THE NEW BARMAID.

Otago Witness, Issue 1958, 30 May 1889, Page 33

THE NEW BARMAID.

WRITTEN FOR THE LADIES' PAGE BY ALICE. Ohapteb T. i " Things can't go on like" this," said Mrs Harry Hector. Mrs Hector had been married about a year to a good-looking fellow enough — bright, Cleveland occupying a good position iiji the Government service. She had married fpr love, arid, her wardrobe was well supplied with pretty dresses." .She' had a good figure and ii pretty 'face to set' them off. ,'Her house, vfas wejl furnished, Her "domestic" a gem. : No young wife had a nicer little house and garden ; yet she sat disconsolately before the drawing room fire this evening, her white hands lying idly in her . lap, every now and again glancing at the clock, and telling herself : " Things can't go on like this." "- V ; The fact of the matter wasj that goodlooking,' good-natured husband of hers had, only ! one fault in his wife's £ye,s,and on"c which, 1 although not' very serious in itself, ste thought. likely to lead, to serious consequences, and.fchis was her, otherwise devoted Harry had a great liking; for the company of barmaids, and his wife was very often left lonely of an evening while he. indulged" this fancy. , This evening was like many others, his wife, nicely dressed and only ; too willing to entertain him,was kept waiting hour after hour for his arrival. - ; • If she had neglected the home in anyway, she toldherself, it would serve'her rignfybut she had not done so. Frortf the drawing room to the washhouse everything wia^'kept in perfect, order,' No matter when Harry thoujghtk 'fijji..' to /bring a friend "home ,to luncheon, or' dinner there -.was always something, daintily served, and-; she herself, had not fallen into the grave error so m>any young wives do — of neglecting her personal appearance, but- invariably dressed with as much care for her husband v as she wpuld have done had she been entertaining* ttrangers. It was too bad, she declared, that her company should be passed over for that of a barmaid, and she must put a stop to it. But how ? Mrs Hector had been thinking deeply over that question , for the last two hours. Grumbling or fretting wouldn't do it. She. knew- enough; of a man's nature to-be certain on that point. She had exercised all the charms she possessed, and with mortification had to confess ehe had failed. She had Jjeen patient and good-tempered, evidently to no purpose: things were getting worse instead of better, and she was determined she wouldn't be worsted by a barmaid. Besides, she was very much in love with her husband, and had not taken kindly to his" assertion that a man could be "a little spooney on a 4a 4 birmaid and Ipye his wife none the less." Spooney 1 she hated the vulgar, slang wordshe shrank with sensitive pain that her husband could so speak to her; she had not forgotten all those sacred passages in their' courtship days, when Harry would-not have slighted her for all the women in the world, and she. was determined" to regain any wandering thoughts. She knew he loved her, but he 1 should show" it td "herself and the world. Besides, she loved 1 'the best in him, and wanted that best always to be uppermost. , Other men might. flirt with barmaids—well, it didn't matter to her what was the custom of other men,' or what society thought about the matter : she wanted her husband to regard his home as a place too bright and charming to be deserted for barmaids; and he would not give her the chance to prove how entertaining she could make it. " Things can't go oja like this," she repeated as the clock chimed 11. Just then footsteps sounded, and her husband, entered, looking as bright and cheerful «a possible. " Well, Nellie, you are looking tired." « I am fired," she responded wearily. *\Yci&

