Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-10-13
JOE'S WIFE.
How q Patient Taught His Doctor
Lesson.

that morning Tho mud spattered up
from the streets as he rolled along, and
the chilling November drizzle gave TO
the familiar trees forloru. almost
CHASTITY aspect His heart warmed Us
he pictured to himself wife watching
for him, with n welcome smile, from
their coy parlor, dinner ready and a
long restfui evening before them.
But, as he drew near home, no cheer
full light strcamed from door or win
dow All seemed as dark and deserted
as the dripping street lie threw the
reins to the boy whose duty was to
hold the horse ON his professional
rounds and flung open the front door
with an irritated, injured feeling.
No tender smile; no sympathetic
voice; no firclight no dinner. apparent
ly
"Elinorr" he called.
No answer.
"Elinorr
This time voice spoke out OF the
darkness-a tired voice:
DO be more quiet, John; the baby
is just going to sleep"
"Confound i'll Why isn't there a light
herc2 And why isn't the baby asleep
before this time Of night2"
"lle has been frctful all day with his
teeth, and ! have not had a chance TO
change my dress"
a wailing cry from the nursery sent
the voice hurrying thither. and the doc.
tor, with some inaudiblc words, pro
cecded to light the gas and take off his
lao a. al.
parlor had evidently been arranged by
libernian hands, an odor of something
burning stole In from the kitchen.
A pleasant reception for a man after
long days work.
lie ran upstairs with no gentle foot.
step. His wife sat by the nursery fire;
her face wore weary expression, and
she had on the same blue gown which
she had donned for breakfast The
baby at length slept in her arms She
held up warning finger as her hus.
band came laundering in, but already ba-
by's light slumber had been disturbed,
and the process Of soothing and singing
had TO be repeated for the fifteenth
time.
II seemed to the young mother as II
her patience could hold out no longer.
1t was provoking to have the little one
startled from his uneasy dreams again.
She knew Bridget would spoil the din
ner. She had been trying all day to
get downstairs to make the house
pleasant with n magic touch here and
there. She longed to get into n fresh
gown and brush her hair, but there had
been no time for her to do one of these
things Nurse was away with n sick
sister. and babies always demanded
more from their mothers than from
anyone else. They are tyranncaI and
know and seize every opportunity to
prove their power over the anxious,
half-ignorant young mothers, who are
happy, after all, to be their slaves
When ut last the dinner bell rang,
Mrs Ford laid the baby in his crib,
sound asleep this time, warm and love
ly In his utter repose. She gave hur.
ried dab at her wavy hair, caught up a
fresh handkerchief and ran down to
Join her husband, who sat at the table
with decidedly cross look on his face.
He barely tasted the soup, then pushed
il away in disgust
"IiurnedP' asked his wife.
"of course. Can't you smell II all
over the housc2 Why don't you look
after Bridget lttle?"
"Why, John, | have hardly been
downstairs to-day"
where's llannah?"
"Shc went to her sisters last night. ="
"oh. yes; ! forgot What's this2
Cold corned beef Really, Elinor, have
you nothing else to olfer?'
"Would you like an omelet2"
NO"
"What then?"
"a boefstealS, II there Is one"
Mrs Ford rose and went To the kitch-
en-. The girl, Of course, had just filed
up the range with fresh coal, SO there
was nothing to be done but make the
best OF cold meat, potatoes and maca-
roni, followed by dessert OF apple
pudding and cheese.
DIR. Ford found fault with the pota-
toes and said he was tired of maca-
roni, the bread was dry, and the butter
not perfect As TO the pudding;
my mother always had mince pies
at this season." said he.
This was the last straw, and his wife,
unusually sensitive to straws tonight,
could bear no more.
at is pity you ever left your moth.
err"
~ think so, too, he responded, push
ing his chair back.
His wife hesitnted moment whether
toirun around the table and burst into
tears upon her husbands shoulder or
TO rush upstairs and have a good cry by
baby's side. She decided upon the lat
ter course. and, with quivering lip,
left the room and shut herself up In the
nurfery, where the fire was dying on
the hearth and the baby breathing
softly IN strange contrast TO her over
wrought condition.
well, II is provoking. Women nj
ways must cry and fly into passion
about tritlcs."
But her husband, even as he thought
these words, began TO feel repentant
lie remem bered the teething baby and
the long day at home alone. In an.
other moment he would have followed
his wife upstairs and apologized for the
pain he had given her But the door
bell rang and a summons to visit sick
man at distance sent him at once out
into the wet night And all domestic
grievances were forgotten before he
had driven two hundred yards.
The patient lived In a squalid part Of
the town by the river The darlknesa