The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-04-13
JUST
LIKE A
WOMAN
d.s-oso-e-o-s-o-.-oS~So~-o-s-o-s-o
&c by d. j. Walsh.l


~ WEN was "up on her ear
1 Y again." as Doug Gordon would
~ have read his wife's Thoughts
But this time she was keeping
them to herself-hard as il was to
keep anything from Doug.
1t all came from little phrase that
was ever on the tip of Doug's tongue.
Coming four times in close success
sion, Ii had angered Gwen to stern
resolution.
First there was the mouse. OF
course II was foolish for a grown per-
son to scream and grasp Doug's arm
when the tiny creature scurried from
behind the broom.
"lf that isn't just like woman I"
Doug had shouted between bursts of
laughter.
That could have been forgiven. But
when they settled down for the eve
ming, Gwen with piece OF embroid-
cry, Doug with the paper from which
he read occasional bits, he mentioned
Keats. and Gwen, intent on the red
rose she was embroidering, had said
absent-mindedly, "What in the world
are keatsP
He had doubled over with laughter
and when he could speak he had said
"If that isn't just like woman J"
She was hurt and angry and wished
she need not ask him for the money
she must have If she were to go shop
ping as she had planned the next day.
But at last she smothered her resent
ment and made her request.
Doug was neither poor nor stingy,
but he was old-fashiOned, and there
were certain formalities TO be gone
half hundred.
"Why, | gave you so last week" he
exclaimed "You never blew that all
In on one dress, did you? If that isn't
just like woman"
Gwen set her work basket on the
table with some ungentleness and
flounced out of the room, slamming
the door behind her, but she did not
get out quite soon enough to escape
DOugs comment on this pet of hers:
swell, if that isn't just like woman J
Flying off the handle at nothing at
all"
On one thing Gwen was deter.
mined. She would never again be like
a womanl She stood before her mir
ror, studying the slight, girlish figure
reflected therein.
Easy enough to look at" she COM
mented, Gin spite of near-red hair, a
tip-tilted nose with smudge of
freckles, reddish-brown eyes, ct cetera.
AS whole you're not so bad for any,
body who likes them that way, but
you're femininity from the toes up.
And you've got to become anything
but lust like woman to keep your
own self-respect and Doug's. Heavens
above, how he hates them! And yet
he married one"
Doug breakfasted and lunched
downtown. so Gwen had the day to
plan her new role.
She had found $50 under her dresser
tray that morning and had seized 1t
with delight at the prospect of q
mornings shopping-but then the
thought intruded: Just as any wom-
an would be-" SO she tucked the $50
into an envelope, wrote on the back
of 1t, Thanks, but | don't need II
after all. don't care to go shop
ping" and put 1t on Doug's chitfonier
She stifled sigh as she turned
away, but she also smiled with salts
faction as she thought: "At any rate
that isn't what just any woman would
do with $50"
That evening Doug came out OF his
room, q blank look on his broad, rud
dy face, the envelope in his hand. He
was in search of Gwen-she had not
met him at the door as usual. (That
was what all women did-met their
husbands at the door, Gwen had re-
fected). He found her In the kitchen
Just as he opened the door-as though
at a signal-the mouse ran across the
floor. Then he saw an amazing thing.
Instead of screaming and running TO
him for protection. Gwen coOlly went
after the mouse in fashion that was
uncanny to him. He could not know
that she was hoping it would get away
and wondering whether she would drop
dead If she had to pick II up. She had
the little creature inescapably cor
nered. as she could not have done in
week of trying had she actually
wanted to catch it. Blindly she seized
it by the tail, ran to the outside door
and hurled the warm, furry thing from
her. She was sick to the very pit of
her stomach. but she refused to, ac-
knowledge any such womanish reac-
lion. With head high she walked TO
the sink, washed her hands and began
dishing up the supper.
Doug had dropped into chair
speechless, and sat staring at her,
the envelope with the rejected money
clutched forgotten in his great hand.
you'll have to excuse me from eat
ing dinner with you tonight, Doug, y
said Gwen, after the iasf dish had
been placed upon the carefully set
table. I'm going to lecture on the