The Glenwood post., 1924-03-13

bined anger. dismay and wonderment.
The soft arms tightened still more
about his neck.
kiss me. John-pleasew
'Hardly."
"But don't you understand? 1 was
just trying to make you say the things
you did say-it was the only way
could think to do it. Don't you see? 1
didn't know any other way in the
world to make you quarrel with me. to
forget that eternal counting to hum
dred before you'd ever answer, toto
John, please-won't you kiss me? 1
don't love anyone in the world but
you. swear it-nobody in the world,
John. Don't you see? IL" Then
the tears came-"I just couldn't stand
1t any-any more"
"Stand it-stand what?"
"Why-why, everything, John. You
just can't endure things forever with
out salt and pepper. 1t isn't natural.
lit Just got on my nerves until /
thought I'd go crazy. l."
whats the" Frank amazement
can't make you out, Medaine. Salt
and pepper"
"Just what l mean, John. Put your
arms around me, won't you please?
Please, John?" She caught hand and
raised it to her shoulder where 1t hung
moment, then dropped Imply. But
he did not resist her now, as he had
done moment before. "Tell me, John
lis this the first time you've ever
thought me spineless?"
He shook his head, saying silently
what he would not say in words. It
seemed to please her. She kissed him.
'And haven't you wondered often
how on earth you ever married me?
Haven't you wondered If / really had
enough spirit to even have quarrel
with tradesman? Haven't you, John?
I've thought that about you-wondered
how on earth you managed to trans
act your business, how you ever got
the backbone even to discharge an
employee. You've never shown 1t at
home. I've tried to nettle you, anger
you-and all you did was count to a
hundred"
THAT was our bargain" He said 1t
somewhat grudgingly.
Just the trouble-just what hurt
me, that you'd stay by silly bargain
like that. John.' she looked at him
quickly, during the time we've been
married, have you really been happy?"
"1?' he paused. His lips pressed
! tight for an instant. Then: "If you
want the frank TRUTH haven't"
"Why?'
Again pause. Then:
"Oh, never mind"
But / want to know, is 1t for the
same reason that haven't been happy
because everything has been just
the same, just the regular monotony
of sugar, sugar, sugar all the time and
never II bit of bitter-sweet? Is that
the reason, John? And | have been
unhappy, John. I've known every min
ute what you were going to do.
knew the minute you were going to
leave home the minute you would tel
ephone me, the minute you'd get here
at night and what you'd talk about
at the dinner table. knew to a dot
what you'd do and say and how you'd
act. And, John-a woman may say
she wants that, but she doesn't. She
wants husband who'll be good to
her most Of the time, but who now and
then-Well, who won't. We can't be
superhuman, John. 1t isn't in us.
years. | haven't even had the excite
ment of scolding you for being late.
/" Then, as If with an inspiration,
she looked ut him-"Joh did you ever
notice how an electrical storm
| clears the air? And how sultry it has
been beforehand? We've never even had
the chance to know how beautiful
things can be after the clouds have
gone. We've had nothing but sun
shine-until It's blinded us and we
haven't been able to see anything"
/ Then she halted-suddenly beaminR.
A light Of understanding had come in
to the eyes Of John Darlington. The
tired expression faded. to give way to
one which Medaine had not seen in
years. Slowly his arms raised and
clasped about the form of his wife. He
kissed her-slowly. as one who tastes
long at sweet he is loath to leave.
Ten years seemed to have rolled
away, ten drab uneventful years which
now bore no more importance In retro
spect than the flatness Of monotonous
plains. A soft hand touched his tenn
pie and fingered there.
"We've just been driftwood, John"
He nodded and kissed her again.
Then, like streak. he turned from her
and bounded up the stairs. Wonder
ing, she heard him fumbling about in
an upper room. banging at drawers
and utterlng strange things under his
breath. A grunt. Another Louder.
Then
"Medalne." came In believing tones,
yet ones which seemed strangel.
| .,,tt