Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-09

AN ABsENT-AIINDED MAN
From the Rochester Democrat.
careful study of the situation convlnces
us that the great cause OF the domestic H.
quietude OF this country Is absence of mind
We Will take the universal MIR Smith. VINO is
even more "a representative man IN tins par
ticular than others Mr.. Smith peruses his
morning paper at his breakfast table, being
naturally lost in its contests. Mrs. smith
says IN preliminary manner The weather
Is rapidly growing colder, my dear. liz will
not he lone before tine blasts OF winter are
upon us. 1t makes m. shudder to think pitt.
Ill IN, yes = says Mr.. Smith, with sudden
interest lie falls to thinking what the
words will naturally lead to. however, and
has not the slightest curiosity. IL see, he
remarks, returning to the paper, that Fer
guson is to run tor Alderman in the ninety
sixth ward. Poor Fergy he'll be beaten so
Tar that hell never be able TO reach home
again
And that dreadful election is coming
again, is it," says the good lady. Il hope,
my dear, they won't have those unpleasant
caucuses rs they did last year. You we're
ont almost every night, you remember, and
sometimes returned home quite Ill.
by Jove :" says Mr. Smith with consider
able haste, at the same time lnvOluntarily
scowling, the Russians have turned the tide.
They re whipping the Turks now. The Cross
Is above the Crescent at last. Just as pre-
Iii ted, You know. Before the winter Is
over"
Talking of winter, my dear, interrupts
the wife and mother, there are several
THINGS which must be attended TO at once.
James apparel Is not warm and she must
have "a
Hello says Mr. Smith. vivaciously.
why, see here, Amelia Young Jones over
the way was married last evening to Miss
Johnson, of Brown street
do tell, says the patient lady, attacked
in a weak spot this time. Il have suspected
this Poor young man do not say that he
has not secured Il fine wife. but she is ter
rihly evtravagaut. Little he knows, poor
boy OF the cost Of the experiment he has
entered on. And that reminds me- my dear
1t Is urgently necessary that Jane have a -"
Mr.. smith has evidently seen something
IN the paper which annoys him exceedingly.
He utters an exclamation of surprise, or re-
greet, or anger, it is difficult to tell which,
and scowls at every one Mt the table, but in
an absent way. He has evidently not heard
Mrs. Smiths words, so he is surely not Of
Tended aG them. He returns to tine paper,
amid the silence of the group, and presently
resumes ina discouraged tone-"Hard times,
indeed | should say This is an IN
pleasant article, but 1t is strictly truthful.
Business depressed. The rich getting richer
and the poor poorer. Every article neces-
sary to human existence gong up, up not
wIthstanding the scarcity of money and the
almost total absence of the ways to make 1t.
An, my dear this Is to be a terrible winter;
terrible indeed"
Il am 20 sorry - says Mrs. Smith SYM
pathizingly. at he same time remarking to
herself that her husband Is either very deaf
or very stupid lately. by the way, bought
You new smOking-set yesterday and the
dressing-gown is going to be perfectly lovely"
Thank YOU, my dear r. says Mr.. Smith
promptly and brightly lyon are always very
thoughtful"
He hears that, anyhow" says the shrewd
lady to herself, with queer look. Perhaps
| am the one that's stupid" And she adds in
IL conversational way, Il was about to re-
mark George, that Jane will freeze this win
ter il she doesu't have a
''And SO Thomson won't run for the Sen
at1IShip, after all, SAYS Mr.. Smith very
thoughtfully and evidently away of in the
mazes of politics. ''Ho-hum That's very
strange, very strange, indeed. l don't know
what to make Of Thomson. Another cup of
coffee, my dear
Yes, sir, it Is strange says Mrs. Smith,
evidently ngitated ''lt is strange, indeed
sir | have wondered at it this long time.
and you assume not to hear me but know
better, sir know better -
''Wh-y !" says the gentleman, in great as
constituent, distributing his wonder in equal
instalments around the table, and then be-
coming argumentatiye and dignlied. i
must really beg. my dear, that you will not
call me sir 1t hurts my feelings. l part
ed with that method of designation several
years ago. You may remember the time.
do not know what the present difficulty is
but We will discuss 1t privately in our own
room, if you please tonight, or-or some
time,
'Some time > repeats the injured lady in
afiectonate despair, noticing that the good
man has already assumed his oyercoat
That's always the way, George always. l
am really discouraged
Never mind. dear - says Mr.. Smith with
evident determination not to lose himself
again, in the paper or anywhere else. You
are such good little body that you will go
to heaven when you die, anyhow. We can't
have everything exactly right here dear but
it will be all right one of these days. l am
in something of hurry By-bye" And he
sails away, remarking to himself as he turns
the corner, 1T looks, by Jove as If James
seal-skln sacque would have to come this
winter somehow"
We think it Is unnecessary to give the
moral to this truthful representation of an
everyday event. We can merely quote Mrs.
Smiths closing remark, endorsing 1t on the
back as a prophecy which will apply to the
universal woman:
1.-The absence of mind OF that man will be
the death OF me some day"