The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-01
1AODlES' BLuNDER. ,
BY ". P. G..

Mr.. Taddlcs Of Hartford communicates
only under pledge Of the most profound
secrecy, little aft air in which he was
the victim the other night, and, there
fore. it would not be fair to divulge. A
sense of journalistic honor, however,does
not seem to prohibit the mention of the
fact that Mr.. T. is very fond Of cribbage,
and that card-playing is strictly tabooed
on the Taddles premises, as his worthy
spouse is very strict church member.
Therefore Mr.. T. is compelled to seek
more congenial scenes in which to indulge
in his favorite game. The other day his
old friend Ten B. invited him to
join him that evening in pleasant little
card party, and Mr. Taddies consented,
though with some misgivings as to how
he should account to his estimable lady
for his absence, or contrive to break
through her rule that he shall always be
safe at home not later than nine.
The result of his cogitations was the
connection of story to be palned off on
his wife that he was going to New Haven
that afternoon on professional business
which might detain him until the mid.
night train. He Joined Tom at tea and
afterward had glorious evening at crib
bage, starting for home so as to arrive
there about ten minutes after the train
from New Haven was due at the Asylum
street depot. The partner of his bosom
sympathized with him as he dilatcd on
the tediousness Of night journey by
rail, while the artful Taddles ehuckled
quietly as he reflected on the success of
his little trick.
A few days afterward Mr.. Taddles came
home to tea and found Mrs. T. sitting in
the rocking-chair, with the evening paper
in her hand and with rather peculiar
expression of countenance, which Tad
dies could not quite understand. but
which seemed to be indicative Of some
thing in the wind. So he sauntered over
toward the window, plunged his hands
away down into his pockets and whistled
softly to himself as he wondered what
the duce was up, anyway. Mrs. l..
watched him for few moments, and
finally broke the silence with the inquiry {:
Did your New Haven business prove
satisfactory. my dear?'
Mr.. T: Yes, my love, better than I
expected
Mrs. T. lin tone of freezing polite
ness): Yer intricate, Ipresume, Mr.. 7.
Mr.. T.: Well; yes. rather so, my love.
And by the way, how fortunate it is that
you women are not required TO bother
yourselves with business affairs. 1t
would be such a trouble to understand
them. (Mr. L. plunges his hands still
deeper into his pockets and resumes his
whistling and his thinking.)
Mrs. T. livery freezing y, now: Yes, I
suppose so. Alb, me with sigh! there
are so very, very many things We cannot
quite see through. For instance, the
evening paper says that on the night you
went to New Haven, the midnight train
up was an hour late Sudden stop Of Mr..
IT'S whistle), and yet, my love, you got
home only ten minutes after the time it
was rightly due at the depot: Must have
walked pretty fast, Mr.. T.. Hurrying
yourself that way will get you into trouble
one of these days. Mr.. T.!
The curtain is drawn on the heartrend
ing scene, as the gentleman tried to clear
himself, and only plunged deeper and
deeper every minute. Taddles thinks
now that the news in kthe papers is o.
rather too miscellaneous a character tt
be fully appreciated in the family circle
and vows that the next time he makes
the same kind Of New Haven trip, he
will 60 around home by way Of the depot
and wait for that internal old train, if hi
has to stay out all night.