Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-19

AHbN4pl2 CItitt "a 4. AVGA HNS>N~ Va
mind las been seriously affected. Be
fore your eyes ha;e been held up as
a paras0n-I And l resent the SIAN
der on my i.:.:....4 1t has been an IN
salt which 40 self-respectinS memory
should DO compelled to stand. Sir, L
wish you to know the truth. was
not paragon, and l thank God Tor it.
I was nor the perfect husband this
woman would have you believe. was
fussy, faulty, crochety-and l am
proud OF it,"
"Oh, Arthur" Mrs. Bain. under at
tack, was reyiying, was rd1lying TO her
own defense rs powers OF coherent
speech returned to her.
Don't oh, Arthur ne" he snapped,
"but listen: And you, toe, sir, if you
Will be so good. We Quarreied fire.
QuentIy in these years Of our married
life. She complained Of my brusque
ways, of my fits of irritabiilty. Of my
refusal TO like many OF the people that
she persisted in liking, of my tastes
and my habits and lnclinations. She
didn't care Cor some of my friends; [
didn't care for gone OF hers. | object
ed to any number of things about her
and rarely refraued from saying so.
She has told you that between Us there
was never Il cross word. Bah, There
were tens OF thousands OF cross words.
When we got on each others nerves,
which was often, neither Of u EeSi-
tGted 10 let 1t be known. When Wc dis
agreed over somctilinG-'or anyihin%---
we argued It out. We loved each other
but merely loving did not make either
OF us angelic We quarreled and made
up and quareled some more. We fell
ont and We fell back together again.
There were times when we were Ike a
pair of cooling doves and AGAIN there
were times when the proverbial
monkey end parrot had little IL any
thing on us. In short and in fine sir
we behaved lust rs the average rea'
sOnaby well-mated married couples 10
behave. And for my own sake, ara in.
cldentally for yours sir, l w0;ld not
have You believe differently.
"That, 7 believe, Is practically all ]
had to say 10 you. Having said 1t,
wish to add final word 10 our wife
here Evelyn, speaking with such au'
thority rs is hedttng n first husband,
I wish to state that. so far rs my oh
servatons from another sphere have
gone, your present husband is 4 first
rate fellow. like 10 thin!; Of him rs
my successor. Vd I intcnG t" sec
that he has a fair deal from you. II
trUst this visit from me has been 81
lesson to YOU. Hereafter, in your deal
ings with him Won will please he Sc
good IS 70 stand on your own merits
You will kindly refrain from DRAGGING
me into yOur arguments rs IN advocate
on your side My stock Of patience is
TO greater than It was before ! b."
came Il mcmory-remcmber that II
sincerely trust II viii not be necessary
for me to admonish You PERSONAL" 81
second time. because I warn you here
and now that next time ( shall return
under circumstances that will he most
embarrassing to YOU Next time there
will he no privacy about my appear
ance; I shall come TO YOU in public.
You'll be 4 tGlled-ahout woman, Eve
lyn. There'll be pieces about YOU in
the paper and spiritualiSts ana trance
mediums and delivers into the occult
Il meddlesome, noisy lot. too, may add
will make your life burden for you.
So have care, Eevlyn,
"Slr. to YOU extend my best wishes.
Tn sorry we didn't meet before. BHt,
some Of these days we1l make mp for
lost time-W6cn you Join me on the
nlnne where am nj present residing.
We'll. I guess that wiz he about all.
E. oh. if you don't mind, III just Dis
sipate into air ard float i'm The chm.
ney-it's more convenient" Out of a
nothingness near the fireplace came a
voice. growing thinner and fainter:
"Good-by, Balm, old chap. Good-by,
Evelyn-and don't forget"
It was mt this juncture that Mrs.
Balm went of into u Swoon. II also
should be noted that, even rs he sprang
to her side to revive her, Mr. Bain
wore on his face look Of hushandly
solicitude and concern, but his feet
twittered n dance measure.
Personally. | do not believe In ghosts.
I assume. readers, that you do not he
Ileve In ghosts. either But Mrs. Pain
does. and as for Mr. Balm, he does, too,
frmly-and as a happily married man,
he Is every day renewing and strength.
ening his belief in them.