Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-08-03

1"tfc WAS sufien slience across n
breakfast table. Lucy Valentine Der
her head. snd unseelng poked at he
food. Her husband finished his har
and eggs deliberately. pushed ava
his plate. and lounging back In hi
chsir. sucked the wind through hi
teeth with little smacking noises o
his tongue. Then he leisurely foIdes
the morning newspaper. rose, took hil
hat and coat from the closet, and
stalked out Of the apartment without
word, sharply slamming the outer
door behind him.
Lacy sat on. thinking. A look of
hopeiesSness. almost OF despair
settled upon her face That was Tom
that was the way Tom acted they
we're In for another dreary spell Of
his suriinessi She thought over the
thirteen years OF her married life; she
Nsioned the thirteen that might fol-
low-the twenty-slx perhaps. That
was to be her fate: yoked to churi,
uncouth and .ll-mannered. who was
insensibie OF how he offended her
And The thought that Infatuated her
most was that Tom regarded himself
as perfect husband. faithful, good,
generous. devoted TO her and TO his
homei II was true enough. In fair
ness. Lucy had 10 admit that Tom
was generous; he was faEthfulness
Itself; he earned a good salary; he
saved; he spent every night and even
sundays at home, and gave her an
ample allowance. he considered thar
by this he discharged his duty as a
husband, nobly. and regarded the !
cause OF their constant chickering's. 1
which recently he had chosen to treat
IN moody silence. as being entirely !
his wife's responsibility. He never
missed an opportunity 10 point out to
her that he had no vices: he did not
even smoke. He regarded her sourly
as an ungrateful spouse-a cranky,
unreasonable, nervous woman.
Lucy rocked her head In her hands.
and moancd. Tom was so egregiously
stupid. 50 selfsatisfied. so blind. She
could have forgiven bis obtuseness.
but she could not forgive his rudeness.
Every day Of his life he unconsciously
anronted her and almost ms frequent
" did so deliberately. He growled at
her. sneered AT her. and when crossed.
shouted her Into silence.
She had rebelled this morning. The
Incident that had precipitated the
whole trouble had been Of trivial in
consequence; II always was. Tom
nd said the cream was sour, and she
ad casually remarked that she didn't
&c bow that could be since II was the
1orning's delivery. and then he had
houted at her that he guessed he
new what he was talking about, and I
bat when he said the cream was sour, <
was sour. She had said nothing !,
reply; she had considered his I'M u
raclousness dispasslonately for a .
me. and then In the midst OF the
she had suddenly put her
nsped hands down before her on the q
Ibie, and said her say temporarily
ad earnestly. urging her right TO A
'urteous treatment. She was fa- VI
Mar with the look OF dlspleasure hi
AT came into his face ms he listened. pl
ID reaching for an argument that II
ould strengthen her words. she had In
luded to Mr.. Gray and his wife, who al
red In the adjoining apartment. and co
at had proved the spark TO his Al
ger. In
For Tom hated the Grays. hated
erything about them. The suite OF Tx
oms these nelghbors occupied was CIR
the same floor as the Valentines; III,
air-well separated the two estab- hir
hmen.s. and upon this source OF re,
hi and ventilation bedroom win .
" OF each apartment gave vent
ch that went on In the Gray house -
d could be heard by the yallen- -
rs, and Tom and Lucy listened TO ~
stray words and casual conyersa- ~
rs that went on between their IN
Decting neighbors. unabashei.
.ucy loved the way IN which the 80, -
Iys spoke 20 each other. I, was so -
erent from that 10 which she was '"a
ustomed. The man had extraordi. 0n'
y nuances IN his voice: II was ~
ubfully moduIafed, and when he s,''
pened 20 address bis wife rs my
~ II was Ike caress. Tom 49,
Re 20 ridicule the little Intimate -
KS they said 70 one another. ana 10y
imltate sr Cray's manner. II 80.
Ie Lucy aeuieiy uncomfortable, Cor 10y 10y
admired Mrs. Gray was genuinely s 10y
Of her, and was In terror LEST ~, 80
should be in furn overheard 49,
icy had had her misgyings as 10 ''h'
deeency 81 listening 10 her friends "A
DENTAL murmurlngs With her nus. 'NlN
J, buf she assured herself ihaf N'NH
motive was nor unworthy curl NnN
+. "A vas merely fbal sine oDloyed p'''
y buugfy sopl do mannnl ID ny
D filg particular lusbanl and NN
apDAe ~ aus another n ras "a
|lfpl, u sVQilled hfl y sac no gn1e
alie olplfei music ilps
! hpd CONS ~ be Wplf ~ leaa iNie
alely nfqvRlnifd HiiD Ala 0Ay M
tl..4 i. a. lad ......I I..I .I... ...I