The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-12-02

catching my train up to town.
Charlie, how can you sit there eoolly
reading the paper" exclaimed my wife,
o''ao-t in tears.
| MY dear, -, the's
five days to come before Tuesday. We
don't know what may happen in that time.
One Of the old fools may-er-ahem! We
can talk over it when l come home to-
night" | concluded hastily. Then, with
what | have been told is the innate selfish
ness of the masculine mind, plunged into
the news of the day.
When | came home at night, Ella met
me with beaming smile.
"Charlie 7! she began gleefully, as di-
vested myself of my hat and overcoat, Il
have thought of plan.
"a plan y | echoed vaguely.
READER give you my word | had
forgotten all about those two fendish old
men.
"Oh, the uncles !" | groaned after a
moments reflection. ''Let us have dinner
first, Nell, and indigestible relatives after
wards
Ella, as all well-driled little wives should
do, obeyed her lord and master, and dinner
proceeded as usual
When had lit my post -pran7iol pipe
| stretched myself upon the sofa, folded
my arms behind my head, and intimated
that was ready to hear the "plan.'
My wife came and seated herself upon a
low stool beside me.
@You see, Charlie" she began with
round, solemn eyes fixed upon mine, Il
have thought and thought all day, and this
seems the only thing to be done.
"Well?" I said expectantly as she
paused.
"Well," she went on, 81 am confident
that Uncle Simon will arrive first on Tues
day, and he shall have the pink room.
Il have no objection" | observed, as
she paused again, ''but fail to see how
that can help US.
"Charlie, you are so stupid, dear. You
know there is something the matter with
the lock of the pink room door.
II looked-as felt-bewildered.
''Yes," | assented helplessly.
"Well, Charlie, in impatient tones,
"don't you understand y
Il confess to being still at sea, my
dear said with abject humility. But
90 on. Unfold your plan, and my feebler
intellect will try to follow. The uncle
who appears first upon the scene-Unclc
Simon, l think you said-is to have the
pink room, and there is something the mat
ter with the lock of the pink room door
think have mastered these two impor-
tant details. And apres '''
Don't you see? my wifewent on with
growing excitement. ''The lock has often
stuck fast before 1t did the last time
Uncle Simon was here We could not get
it open for ever so long. Don't you re-
member? So what more natural than that
it should 90 wrong on Tuesday ?" And
she looked at me triumphantly.
''But, my child, murmured, lit won t
go wrong, as you call it, on Tuesday
Things never do go wrong when they
ought to- It's only when they didn't
ought to, | concluded, vulgarly:
''Of course, you silly boy, I know that
But then, you see, I'll make it go wrong"
make it go wrong!'' Irepeated. .What
do you mean p
Ella regarded me witheringly, then said:
Really, Charlie, you seem as if you
were being stupid on purposed. Why, Of
course, when Uncle Simon goes up to get
+ ady for dinner shall simply lock the
door, Then we can pretend that the lock
has stuck fast again, and that we can't get
the door open. When Uncle Gregory is
gone to bed-you know he always goes
quiet early-we can let poor old Uncle
Simon out, and give him splendid sup
per to make up for the loss of his dinner
And them she concluded, she will be
away in the morning before Uncle Gregory
is up So there you are r
gave vent to a low, prolonged whistle.
''You are most Machiavelian young
woman, Nell = said gravely. "What a
diplomatist you would have made y
"Yes,' modestly; Il think it is rather
nice little plan. 1t came into my head
this afternoon while putting baby to
Sleep
"There are two rather serious objec-
tons, however" | observed, after putting
at my pipe for some seconds in silence.
"Well ?" rather sharply.
aWell-it seems an uncommonly sneaky
kind of thing, doesn't it? Even for us y
with grim smile.
''oh, no. promptly. aNot when you
get used to the idea. thought so myself
at first, but it soon wore off.
"Ah !" | murmured, lost in admiration
of this remarkable and easy code of morals.
You said two objections, Charlie, "
resummed my wife. "What was the
other?"
"HOw are you so sure that my uncle
will arrive first ?" | inquired. "If it
should chance to be yours, wouldn't give
much for the success of your plan. Mr..
Carper is very respectable old gentleman
| but think Won eonld hardly call him sweet