The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-07-01

better way for y0n to assert your au-
thority than by giving stag dinner
party"
The old gentleman was astounded.
my dear boy, that's impossible" said
he. IF were to invite lot Of men
here to dine, Mrs. Sandford would drive
them out of the house."
"Then," suggested, do it when she
is away. You know she is going to
spend three days next week with her
sister in Littletown. This is your time.
Manage the house to suit yourself while
she is away, and when she comes back
and finds fault settle the matter by in
sisting on having things your own way.
The days passed with leaden feet, but
finally Mrs. Sanford took her departure
and left her husband master of the sit
uation. He Immediately began his
preparations for the dinner party, while
informed Fannie of what was going
on.
At last, on the third day after Mrs.
Sanford had gone, the dinner party
took place. Only young men were in
vited, and we sat down at 6 o'clock in
the evening. and We're soon having a
merry time.
The solids of the feast gradually dis
appeared, and we soon found ourselves
telling funny stories over our wine and
cigars. Some one proposed Mr.. Sand
ford's health, and we arose to drink it
standing.
At this moment the door was flung
open with a bang, and who should stalk
into the room but Mrs. Sanford.
For moment she stood as if thunder
struck. Then, finging her satchel into
one corner of the room, she brought her
thump upon the floor and, after gasping
for breath once or twice. screamed in a
frightened tone:
"What does this mean?"
.Now's your time," | whispered to
Sanford.
That gentleman drew himself up in a
dignifed manner.
sit means" said he, ''that when wish
to invite party of my friends to this
house I'm going to do it. 1t means that
am going so have my own way"
"What-t-t?" cried his wife. "You
have your own way! You wouldn't
know what to do with it if you had it.
Here, you young scapegraces, out of my
house, every one of your
'Silence, Mariar' said the old man.,
endeavoring to look brave, but trembling
like leaf.
"Silence yourselfr' she cried, dealing
him blow with the umbrella that eff
fectually destroyed his equilibrium.
Then Selling an empty wine bottle she
brandished it aloft.
"Clear out, " she cried, every mothers
son of your
Robbins jumped through the open
window. The other fellows scattered
like leaves before hurricane, while
Mrs. Sanford ragged about the field of
battle like new Joan of Arc.
quietly slipped in the next room,
hoping to return and smooth matters
over when the crowd had gone.
saw that the splendid plan was a
partial failure, but was not going to
desert my ally in this extremity. Pres
emily l saw Sanford arise from his un-
dignifed position among the empty bot
ties, and I entered the room with smile
to help him face his wife.
"Now. then" she said, "what does ali
this mean%
MI. Sanford was as white as sheet,
and he looked from one side of the room
to the other till he caught sight of me.
There" he said, 'that's the wretch.
1t was all his faultr'
Mrs. Sanford turned and, seeing me.
uttered cry of rage.
You, is it? knew you would brew
mischief in this house. Out of tout
of it. say?''
And seizing her umbrella again she
began to belabor me Justify about the
head. shouting: go, go; leave! Go and
don't come backv'
1t is almost needless to say that did
leave.
The next day | lay abed late, with a
bruised and discolored eye and a general
feeling of soreness in my muscles, when
a knock sounded upon my door and
Enoch Robbins, with his eyes cast down
and his hands folded as usual, entered
the room.
Good morning. he said softly, study
ing the seams in the carpet; 81 am sor-
ry to see you i'll. Have you heard the
news?''
'No,' replied l; what news?"
Fanny Sanford eloped with Harry
Burton last night while we were at din
ner. l thought you might not have
heard of it and dropped in to tell you"
This was portion of Harry's scheme,
which | had not known before. 1t was a
splendid plan, however, and worked to
a charm.-A. @. B. in Boston Globe.
A Prize Story.
| One winter there was such an unusual
run of salmon in the Sacramento river
Il IL.