Загадочная история Бенджамина Баттона

           "Heseemstogrowyoungereveryyear,"theywouldremark.AndifoldRogerButton,nowsixty-fiveyearsold,hadfailedatfirsttogiveaproperwelcometohissonheatonedatlastbybestowingonhimwhatamountedtoadulation.

           Andherewecometoanunpleasantsubjectwhichitwillbewelltopassoverasquicklyaspossible.TherewasonlyonethingthatworriedBenjaminButton;hiswifehadceasedtoattracthim.

           AtthattimeHildegardewasawomanofthirty-five,withason,Roscoe,fourteenyearsold.IntheearlydaysoftheirmarriageBenjaminhadworshippedher.But,astheyearspassed,herhoney-colouredhairbecameanunexcitingbrown,theblueenamelofhereyesassumedtheaspectofcheapcrockery—moreover,and,mostofall,shehadbecometoosettledinherways,tooplacid,toocontent,tooanaemicinherexcitements,andtoosoberinhertaste.Asabrideitbeenshewhohad"dragged"Benjamintodancesanddinners—nowconditionswerereversed.Shewentoutsociallywithhim,butwithoutenthusiasm,devouredalreadybythateternalinertiawhichcomestolivewitheachofusonedayandstayswithustotheend.

           Benjamin’sdiscontentwaxedstronger.AttheoutbreakoftheSpanish-AmericanWarin1898hishomehadforhimsolittlecharmthathedecidedtojointhearmy.Withhisbusinessinfluenceheobtainedacommissionascaptain,andprovedsoadaptabletotheworkthathewasmadeamajor,andfinallyalieutenant-coloneljustintimetoparticipateinthecelebratedchargeupSanJuanHill.Hewasslightlywounded,andreceivedamedal.