The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-17

IA TRUE STORY OF HOME LIFE IN PORTLAND !

My patient and long suffering ''partner"
goes by the name of John, but he couldn't be
more perfect if his name was Theophilus GUS
tavus and as for knowing any more-why,
bless you, he knows everything. He has. how
ever, one fault which am obliged to mention
and that is extravaganza, and especially ex-
travagance in overshoes. Somehow he insists
on buying overshoesf tnl the house is full of
them
He came home one night last winter with
very nice pair, and, a day or two after, dis
covered our frolicsome offspring bad converted
the off shoe into huge man-of.war. the kitch-
en- sink into mighty ocean-a piece of candle
in bottle into beacon light. 1 was pleased
to see the dears having good time and soak
ing don't really hurt rubber-and I'm sure
didn't see anything to groan about when one
got spoiled. Children must play with some-
thing. i-.l i" r. ia1 IA
But I cherished that left one tenderly-I
kept it as memento-I couldn't do aDythiss,s
else with it. ue 80 Lr.I.
Before many days John appeared with bran
new pair. L thanked him. / was proud Of
him. 1t was nice TO feel that we had new
pair in the house; and now could let the baby
have the old odd one for cart and let him
punch off the rubber if he wanted to.
But think must have given the angel one
CT the new ones by mistake for, somehow
another was left. 1 acknowledged my error.
said 1 was sorry John swore-he didn's
mean to but he did though he didn't realize It
himself;-he said he would go with wet feet
and die--he said he wanted to die-then he
called me names. g.at
Well, kept the family on hash and things,
and in course of time John again bought two
more pair, and we were all happy once more. L
put them carefully away with the others with
true wifely zeal. But sometime during the last
spring cleaning l got tired of seeing the odd
shoes kicking round so with an energy not un-
usual at such times, put them into the rub
bsh barrel. They wouldn't bring much as
rags, and all the wooden legs of our friends
were lefts, and the dear children were getting
little tired of overshoes h
Alas even here was the victim of circum-
stances-for in overlooking our winter habli-
ments the other day, we discovered four left
overshoes side by side. .-.ai -..- ...'....
1t wasn't the old ones after all that got away
in the rubbish barrel. ......
This time John didn't say any thing for long
tims-he didn't feel like it-he didn't feel we'll
he didn't like keeping house-he wanted to
board round; then he said he might take trip
to California for the winter on account of the
climate-he thought perhaps he might live
longer there. Then he said was dear crea-
ture-but he felt weak and would lie down
little while.
Now we keep them on a silver salver in the
parlor. We don't have to pay taxes on them
but they don't bring in anything-so to speak
towards the support of our numerous family
but they look pretty-and looks is BY no means
to be despised. Perhaps may train some ivies
in them as soon as we get fve-an odd and
lucky number; for, as winter is coming, don't
suppose anything will occur to stop Johns ex-
travsgance in this line.
.st And am,
HIS MARY ANN