New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
THE COMEDY OF MIR. TUCKER.


soapsuds.
ma, I say?" The call came this time from
the head of the stairs.
- Well what is it?'
IT want my clean shirt"
IFS right there in your drawer. Just where
put it,"
IT can't find it,
Mrs. Tucker wiped her hands hastily on the
towel as she crossed the room. The stairs were
built IN the wall, and she laid her hand against
Il going up: it was the third time she had been
upstairs that morning.
oTherev' she exclaimed triumphantly In her
rood-natured TONE drawing forth the desired
article; "just where said twas"
.r Thought that was another one" answered
her husband; "aint you most through! you IL
be late"
mo. guess not
It was a sweet Sunday morning IN june ana
the sunshine struck gnts Of gold from the sur
face OF the grass blades. The SKY was ciear'
ra,n:washed blue; the fragrance Of wild rose was
abroad In the air Mrs. Tucker looked out Oh
the kitchen door at the old horse switching his
tan at the gate. He, too, wore a SUNDAY aS-
pect. I'D like to sit down and take 1t all in'
she thought to herself. "There'll be the rlde 10
church. anyway.
~Hurry up! You'll make me late
"S.nose So" said Mrs. Tucker silently now
,o.ig,ed 70 her fate 1t seemed to Almlra
Tucker at times as IL she had been "hurrylng
up" all her life.
when she went upstairs Mr. Tucker was
standing IN his shirt sleeves before the glass;
chin out and mouth drawn to one sioe' as he
wrestled with his collar button. she stoppeu
10 fasten 1t for him before sitting down 10 put On
her shoes then. standing behind him, she craheu
har rac,< over his shoulder to see how her back
hair looked He did not move, and she did not
seem 70 expect it,
.1 wish you'd fix this tie, Almry. I can't make
II come right
Just a minute. Isr ell
He shifted his position uneasily from one FOOT
10 the other 81 can't wait all day
His wife dropped the Just arranged waves OF
her front hair In disorder and tled the heckue'
There was not heater or more particular
man in town than Israel Tucker, and she was
nrcud ~ the fact His stiff shirt bosoms never
broke in the wrong place
d. .1-u be all ready by the time you get un-
.,.o,ed" che said breathlessy darling here and
there as he put on his Sunday coat and vest
.yss Isr'e, I'm coming" she called a few mo-
,a,ts LATER "Oh dear, I always get so hus-
.ared Well ! can put my gloves s we go
along"
ooh nv. Amt It pretty day." she exclaimed
now quite serene again. Don't those DAISIES iooh
like q LOT O. children havin a party? See EN- DOW
en- an dancin' How pretty pink those roses are!
"yyau enough" said Mr.. Tucker, indulgently.
The patronzing liberation OF the unmaglnauVe
commencement for what is beyond It's grasp Is a
secret spring of glee TO the Humorous nina. MIS-
Tucker was not definitely conscious however OF
+AAly Icr'n
che found him" After all, they had much in COM
mon.
After church they drove to their married
daughters to dinner. Emmeline lived In the VII
laep Mrs Tucker always felt this visit to be
something OF an event II the only day in
+he week when she could sit still In her best
HACK silk and see some else "hy around
Eurneline loved to fly around. She was young
and plump and inexhaustble. She rushed up
TO her mother Is soon as the buggy stopped anu
twjtched her collar into shape. Il didn't want
10 tell YOU In church. but you got your collar on
crooked again. Now. come right In. Don't you
do anything. mast where you are. I'm gong
to have chicken for dinner
II was pleasant to see her little airs OF position
and hospitality. Shall cut up your lettuce for
you Henry" she asked at table.
-- "If YOU want to-" answered her husband.
preston: II wish me pesky stuff would grow cut
up for my part"
They all laughed. Later on in the meal refer
ence was made to something in the weekly news
naper Emmeline at once jumped up and brought
1t to him.
"Why didn't you let him go?' asked Mrs
Tucker afterward. She was thinking compla-
Gently. 'Ennmene's got good home"
well. knew Just where 1t was"
you don't want to do for him in every single
thing Let him wait you some It's just as
well to begin right.
Emmeline came to a standstill opposite. Her
eyes had jocose light in them, her round. good
HUNDRED face was like her mothers
"Now ma I'd just like TO know how much more
j do than you've been doing Tor pa as Tar pach
as ] can remember"
well maybe So" said Mrs. Tucker. surprised
The matter had never been so forcibly presented
10 her before. On their way home that afternoon
she thought il oyer She had the ability, rare in
women who lead restricted lives to face stu
alton and sum It up from an impersonal point
of view She was doing this now.
What Emmeine said true. All her mar
ried life she had waited on her husband hand and
foot until he had become so wonted to 1t
hardly TO be able to get along without her help;
and it had been wonder to her. in the infre
quent trips which he made 10 the city how he
managed to dress himself unaided. She had
found his belongings for him and put them away
after him for years, and he expected 1t. Did he
call, she dropped everything and ran to him: it
had been so much easier TO run than to tell him
what TO do She realized now that It was this
that kept her always in hurry The fuckers
always did take a sight Of attention" she
thought, with no sense of grievance We'll he
In as he Is. suppose.
Nevertheless when Mr.. Tucker stopped on his
way out to harness the horse next Sunday. to
remark that he hoped she wasn't going to keep
him waiting a whole half hour again. she made