The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-12-28

secretly hoped for a plano, but as
Peter had apparently never considered
such an extravaganza, she said moth
Ing about 1t.
The mysteries of economical house
keeping staggered her; she seemed to
have learned nothing during the years
In which she had charge of her guar
dams house, and she wondered at
the smugness with which she had as
sumed that telling an efficient cook
what they would eat three times a
day was all there was to 1t.
When the cottage was finally
equipped, and Ann had demonstrated
that she was the equal of any coal
stove, the two young people faced the
solemn fact that their honeymoon was
ended That night before Peter went
back to his shop they had final cele-
bration. 1t was late when they came
out of the theater. A mist almost
heavy enough to be called a rain had
drifted into the town from the swampy
prairies to the west, and Ann delayed
to turn up her silken skirts, in spite
of the fact that Peter impatiently
pressed her to make haste lest they
miss the car. He hurried her off, ON
inously silent while she chartered OF
the play, and when they rounded the
corner the street-car had indeed start
ed. 1t was perhaps block away from
them, and the AFOREMENTIONED horses
|
empty streets. Peter ran savagely
after 1t, and might have overtaken 1t,
had not Ann proved unequal to the
pace. He ran on for few yards
after she dropped behind, and then
abandoned the chase. He stood wait
ing for her to overtake him. "D-nP
he said loudly. you've made me miss
the car" Ann looked at him open
mouthed. He spoke as though no tie
of affection bound them, as though
he could hate her, his wife. Always
late, women" he scolded. There
won't be another car for an hour, this
time of night"
"Could I know that?" Ann demand
ed, plucking up some Of her spirit,
and facing him defiantly.
why couldn't you hurry? Here
have to go to work early tomorrow
morning. Where you goingT'
81 shall walk" Her voice was in
finitely frigid.
you'll do nothing of the sort. This
mist-it's going to rain. An
ME! Stop. tell you !"
Take your hand off me-" She shook
Peer off, and stalked away from
him; she walked on rapidly, alone in
the dark streets, thinking bitterly that
1t was for this she had left her guar
dian. Subconsciously she listened for
Peters footsteps, but she heard no
sound, and concluded that he had let
her go without him.
In q few moments there came q
great rafting, and CHATTER of horse
coming toward her over the rough
pavement. A carriage swung furiously
to the curb, and she swerved nervous
ly away as a man burst from its dark
interior, but at once she knew 1t was
Peter. He seized her roughly, and
drew her, unresisting, into the musty
privacy of the hack. He kissed her
wet face tempestuously.
annie! Don't cry. I've got such q
devil of a temper! I'm sorry. Don't
sob like that! 1 never know what
say when I'm angry! 1t was all my
fault Annie, kiss mel"
She kissed him, her frozen anger
} melted by the fire Of his contrition
and In reconciliation she found a new
stimulation to love. =. It was
late when she went to sleep.
Long after Peter was deep in slumber
she lay, very still and wide-eyed in
the dark, thinking things over. She
bore no rancor; her forgiveness was
complete, but she recognized some.
thing in her life, with which she must
reckon. Peters temper.
Presently she slipped one finger into
the loose circle of her sleeping hus
bands hand, and yet the touch did not
: entirely reassure her.
In the morning Peter was all sunny
good humor. He went off to work re
luctantly, and yet she knew that hi
was eager to start again.
For the first few weeks Ann wa:
completely absorbed in her housework
( In month she had learned to hav,
the essentials Of simple meal al
] ready at the same time, but she never
became more than a fair cook. Sh,
= worked all day, just as Peter did, bu
: often she walked to the shop will
= him In the morning, and came HON,
} laden with packages from the cheape
D stores off Halsted street. 1t was not
it is true, what she had imagined he
] life with Peter would be, on the morn
e ing they had discussed 1t in Washing
: ton square, but after two months o
] marriage Ann felt infinitely remove,
e from the girl she had been. She wa
: all wife; her life hung on Peter. Tn
: two laughed at each other like chill
: dren; they played foolish games to
gether, and called each other ridiculou
q names.
: In due time AIMS trunk arrived
y Her things were just as she had lief
r them, but there was not a word iron
Y the Cortlandts. Peter came in for din
: ner, to find her brooding, and his mea
a was not ready. He said unkind thing
!. of the Cortlandts, while she fried hi
: chops.
+ About her the war roared on, an
o now interest conferred in the Army O
d the Tennessee, for the western news
n papers printed little of the exploits O
the Army of the Potomac. Ofte
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