocker and began to read. Quiet
and shade and order reigned In the
little house.
Steps came bounding up to Cherry's
door; her heart began to beat; a knock
sounded. She got to her feet, puzzled;
Martin did not knock.
1t was Joe Robinson. his closest
friend at the mine.
"Say, listen, Mrs.. Lloyd; Mart can't