Evening star., 1928-08-02

a. r. Averchenko. aged AZ. died not LONG
ago at Prague. He was that rare thlpe
thousb he Wrote many volumes of excellent
work. he has been hnt little TRANSLATED ted and i,1
Is SO far not nearly SO weu known III
America as he deserves to bc)
FIRST EPISODE.
Men are funny creatures" she said
smiling. She had an distracted dreamy
air.
/ did not know whether this remark
was meant for favorable or adverse
criticism of the masculine sex, so !
risked seeming agreement Indeed,
they are"
Yes. My husband. you know, Is a
regular Othello in his passionate 1eal-
ousies. Sometimes I feel little sorry
for having married him. And I'm sure
he still has bandages wrapped around
his head
"oh, your husband" I responded.
But he"
She gave me a pitying glance. mo,
my friend, / am not referring to the
head of my husband. 1t was he who
broke 1t, you see"
could do nothing but stare at her
helplessly. You will have to explain,
/ said
Pardon me. / did forget that you
haven't been told. Well, 1t was like
this:
Something like three weeks ago, my
husband and / were walking home
through the square. and he was sitting
on seat as we passed under one of
the electric lights. Face rather white
very dark hair You know how fool
hardy that kind can be; now and then,
And had my big black hat on, the
one that becomes me SO well, and sets
off the color of my cheeks, which just
then were more than usually rosy from
the exercise of walking.
We'll. that silly youth sitting there
looked up at me as we passed. Quite
without warming he got up and grasped
my husband boldly by the coat sleeve.
"'Have you light?' he asked.
MY husband roughly pulled his
sleeve away, stopped quickly down. and
sooner than you could speak banged
the foolish boy on the head with n
stone. He dropped instantly. 1t was
terrible!"
Why, how queer" said. "Why the
sudden fit of jealousy?"
I told you men were funny crea-
tures," she replied.
SECOND EPISODE.
After leaving her I met her husband
I'm told you've been cracking people
on the head" said.
He laughed. so you've been listen
ing to my wife. / tell you 1t was real
luck that that stone was so near my
hand. For If 1t hadn't been-well, /
mad large sum of money in my pocket,
and my wife had on her diamond neck
lace. The square was absolutely empty
at the nloment--we were quite de-
serted in case of attack"
You thought ne wanted to hold you
up l concluded.
mo, you idiot" he retorted with fine
sarcasm. THE fellow belonged in the
French embassy! Why, when a chan
addresses you in a lonely spot and gets
hold of your arrn--well. what more do
YOU want?" He looked very much hurt.
so you cracked him on the head"
said.
Eyes, and he dropped without a
sound. know how TO take care of my
self in scrape like that"
AS | walked on I was frankly per-
picked.
THIRD EPISODE.
A voice hailed me from behind It
was a friend whom hadn't seen for
at least three weeks.
What in the world happened to
you?" demanded.
II just left the hospital" he replied.
do you know whether any crazy men
have escaped from an asylum recently?"
mo. Why?"
II was attacked by a lunatic about
three weeks ago"
! was suddenly very much interested.
rs that so? Tell me all about itP
you see, / was sitting In the square.
Possibly you read about 1t in the paper.
1t was really the most preposterous oc-
currence sat there, alone, and / was
dying for cigarette-but didn't have
a match on me anywhere. Then, after
10 minutes or so, guy came along
with some female--no doubt his wife
hanging on his arm. He was smoking,
SO / naturally stepped up to ask him
for a light. Now give you my word
approached the gentleman with my
most dignified and polite manner
meant to give no offense. And what
do you suppose happened"
I felt that was getting at the root
of the story now In a moment
would have the whole thing. from start
to finish, from every possible angle.
thought my best move was to feign
complete ignorance.
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