Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-01-24
l have shirts enough but not one in

"hAy 1AAhoOAlCo 40 bbN ASiiAoAhbSi-
cd how often in tho course of the last
month or TIVE she had solemnly pro-
missed herself to devote day to the
much-needed renovation of her hus-
bands shirts.
The needle threaded, the thimble
fitted on, an appropriate button was
next to be selected.
"Oh, dear, Frank. l haven't one
the right size!"
"Sew on what you have, then, and
do be quick!'
But Fanny was certain there was
Gust the right button" somewhere in
her work-basket, and stopped to
search for it.
"There, l told you So" she cried
triumphantly, holding it up on the
point of her needle.
"Well, well, sew it on quick" said
Ar. Chickerly, glancing nervously at
his watch.
''That is just your worrying way,
Frank. As if anybody could sew a
button on we'll in a hurry. There,
my needle has become unthreadsd"'
"Oh, Fanny, Fanny" sighed her
husband, fairly out Of patience at
last, ''why didn't you do it last night,
as begged of you? shall miss the
train, and what little chance we had
Of a place in Aunt Elizabeth's will
will be sacrificed to your miserable
habit of always being behlndhand"
Fanny gave him the shirt, and be-
gan to whimper little, but Mr..
Chickerly had neither the time nor
the inclination to pause to soothe her
petulant manifestation of grief.
He finished his dressing, caught
up his valise and with a hurrledly
spoken "good BY" ran down stairs,
two steps at time, into the street.
Mrs. Chickerly was sitting down
to her little dinner, u Ia solitaire,
with a daintily Drowned chicken, a
tumbler OF currant jelly and curly
bunch of celery ranged before her,
when, to her surprise, the door open
ed and in walked her husband.
"Why, Frank, where on earth did
you come from ?" cried the astonish-
ed wife.
"From the Office" coolly answered
Mr.. Chickerly.
"But l thought you were off to
seenersville In such hurry ?"
81 found myself just five minutes
too late for the train, having run all
the way to the depot"
Chiokerly smiled little as he be-
gan to carve the chicken.
eyes, | was a little annoyed at
first; 1t aid seem rather provoking to
be kept at home by only button"
"What are you going to do ?"
"Why, l shall make second start
tomorrow"
81 will see to it that your breakfast
is ready this time to tho second, and
all your wardrobe in trim," said
Fanny, rather relieved at the prospect
of a chance of retrieving her char
acter.
"You need not. l have engaged a
room at hotel near the depot. l
cannot run any more risks"
He did not speak unkindly, and
yet Fanny felt that he was deeply dis
pleased with her.
"But Frank"
"We will not discuss the matter
any further, my dear, if you please.
l have resolved to say nothing more
to you about reforms. see it is USE
less, and it only tends to foster an
unpleasant state of feeling between
us. Shall l help you to some mac
caroni ?"
And, fairly silenced, Fanny ate
her dinner with what appetite was
left to her.
Three days sfterward Mr.. CHECKER
ly once more made his entrance, just
at dusk, carpet bag in hand, as Fan
ny sat enjoying the ruddy shine of
the coal fire and the consciousness of
having performed her duty in the
mending and general renovating of
her husbands wardrobe-a job which
she had so long been dreading and
postponing.
"Well, how is Aunt Elizabeth p
questioned Fanny, when her hus-
band, duly welcomed and greeted,
had seated himself in the opposite
easy chair.