The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-12-27
Opposite
Angles
By MYRA CURTIS LANE
.ssssssssssssssesssesssss
"a Isil Western Nexspsp per Union.l


l dinner. JIm." said Mrs. Marston
to her husband. Now we'll get to
know all the nice people in town
Jim," she added. little wistfully. do
try to show me good deaf more re
spect than you usually do while we're
there, won't your"
Il didn't know | didn't show you
respect" responded her husband hui.
fly.
treat me. I'm not reproaching you.
but II you want us to get into good
society you must. you positively
must"
IF you'd stop your Internal nag
ging you'd fnd things go a good deal
better"
II only wish your second wife may
be a nagger." sobbed Ella Marston.
and departed. leaving her husband
feeling like an abysmal sort of human
brute.
The Marstons had been married
three years. and were really very fond
of each other. Unfortunately it was
one of those unions which started
wnong. They had begun snarling AT
each other in play. Then they had
got the habit of doing 1t in reality.
OF course. all husbands and wives
disagree with each other, and the
Marstons were no exception to the
great rule. But the trouble was that
they really loved each other. That
was what made 1t so hard. They had
the power to hurt each other so badly.
Nothing more was said upon the
subject. and certainly the Marstons
appeared the devoted couple that they
really were at the Jameses'. The
Jameses were the social leaders of the
little town. james was president of
the bank. and his wife was president
of number of women's clubs. They
were old-fashioned. cold and courtly.
And though, Of course. Jim couldn't
zee 1t, 1t was perfectly obvious to Ella.
the moment they entered the room
that a particularly deadly family quar-
rel had been waging between the
Jameses.
MIR. James was so courteous-oh. so
desperately courteous, cold and frigid
to his wife. And Mrs. James was so
cold and SO polite to her husband.
When one interrupted the other. the
other left OF talking in such a pointed
way. The Marstons felt frozen out.
Perhaps that was why such a des-
perate quarrel burst upon them imme-
dintely they had left the house.
We'll. did show you sufficient re
spectf" demanded Jim.
"Oh, dear. there you go quarreling
with me again r. said Ella. I'm glad
you had the decency to wait till we
had left the house. anyway. If the
Jameses heard you speak to me that
WAY our career in this town would
soon come to an end"
We'll. as they don't know from your
own lips what nagger you are, |
gu IS they won't find II out from
niiu,." said Jim.
m. how dare you speak like that
to lie? Do you realize that it is your
Wa your wife whom you are ad
dr. 'ing?"
e., Unfortunately, yes" responded
il iciiy
Marston attempted to reply.
h 1 spasm of weeping stopped her
AL Jim walked along beside her,
f.t ng more than ever like brute.
Auu this time he knew that he had
been to blame. because he had begun
II.
oh, well, what did 1t matter2 He
was only making up for the thousands
Of lines that Ella had begun 1t. and.
bes.Hes. 1t was no use telling her he
w;i> sorry. That would simply give
her the upper hand over him and en-
courage her to bullyrag him again.
Tiey went silently into the house
Thpn Jim saw that Ella was still cry.
Ing and all his resolutions of hard
ness vanished.
lila. I'm sorry l was such a brute"
be said.
on are. you are 4 brutel'' she
sohbed. 'oh. II only you had the
breeding of Mr. Jamesr'
''If only you" Jim began In re-
tort. And then he stopped. and she
stopped. and they looked at each
other. struck by the same thought.
"Ella. I'd rather have you. with all
your vicious temper. than that awful
James woman.
"lim, brutal as you are. don't
know that | don't prefer you to Mr..
james"
Aud suddenly both burst out laugh
ing
lin, 1t Ia better to snap and snarl
the way you do to adopt that awful
fro en- atmosphere"
that's just what l was thinking.
F'la. We're human, auyway. Let's
Xxi, and make up-tiii the next time. ]"
Good Advice.
,hn ID. Rockefeller. Jr, said In .
Mt Y. NJ. @. A. success talk:
'ultivate amiabilfty. Be courte-
and cordial to all persons at all