The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1923-05-18

''sn t'tO hSuAt NlNluileSS OF n war
SCARED veteran remembering the first
time he was shot, he could reconstruct
the occasion when Mrs. Bains former
husband first came into his life. They
had been married Just two months
then. The honeymoon was In its last
quarter. If the couple we're ever to go
along together in harmony the time
mad now come when mutual under
standing must succeed the period of
adjustment and balance. She had the
oenefi& of experience on her side; for
she had been through the process once
before. Tom Balm might be green
hand at this business of being married,
but, subconsciously. he was beginning
TO adjust himself In his ordained and
proper place In the matrimonial scheme
as 1t related to him and this very
charming lady. In other words, he had
reached the place where he was slip
ping out OF the bridegroom pose into
the less studied and more matter-of-
fact status OF husband. He was
ready to quit acting part and be his
own self again always, though with re-
gard for the limitations aud restric.
lions imposed by the new estate upon
which he had entered.
The campaign against him-we may
as well call it n campaign--opened on
the evening following their return from
the trip to White Sulphur. That first
day at his desk had been a hard one !;
so much which seemed to require his
personal attention had accumulated
while he was away. He left the office
pretty well tired ont On his way home
he built up pleasant vision OF nice
quiet little dinner and then a peaceful
hour or so In the living room In slip
pers and an old smoking jacket.
Mrs. Balm met him at the door with a
greeting that put him in thorough good
humor. This, he decided. was the best
of all possible worlds to live In and his.
undoubtedly, was the best of all posi-
bile ways of lising.
You're late, dearest. she said.
you've just time to run upstairs and
slip on your evening clothes. I've laid
them out for you"
why, there's nobody coming in for
dinner IS there?" he asked.
She drew away from him slightly.
NO, there's no one coming" she said
What difference does that maker"
We'll" he said, TIN rather fggged
out, and | sort Of thought that. seeing
there'd be only the two of us, I'd come
to the table Just as am"
"very well, dearr she said, "suIt
Yourself"
But he took note that she had short
ened the superlatiye dearest to
dear Also she slipped herself out
of the circlet of his encircling arm.
Suddenly there was suggestion--a
bare trace-of an autumnaI chin in the
air.
But, as newly married man, how
could he suit himself9 He clad himself
in the starchy shirt, the high, tight col
lar that pinehed his throat, the pinchy
patent feathers, and all the rest of the
funeral regalia I'm which civilized man
encases himself on any supposedly fes-
tai occasion. She gave him an approx.
Ing look when, ten minutes later, he
presented himself before her
Tom she said as they sat down, II
think you always should dress for din
ner Arthur always said that gentle
man should dress for dinner"
He stared at her. puzzled
Arthur he echoed WHO'S Ar
thurT'
'NIy first husband" she explained.
arthur looked so wen in his evening
clothes"
"Ohw he said. like that That was
all he said for minute or SO. He was
thinking.
She was thinking, too, Practically all
women are popularity supposed to have
and certainly this particular
woman had her share of IT, Probably
It was in that very moment Of renec.
tion that the lady decided on future
plan of action.
AT any rate, this was The beginning.
Eventually, Mr. Balm awoke to realiza-
ton that lie was the victim Of a gentle
tyranny he had fallen captive to
n combination enemy made up of an af.
fectionate If somewhat masterful lady
and the memory Of dead and gone
Mrs. Bnn's first husband
was persistently logging Mrs Bain's
second husband. Daily, after one fash
ion or another. the latter WIS remind
seemed, had never lost his temper
What made the comparison hurt the
more was the indubitable fact that Mr.
Balm occasionally did lose his. Arthur
had never raised his voice above the
low-ptched key Of innate refinement
no matter how irritated hp might he
Arthur had been SO tidy; never left his
clothes lying about where he dropped
them Arthur had not given her a cross
word In all the seven yenrs If their
life together. Arthur invariably had
been so considerate Of her feelings. II
was Arthur this and II was Arthur
that. She realized her power and she
used n Mrs Bain's first husband was
ever, So to'speak, M the elbow Of Mrs
Baln's second husband by proxy child
Ing him. admonishing him. correcting
him. scoIding him, even
And for all that he naturally was
sunny -natured and companionable per
son, Mrs. Bain's second husband was.
Mt the end Of the first year Of his mar
rled life, in fair way to become
most unhappy person Their MART
monlal craft was sliding down the rap
Ids toward a numbering Niagara and
she didn't realize II and he, thorough
" under the dominion Of forces with
which he found himself powerless to
cope. only dimiy ana duly appreciated
the peril. lie wanted above all things
10 have and to hold his wife until death
did them part. But always there was
Arthur tagging along making crowd
of three OF what otherwise might have
been congen'al company of two.
But, as some one has most aptfy
said It's always darkest lust before