Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-30
An April Fool.

came inspiration.
Pretty little Mrs. Smithers. the
bride of q year, sat at the other end
of the table, in wrapper and curl
papers, deeply engrossed in the
morning paper, and with one glance,
full of concentrated fun, in her direc-
tion, her liege lord passed quietly
from the room and bent his steps to-
ward the kitchen. There he found
Tommy, the chore hoy, and, taking
him out in the back yard, whispered
confidentially in his ear few mo-
ments.
Three minutes later Tommy ran
into the breakfast-room with one
hand swathed in handkerchief, =,
and startled Mrs. Smithers with the
announcement: " Please n'am, will
you 90 to the door; cause there's q
mighty fine spruced-up gent COM
in up the walk, and can't open the
door, cause I've most burned my
hand off.
"Oh, my goodness, Tommy, !
cant go to the door in this dress.
TN afraid it's the new minister, and
Tommy. you must Try
But Tommy had vanished, and q
loud peal from the front door bell
informed the distracted little woman
in dtShGJiHe that the "spruced-up"
gent was at hand, and, early as it
was, there was a possibility that it
might be the Rev. Mr. Dobson, who,
of course, mast not be kept waiting
on the steps, so with a hasty shake
at the rear extremity of her wrap
per, and n despairing glance in the
mirror, Mrs. Smithers put on her
company face and marched to
The door, prepared to face the
music.
AS she turned the knob, she
Brought her best smile and bow we'll
"to the 'front.'" and as the door
swung opcn, she had just commenced
to lavish them OH Ler caller, when
she suddenly discovered that it was
Smithers himself standing before
her.
"Ha, ha, ha. Good-norning,
Mrs. S;niihers; | just called to tell
You that this is tho first OF April.
Thank you, | haven't time to come
in; so allow me to wish you good
morning, Mrs. Smiihers,' and,
chuckling over the " cuteness," Mr..
Smithers headed up town for his
office, and in less than an hour had
forgotten all about April aud April
fools.
But not so with Mrs. sSmithcrs,
for, although she had accepted the
situation with perfect good nature,
she very naturally experienced de-
sire TO get even" with her jolly
better-half, and, setting her wits to
work, she ore long succeeded in con
cocting scheme that she considered
decidedly brilliant, and had no
doubt, would " take him in smooth
ly.
An hour later found Mrs. Smith
ers closeted with Mrs. Jones new
cook, Il brawny, muscular daughter
of Erin, and, when they parted,
Bridget was grinuing audihly, and
Mrs. Smithers' parting injunction
was" Remember, Bridget, 10 'clccll
tonight, and don't iNl me, for /
don't know any other girl who hea
short hair, and, Bridget, if il All
turns out we'll I'll give yen that
green silk OF mine that you like so
we'll.
That afternoon Mr.. Smilhers was
leaning back i'll his office chair, try
ing to make up his mind whether to
take stock in one Of the Lew Terry
corporations, when the door sudden
ly opened, and boy walked i'll,
who, after dcpositing yellow, sealed
envelope on the desk, dropped lit
tie courtesy, and vanished rs quickly
and mysteriousiy MS he had come.
Mr.. Smithers took up the envelope
! aud glanced at the address. He
saw his own name, written III II
strange, c.amped hand, the gender
of which it WAS impossible to decide.
He tore it open, and this is what he
read:
Mn. 5MrThERs-Althoush yen will lind
| no name attached to this missiyr, vet
| assure you it comes from n friend: from
| me who, knowing YOU to ~ Il good man
and true husband, is not willing 20 see
| you deceived and Wronged by one you
| love and trust. 60 home from your club
| an hour earlier than usual Tonight; steal
| softly into the little spare bedroom that
| opens from the back parlor and soe what
| yOu will see"
That was all, bat now, be it
known, Mir. Smithors' one great and
overwhelming weakness was jeal-
ousy; and the unfortunate mascu-
lines who sometimes ventuyed to
turn for IL second glance at pretty
! Mrs. SmltherS We're invariably
ycowled out OF countenance, and
sometimes suubbed numerically by
| her udoginS and jealous spouse.