PAGE NINE
tshne
ILLUSTRATED 6y M.G.KETTNER
COPYRIOMT BY BOUBLBDAY, PAOfi B. COMPANY
the citizen, Thursday, December 25, 1913.
mm
I- believe I'll have to get itlwg
, Aiired, sne said, xou nave
voice.
to his wife: 'Tin. still
Poe. I saw it in
fifteen
OTZATERBY remarked to
fvvbfethe window today, marked down to
Yes?" sairi Mrs Watirhv wifh a RiirMe.n irasn of
T. i . .. . &w. 1 my
feTYes-
1 woman 1 u 1 were you
1 1
'I know I have, my dear, but I haven't any set of Poe;
tiii iii4i wiiMr 1 Jf. rif-r-Ti wnnnncr icvr tt innir Tirrir nig
T a 11? 1 1 j.ii .in II
1 111 it 11 1 uxs iri iTitr ifiin 'j 111 11 it ic riH-j t 111 1 r iri 11 rTi iin
11 v: wi 1 tiii ii'ii 1 1 ir it in; tii if-Tif i i r tt
1CW uuua.
"Well, I know, but
1 1 r 1.1 1
r-.Ti nr. riHiiKC'ii r 1 nr:
1 woraB to exoress n
11r1111r.11 Niirurisn.
Mr.Waterby had
1 .
ni 111 ir xn iTiiii 1
WWfe .AJ KSi-Ki. JL A.W
IC 111 MVIIIVT MT1I1
Mil in :riun 1 r
1 iir:ii nvr-.i 111 ivitk
aterbv a hxed
m fnr hrtnsehnlH
TT 1 1'JIV
this an allowance
-1 o
smau amount ior
." 1 11 .1 .i 11 i-i 1 r.x 1 r.i isrs
1 r
1 J 1J 11
n nrnnsirrn inr.
" n
nir r-if Tiartprpri
1 1 i.r:i 1 I'm 1 rir: k
A 1 1
nHf1 hnchanH
ivir. vv aierDy naa no costly $j:
hits nnrl nn nrftvaiUrto- Qt-rfif Wr-
A o :r w vaa.&aci
ensive. Like everv other man hp.haH lnm nr
lr-.'s. i 1 1 1 1 1 riff nr n c nnrMon kkk an J
i A A. UU 11 ULillUVCll I I liH I I ir. I 1 1 Mil A rnPriPGfi ITftrArfi
the one unmistakable genius. "bW
ne wora genius" nas been bandied faround the
try until it has come to be applied to a long-haired
out of work or a stout lady who writes poetry. In
n3f of "Pnf TVTr "VAT'ofofTv.r i.ui. " : ,
F " - " w ...M4lWUUiWU Llldl. gUlliUO
t one who was not governed by the common mental
oouo, um wiiu 6uok.c ironi insDiranon. nis mind m-
tarily taking superhuman flight into the realm of
imagination or something of that sort At any
X JT ITT i 1 1?1 1 -T-v - -
mi. vvciiciuv iiK.cu jroe. ana ne wantfiri a ?fM- nt Pnp
lowed himself nnt- mnrp fVian nn Inv.m. o
w"u jrcii cuiu
termined that this vear the luxnrv RhnnlH hR u sf
hererore. lmao-ineiiffip fim-f f t-.5c? fdirvr. u:
o ;y . ww..i v. .ium .iu
'k.iww.wv4 w ..iu owuiiuiiir liiLccii 1 1 c 1 1 1 i s; nil rnyr wnir.n
in.J 1 n n . M .. . . . .
- jjr -."jr wou m Lllw WU11U.
s ne went-to -pinis woK that day he reflected on
in-
i-suPBer
, lui will m rronoxj
H
Si m
nan i 1 u i i , in
1 I
11
frxl "V
wJi;iiJ.
Lrmr- Jmi'l VLZ&b
Mrs. Waterby's conduct Did she
nofhave her allowance of spend
ing money? Did he ever find
fault with her
y y hi
Oft V I
J M ld
JC'a.r u. lui hi
extravagance?
IrW no
iim : .a i mv o
" mWlM! ' Was he an nnrpacnnaWp ViiicV.o
lil CiOlViHf lliai lib ttllUWCU IU
spend this small sum for thai,
which would give him many hours
L. , of pleasure and which would
belong to Mrs. Waterby as much
s to him?
He told himself that many a
ilisband would have bought the
books without consulting his
wife. But he (Waterby) had
eferred to his wife in all matters
touching family finances, and
he said to hirhself, with a
tincture of bitterness in
his thoughts, that prob-
ablyhe had put him
self into the attitude
- of a mere depen-dent
Ill I 'WW ii
' MMA Ii I II I
siiii f mi k vn
M llll I I III I I I liMltl II III ! .II
UAAWf fl WW l Hi-TI
For had she not forbidden
him to buy a few books for
t,: iri i rrii i i i a
imiiscii r vv cii, no, axic naa Smw
nnf frvrhiHrien him hiif if vfelj
amounted to the same thing. Js
She had declared that she was
firmly opposed to the purchi
of Poe. Mr. Waterby won
dered if it were possible thafj
he was just beginning to 1
know his wife. Was she a
selfish woman at heart? Was?i
she comolacent and cood-
natured only while she asWffkT
having her own way? Wouldn' t Skpf Tkx
she prove to be an entirely different sort of A 0
woman if he should do as many husbands dohp spenjl
his income on clubs and cigars and private amusements,
and give her the pickings of small change ?
