Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-12-24

tomorrow"
Saying this, Abbie rose from her seat, and
Nellie followed her into the bedroom. A.
few whispered words were interchanged
and Nellie kissed her mother goodnight,
and closed the door as her mother returned
to the side of her sleeping husband, whose
head was resting on the table regardless of
downy comfort
"Frank 4! Frankp she exclaimed in an
undertone to arouse him, "are you going to
bed tonight? Come, it is late, and you
know you have to rise early in the morni ng
to attend to your business"
eYes, yes; business before pleasure" re-
sponded the halfunconscious Frank, who
bad every appearance of having attended to
great deal more pleasure than was good
for him, regardless of all business whereby
his family might derive benefit.
BY dint of extra perseverance, Abbe man
aged to get him up to undress for bed, and
while he was thus preparing himself she
pretended to be busying herself preparing
also.
| But her thoughts were on taking things
as they came, and on the enjoyments she had
promised her child, Nellie, for the morrow,
Christmas day
Frank was very careful fellow, drunk or
sober, when he had anything to be careful
about, and for that simple reason, when he
had nothing in his pockets he generally
threw his clothes around promiscously, but
when there was anything worth saving in
them, he would hang them near to his bed
very carefully.
This virtuous trait of character was well
known to his watchful wife, for she had
been there before" and knew pretty well
show the land lay" when she beheld him
carefully deposit his wardrobe on hook or
chair beside the bed.
Frank had never studied the art of keep
ing one eye open when he was dead asleep,
consequently he knew very little of his wfe's
serious meditatons when she was busylng
around after he had fallen into the arms of
Morpheus.
Another peculiar trait of Franks charac-
bol was blltb lb otllDin lttltIlDtItu NOW
much he had left after he left off drinking
with his friends on the outside, consequently
his wife Abbie had no difficulty in balancing
accounts for him without keeping cash
book.
On this occasion, as on many previous
ones, when he declared he had not cent, he
gave himself the lie by hanging his ward
robe on u chair in the bedroom and his con-
siderate wife quickly noticed the careful
maneuvre.
Frank never sleeps soundly unless he
SHORES some, and he never snores some I'M
less he sleeps soundly. This other trait of
his manly character has been constant
study of his dear, energetic wife; therefore,sIe
generally knows that when he is snoring he
is asleep, and when he is asleep be is snor
ing.
Thus knowing his weak and strong points,
as Samson's wife studied the weak and strong
points of her husband, Abbie had no dfli-
Guilty in being master of the situation once
in while, for while he slept her fingers
crept, and she took things as she found them,
leaving him, perhaps, just enough TO pro-
cure the hair Of the dog to cure the wound,
or treat friend with if he felt 80 disposed
In all this, Abbie did not act the part of
barefaced burglar. No, far from IL; she was
too considerate and good a wife for that,
and always had good excuse for nterfer
ing with her husbands pockets after he had
gone TO bed.
She hated to think there might be Il hole
in them when she bad needle and thread in
the house to repair rents or sew on buttons;
therefore, when she left called upon to do
herself and her husband a good turn all at
the same time, she generally took entire
possession Of his breeches or coat, and with
drew into the next room where she could
deliberately examine and go through them
10 her satisfaction with her sewing materials
handy beside herin case he should wake up
suddenly and become inquisitive enough TO
inquire what she was doing with his clothes.
OF course Franks knowledge Of arithmc-
tic was not worth much TO him after he got
tight or went TO sleep, and was Of very lit
tie more value 10 him when he awoke in the
morning; therefore his wife could always do !
little subtraction without his having the
slightest idea Of how much ought TO remain |
In addition to rendering his knowledge Of
mathematics as a dead letter, on this occa-
sion, Abbie inquired Of him, while he was
preparing himself to depart for his place Of
business
"Why, Frank, you are surely not going
away again this morning and leave poor lit
tie Nellie and me for the whole long day
without giving us something 10 keep Christ.
mas WITH"
"Oh, hang your Christmas spent more
money last night than ! can account for"
grufijy replied Frank
"Why Frank, / thought you told me last
night that You did not have n cont?" mildly
inquired Abbie.
"Wcll and wasn't it the truth How can |
then give you anything this morning? Look
here, IL you don't boieve me here's my
pockets-=sce, amt got enough 10 pay for
my shoe backing quickly rejoined Frank,
turning one Of bis pockets inside out, and
exposing three or iouF coppeTa,
Poor Abbie put on an air Of sad sympa-
thy-almost shed briny tear over her dear
husbands impoverished condition, and said
meltingly;
"Woll, never mind, Frank, won't take
your last cent from you. | sec you can't
help IL, 40 Nellie and will try 10 got along
the best we can. Mother may como In dur
ing the day, I'll try TO borrow enough from
her 10 keep Us from starving quite"
Franks heart might have melted at this,
only It couldn't just then-surcly not after
hearing there YVES prospect Of "mother'g"
being drawn upon at sight-so no did not
drain his pockets; but departed with what
change had been generously len him by the
consideatc Abbie.