have iKrtdSa hovfWgffikftlmQ' seems wlef-J I ajnalone," (i -,, „,.h y j . - „.,.;. •■.\, -m^A ' ««;Oh', welcome, chee,r up/h e responded,! kissing Jie^ ; "don't, look so dismaL Why, don't you read or sing V - / . \'.%t * s dull reading or singing to oneself all ; the evening, Harry 1 " • she' added impulsively, putting her hand on $his shoulder, <M want my: husband's society." , r • , " Come, Nell, you've got a fit of the ..blues, you know," he added in, a tone of remonstrance. ** A fellow can't be tied to his.wif e's apron strings when he has been shut, up- In; the office all day ; he wants a run round.'' ." I don'twant to tie ,my, husband to my apron strings/ answered^., N elly, proudly, " bat, I at least have as.muoh right to expect to do it , as a* strange woman, has to ' tje you to, her, bar, I am t not exaoting, as you know, ' Harry, Jnor , object to any way you pass your time with your gentleman friends— you? | equals, but I do objeofc to be left alone night after night while my husband recreates and refreshes himself by flirting with a barmaid. It is an insult to me— it is publishing to the world that you deem their coi&yersatiork and appearance more charming than that of • a jady— and v ,tha^ady your,w4fe." :■ - '. Nellia flushed angrily > and drew herself up^ proudly. ,' „' „ '', ',',..* , "Oh," replied, Harry, "now you are, going, into heroics. And let one tell you, Nell, you are labouring under a mistake as to the kind of women who tend a bar. < A number ;^of them are, ladies." » Indeed 1", ' .."'".. 11 Yes, indeed," responded Harry, sitting down in front tof : the ; fire ,wish his legs Stretched out, and his hands in hiapockets— a favourite attitude, with a man wnsri he is in an 'argumentative frame of mind— "and a woman who can live as a lady,, bar tending, deserves" the highest respect; although, as a rule, she gets' r little but insult and contempt." ; " Shows great discrimination on the part of your sex. You are highly complimentary; I thought a gentleman, always recognised a lady when he sayv, one," "So he does," responded, Harry, a little bothered, " but every man that visits a bar is not a gentleman." ■ "Oh, I see. Then you think a sensitive and refined woman^ aiady, infaot, will place herself in^ a position to be insulted by every man who buys the privilege with a glass of ale?" .' Nellie kept her grey eyes steadily fixed upon her. husband. He tapped the fender with his toe, then replied : ! "It. is nojb a matter of choice with- many of them, my dear. It jars upon their womanly feeljngs,, but if it is a ; question oflife and, death to them what are^hey to do <? It is not right ;to judge by appearances, and people whose opinions are worth considering think no worse of a lady for, being, behind a bar." . " Honestly, Harry, you do not ? " , /.< < 1 The grey eyes were still regarding him steadily. . - •« Most certainly Ido not I " he responded Warmly. • - ' I. 1 "Then why are not bar tenders received inJ3ociefcy?" ' • "^Sometimes they are—and marry well." < "'"Why do some of them; paint and dye their haii 1 ,?" •.- . .'. - "Wejl," replied. Harry slowly, " I suppose it is to make themselves look attractive.. Society ladies often do the samel" he re« snmed quickly, „' ; - i <■: "So they do," resppnded Nellie, thoughtfully i She, r was qujlet for a time, then -she asked suddenly : „ - " What do they talk about V* " Talk about l". asked Harry, looking up to the,ceiling,."weil, politics, theinewsof the day.&c.','. • , . "But don't men sometimes make love to; them?" < • • •- • - , " 01), they know we don't mean, anything, and they just.Dut up with it good naturedl'y." -.-:. -■ : ■ : Nellie .sat quiet so long after' this that Harry, glancing at her once or; twice,. and seeing her still, gazing into the embers, said: • '{What js the matter, with you to-nighc, girlie.r! n .', ; • . .• ■ ■ • : Nellie ,went over, and kneeling- on the rug by his si4e, put her hands ohrhv* shoulders and said gently:,, . v« Harry it , hurts me to be left alone for these barmaids. „ Won't you. spend tbe time with me ?;",!• , ..„•,.. -■ j Harry stood up testily, and replied : ; "/Don't be such a child, I wish you would be mqre.of a woman of the world." 1 If ellie said no more, but rose to her feet, a proud look upon her face, and Harry felt rather ,like a brute whence remembered how fond and sweet she had always been; but still he considered it wouldn't do to give in. He would have to teach Nellie a lesson, so he sulked the remainder of the evening, and' ,went to, the office next morning very much out of humour with himself and all the world.

(To he concluded .newt week.)