Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1890-01-09
DEFENDING HIMSELF.

DEFENDING HIMSELF.
Or ths Story Of subtsrfussoas Man Who
Made . Failsre.
A man who had not been conducting him
seR vary well, and who was sndeavorinE to
make himself agreeable to his wife, remarked
after Q long silence:
speaking Of cyclones"-
1--WE have not bean speaking Of cyclones"
she reproachfully broke in.
weren't We speaking Of cyclones THE
morningr' he meekly asked
"No"
"When was it we were speaking about cy-
clonesr
IL don't know"
WASN'T it last weekr'
II tell you l don't know"
ave must have been speaking about cy-
clones some time"
II don't remember that we have"
"Weu, now, you may not remember it.
Memory. you know, is . very trescherous
thing"
at seems to be-" she answered 81 told
you to send some coal up this morning, but
you didn't do it."
II ordered it. Are you sure it didn't
conner
Ordered it, /" she contemptuously repeated.
"Yes, ordered it. Wasn't my fault that it
didn't come. Did my part"
"Why, you told me not more than an hour
ago that you had forgotten it, and now you
say that you ordered it."
They were sitting in front of the crate.
less way, looked at the clock, shook his head
sadly and said:
II cannot help what my former declara-
ton was; may have uttered numerous alb
surdities, while worried with troublesome
deal that have had on my hands for some
time. but l know l ordered that coal early
this morning."
"Yes, suppose 3D."
Louise, you are cruel"
do you think soT she exasperatingly
asked.
"Ys, 1 do. You are not only cruel, but
are actually heartless."
"Did you bring that lambs woolT'
81 stopped in the store and they said that
they were out of the best quality"
s'Why didn't you go to another storef'
'Well, l wanted to catch a car and-well,
wanted to get here in time for dinner, and
thought that another time would do for the
lambs wool, so when they told me that they
didn't have the best quality hurried away
so could eat dinner with you"
"But' you didn't get here in time You
were nearly two hours late"
Again he passed his hand helplessly over
his brow.
,, ~ started all right" he said, "but the car
! stopped just as we were going into the tun
mel. asked the conductor what was the
matter, and he said the cable was broken"
"Why, you told me that you were detained
at the Office"
"Oh, that was yesterday evening""
''No, it was this evening"
| ''That's So 1t was yesterday evening that
the cable broke"
"Why, you were at home on time then"
He leaned over and propped up his chin
| de was the picture of i'll used sadness, Of
cruel neglect. She spoke again and he moved
uneasily.
"Well, Louise, we won't talk about it.
have done my best, and if have failed, why
cannot help it."
"You have done your best to prove thai
you have not failed" she answered.
Silence followed "What were you going
to say about cyclonesg' she asked, after {
time.
! ..Oh, YES. l was thinking of something
that took place out on Kansas prairie. A
/ terrible cyclone about ten feet wide came
through the country. The narrowcst and
most forc;ble cyclone the people had evel
! known. When it struck building it simply
cut hole through it and went On. Struck {
; hill after it crossed the prairie. Bored a hole
I, through Railroad is going to use the hol'
| for tunnel Went on and struck another
prairie There it encountered two men walk
ing along. They We're about ten feet apart
| They ,iidn'i hear the cyclone, and one o.
them had Just taken out corkscrew, ant
was ah0a: 10 hand it over to the other one
| when here c,..ra the cyclone. 1t passed be
tween ,.."-,, b2t took the corkscrew away
Terrific y -, Why, when they found thu
corkscreM ..i4..s.: a mile further on, it wa
strail.. ten 81 ont Ike 4 darning needle"
Jan. rsn actually tire me. You'd jus
rs w,!. ,.-. living 20 talk. Did you brini
an exc ,t ..'iYart'
90. =. - 5vercoat pocket, believe"
Sh. mt - III; oyercoat and took out .
sinai -...i. uarolled i:, and then laughed
We. TIC matter, Louisef'
s.No,uiii., only here is the lambs wool.
He arose, put his arms about her, ant
tendel-ly said: Darling, have been villain
I triel 10 defend myself for" -
NO. James," she answered, putting bel
arms around his neck, ''you are the mos
lovable man in the world when-whea-yo'
don't try to deceive me. But you won't do /
again, will your
"No"
Never in the worldW
''Never so long as l live"
She was satisfied. was happy, and jaime
really meant what he said. MAXWELL, ah-
4 n,>;a in, rHo " Ira ollor