Evening star., 1935-05-05
CHAPTER XXXV.

EAHLO040Ns
~ n ANAGE him? Yes, James
- M managing him all right,
vv roared the Judge, bring
4 L ing one fist down with q
bang into his open palm
"She's managing him straight to he'll!
What Jane was really cut out for
was q matron Of an orphans home
and God help the orphans! You
know, Miss Julia, that James Stimson
isn'ta clodhopper or a human machine
like that Northrup outfit. He's sem
sitive and delicate like harp and not
like a trained pig.
1.-THE Lord-a-Mighty didn't make
James orderly and He didn't make
James practical, but Jane thinks she
can. I was over there last night and
James dropped some cigar ashes on
the floor, like any man would in his
own house, and you should have seen
the look she gave him.
She told him there was an ash tray
at his elbow in the same tone she
would have told q stray dog to take
his dirty bone out Of her parlor."
What did James do?"
"He didn't do anything but shut up
and never act natural again all eve
ming. I'd like to be married to Jane
myself for about week, SO that I
could tell her what I think Of her-it
would take just about that long. I
was so mad I went home and didn't
sleep q wink"
Miss Julia tried to stand up for her
young friend, but the Judge was in no
mood to listen.
You want to keep your eyes shut
to the truth or you would not talk
that drivel. It's plain enough to any
one who wants to see 1t. The trouble
is that Jane is born old maid with
She acts as If her husband were q
naughty little boy fate or the devil
had wished on her to bring up and
who hasn't sense enough or judgment
enough to wipe his own nose or wash
behind his ears.
why, was over to the Millards
for dinner last week. along with James
and Jane, and when Bill Millard
asked James whether he would have
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snapped out before James could get
his mouth open that he liked it well
done. James never said word and
ate what was given him, although !
happen to know that he likes his beef
rare.
Seems to me that James better
learn to stand on his own feet occa-
sionally instead Of letting Jane do all
the leading. She probably doesn't
realize just how such things sound.
There's Just one way to manage q
woman like Jane Northrup and that's
with q club" growled the Judge rudely.
Il never said James was perfect-he
isn't. But If he added wife-beating to
his other qualifications, I wouldn't be
able to find q flaw in him. As 1t Is,
I'm worried-worried sick"
"Oh, pshaw!" said Miss Julia.
you're talking pure nonsense"
She sent her old friend home some
what comforted, but she remained
worried and uncomfortable herself.
James meanwhile was asking him.
self dozen times daily just what had
happened to him and Jane. Things
had gone so well for q while after
their trip East. He had plunged into
his work expecting soon to make an
other S., 900 and take Jane on another
wonderful trip.
But he hadn't make the $1,000, or,
in fact, much more than usual, and in
q few weeks Jane began again to ap-
pear restless and bored; later to COM
plain of her health, or, worse still, to
maintain queer, sulky silences In his
presence-to look at him as If she
wished he were not there.
During the next year what little
love there had been left between them
seemed to die q rapid and natural
death. Their relations went from bad
to worse. They had come to the point
where James dreaded to be alone with
his wife-as he realized one warm
Spring evening with peculiar poign-
ancy as he hestiated at his front door.
hating to i1t his key in the lock and
open it.
The house was still James, and
James alone, and he never felt COM
pletely at ease in 1t. His long-ago
dream-the dream Of his early mar
ried life-of some day moving back to
the mansion he had never SO much
as dared mention to his wife, al
though she had long since begun to
complain Of feeling cramped in the
Tyler house and longed to remodel it
or to buy q large place where she
could more fittingly entertain.
The mansion was large and spa
cious, but any mention Of it, or even
of past Stimson glories, was almost
certain to provoke Jane into sue
cession of caustically sarcastic re-
marks that James dreaded more than
anything else.
James, indeed, made heroic efforts
to remember Just what subjects did or
did not irritate Jane. Much Of the
time he was unsuccessful. He sighed
wearily as he turned the lock, hoping
that this evening would not be one Of
those times.
Jane proved somewhat sulky and
tired and had little to say rs they ate
their dinner. and James, after an at
tempt or two at conversation, ate
silently and rapidly, as was his wont.
Afterward they sat together on the
front porch, still silent, and 1t was Q
relief to both Of them when Mr.. North.
rup,s large bulk loomed darkly before
them ct the foot Of the steps.
Jane jumped up and Kissed her
father affectionately. James drew for