Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-22
r PERFECT F1USBAND-ByC Charles G. Norri
Public Ledges Series Unpublished Short Married BY the Be

stant chickering's, which recently he
had chosen to treat in moody
silence. as being entirely his wife's
responsibility. He never missed an
opportunity to point out to her that
he had no vices; he did not even
smoke. He regarded her sourly as
an ungrateful spouse--a cranky, un-
reasonable, nervous woman.
Lucy rocked her head in her hands
and moaned. Tom was 50 egre-
giously stupid, so self-satisfed, so
blind. She could have forgiven his
obtuseness, but she could not for
give his rudeness. Every day Of his
life he unconsciously affronted her,
and almost as frequently did so de-
liberately. He growled at her,
sneered at her and, when crossed,
shouted her into silence.
CHE had rebelled this morning. The
~ incident that had precipitated the
whole trouble had been Of trivial incon.
sequence It always was. Tom had said
the cream was sour. and she had
casually remarked that she didn't see
how that could be since II was the morn
ing's delivery. and then he had shouted
at her that he guessed he knew what
he was talking about. and that when he
said the cream was sour. It was sour.
She had said nothing in reply; she
had considered his ungraciousness dis
passionately for time. and then In the
midst of the breakfast she had suddenly
put her clasped hands down before her
on the table. and said her say tenn
perately and earnestly. urging her right
to courteous treatment. She was
familiar with the look Of djspleasure
that came into his face as he listened,
and reaching for an argument that
would strengthen her words. she had
alluded to Mr.. Gray and his wife, who
lived in the adjoining apartment, and
that had proved the spark to his anger.
For Tom hated the Grnys. hated
everything about them. The suite OF
rooms these neighbors occupied was on
the same foor as the Valentines an
an well separated the two establish
q nts. and upon this source OF light
r ld ventilation a bedroom window Of
each apartment gave vent. Much that
went on in the Gray household could be
heard by the Va 'lentines. and Tom and
Lucy listened to the stray words and
casual conversations that went on be-
tween their unsuspec:ing neighbors un-
lbushed
Lucy loved the way in which the
Grays spoke to each other. It was so
different from that to which she was ac-
rustomed The man had extraordinary
nuanccs In his voice; It was beautifully
modulated and when he happened to
address his wife ms my dear" it was
like a caress. Tom chose to ridicule
the little intimate things they said to
one another. and to initiate Mr.. Gray's
manner. 1t made Lucy acutely uncom-
| Portable, for she admired Mrs. Gray
was genuinely fond of her. and was in
terror lest Tom should be in turn over
heard.
Lucy had had her misgivings as to
the decency of listening TO her friend s
confidential murmurings with her
husband. but she assured herself that
her motiv. was not unworthy curiosity.
It was merely that she enjoyed with a
hungry soul the manner in which this
particular husband and wife spoke to
one another 1t was beautiful; IL
soothod her; it was like exquisite dis
tant music.
She bad come to be more or less in
t!lnately acquainted with Mrs. Gray
since that lady had moved next door.
! The two women visited one another,
made frequent shopping trips together
and sometimes lunched in each other 3
kitchens. Lucy regarded Mrs. Gray
with undisguised envy. She considered
her the most fortunate woman she