Nothing in Mr. Waterby's experience as a married
man had so wrenched his sensibilities and disturbed his
faith as Mrs. Waterby's objection to the purchase of a set
of Poe. There was but one way to account for it She
wanted all the money for herself or else she wanted him
to put it into the bank so that she could come into it-after
he but this was too monstrous.
However, Mrs. Waterby's conduct helped to giye
strength to Mr. Waterby's meanest suspicions.
Two or three days after the first conversation she
asked : "You didn't buy that set o.Poe, did you Alfred ? "
"No, I didn't
and with as much hauteur as possible.
He hoped to hear I
her say : " Well, why
aon t you go anagec.
it? I'm sure that yovr
want it, and I'd like to J
see you buy something
for yourself once in
a while."
But she merely
said: "That's right;
don't buy it," and he
was utterly unhappy,
for he realized that he
had married a woman
who did not love him
and who simply desired
to use him as a pack
horse for all household
burdens.
As soon as Mr.
Waterby had learned
the horrible truth about;
nis wile ne began to
recall little episodes dating- back jC
years, and now he pieced them to- J
gether to convince himself that"
he was a deeply wronged person. fA
bmall at the time and almost
unnoticed, they were now accumulating X to prove that
Mrs. Waterby had no real anxiety for f her husband's
happiness. Also, Mr. Waterby began fto observe her
closely, and he believed that he found new evidences of
her unworthiness. For one thing, while he was in gloom
over his discovery and harassed by doubts of what the
future might reveal to him, she was content and even
tempered. f
The holiday season approached and Mr. Waterby
made a resolution. He decided that if she would not
permit him to spend a little money on himself he would
not buy the customary Christmas present for her.
"Selfishness is a game at which two can play,"
answered, as coldly t
said.
Furthermore, he
V
. I IIIKMOXML .
determined that if she asked him
for anv extra monev for
Christmas he would say: "I'm
sorry, my dear, but I can't
spare any. I am so hard up
that 1 can't even afford to buv
a few books that iVe been
wanting a long time. Don't
you remember that you told
me that I couldn't afford to
buy that set of Poe?"
Could anything be more
biting as to sarcasm or more
crushing as to logic?
He rehearsed, this speech
and had it all ready for her, as he pictured to himself her
humiliation andjsurprise at discovering that he had some?
spirit after all and a considerable say-so whenever money
was involved.
Unfortunately for his plan, she did not ask for any
sxtra spending money and so he had to rely on the other
.node of punishment He would withhold the expected
Christmas present In order that she might fully under
stand his purpose, he would give presents to both of
the children. JSf3-
It was a harsh measurehe admitted, but perhaps it
would teach her to havei some consideration for the
wishes of omers.jiSs
It must be. said that Mr. Waterjby was not wholly
proud of his revenge-when he- arose on Christmas
morning. He felt that he had accomplished his pur
pose and he told himself that his. motives- had. been
good and pure, but still he was. not satisfied .with,
himself.
He-went to the dining room and there on the table
in front of his. plate was a long paper box containing ten
books each marked "Poe." It was the edition- he had
coveted.
"What's this"?" he asked, winking slowly, for his
mind could not grasp in one moment the fact of his awful
Bhame.
"I should think you ought to know, Alfred," said Mrs.
Waterby, flushed and giggling like a school girl.
"Oh, it wasyou" Z -SV"0 -"My
gooaess7pu'venad me so frightened. That
vou soolce of huvinp- them
andUtold you .not to, I was just
gure tnat you suspected
something. I bought
them a week before
that."
"Yes yes," said
Mr. Waterbv. feeline
ihe salt water in his
eyes At that moment
hci had the soul of
..... ;'"4a wretch being
y', whipped at
Wnot to fcsk vou for anv
, luoiipy iu pay ior your
.L..irWCi.0.(
Ill Ol A 11 IX N
VP's I m I rl rr r - m T f. M I
m ( JX, YSl
bought no J
SIt was.h a fearful situation,
the stalce.
determined
Waterby continued.
Do you know I had to
save for you and the
cnuaren out ot mv
regular allowance.
Why, last week I
nearly starved you and
you never noticed it
t alL--1 was afraid vou would.".
No, I didn't notice it,"
aid Mr. Waterbv brokenlv. for he
Tiro c rrtnfnor1 o-rl rrtAArv rTyVin
S---'self- sacrificing angel and he had
Christmas present for her !
and he lied
his
way
look
out oi i '(e-
"How did you like your present?" he asked.
W-"Why, I haven't seen it yet," she responded,
ing across at him in surprise.
rVYou haven't? I told them to .send it up vesterdav."
t The children were shouting-andilaughing over their
gifts in the nextjaiand he felt it his duty to lie for,
their sake.
"Well, don't tell me
what it is,'.' interrupted
Mrs. Waterby. "Wait
until it comes."
"I'll go after it"
He did go after it
although he had to
drag a jeweler away
from his home on
Christmas Day and
have him open his
great safe. The ring
which he selected was
beyond his means, it
is true, but when a
man has to buy back
his self-respect the
price is never too high-Vr
J