"'The Polite Match-Maker,' dear," faltered Fay, "the book that Aunt
Griselda gave me to study when I was engaged, because she said that it
contained all the necessary and fundamental rules for well-bred young
couples. To be sure she smiled, and said it was a little
old-fashioned; but I was so anxious to learn the rules perfectly that
I read it over three or four times."
"And 'The Polite Match-Maker' would not approve of Wee Wifie, you
think?" and Sir Hugh tried to repress a smile.
"Oh, I am sure of it," she returned, seriously; "the forms of address
were so different."
"Give me an example, then, or I can hardly profit by the rule."
Fay had no need to consider, but she hesitated for all that. She was
never sure how Hugh would take things when he had that look on his
face. She did not want him to laugh at her.
"Of course it is old-fashioned, as Aunt Griselda says; but I know the
'Match-Maker' considered 'Honored Wife,' or 'Dearest Madame,' the
correct form of address." And as Hugh burst out laughing, she
continued, in a slightly injured tone--"Of course I know that people
do not use those terms now, but all the same, I am sure Aunt Griselda
would not think Wee Wifie sufficiently respectful,"--and here Fay
looked ready to cry--"and though the book is old-fashioned she said
many of the rules were excellent."
"But, Fay," remonstrated her husband, "does it not strike you that the
rules must be obsolete, savoring of the days of Sir Charles Grandison
and Clarissa Harlowe? Pshaw!" with a frown, "I forgot I was gauging a
child's intellect. Well," turning to her, "what is your busy little
mind hatching now?"
"Dear Hugh?" stammered Fay, timidly, "I know I am very ignorant, and I
ought to know better, and I will look in the dictionary as soon as
I--but I do not know the meaning of the word obsolete."
"Pshaw!" again muttered Sir Hugh; then aloud, "The term, honored
madame, signifies disused, out of date, ancient, antiquated, antique,
neglected, and so on."
"Ah, Hugh, now I know you are laughing at me; but," rather anxiously,
"the 'Match-Maker' can not be all wrong, can it? It is only what you
call obsolete."
"My dear child," answered Hugh, gravely, "you can trust your husband's
judgment, I hope, before even this wonderful book--in this matter I am
sure you can; and in my opinion the prettiest name I could have
selected is this 'Wee Wifie.' It pleases me," continued Hugh, his fine
features working with secret pain. "It is no name of the past, it
touches on no hoped-for future, and it reminds me of my little wife's
claim to forbearance and sympathy from her extreme youth and ignorance
of the world. To others you may be Lady Redmond, but to me you must
ever be my Wee Wifie."
Fay clasped his neck with a little sob.
"Yes, you shall call me that. I know I am only a silly ignorant little
thing, and you are so grand and wise; but you love your foolish little
wife, do you not, Hugh?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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