The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-05-23
A MUTUAL SURPRISE.

mo. sir
TIT was his excellency, the former
minister, Baron p"
"Indeeal But how am / to know all
e~xcellenciesi' she exclaimed. shrue-
ging her shoulders. almost every
dwelling in our street Is occupied by m
ex-minister. But tell me, though, what
chair was his excellency seated upon a
Seated on2 Why, right here, on the
2 next to which yon are now stand
ing. Why do you ask?"
Well. well. just as l feared, and he
has sure enough seen all, the thread
bare sofa, the worn chairs Why will
you persist in receiving your callers in
this room. Is there no parlor?s
The good woman seemed put out.
Always the same story, whenever 1
have a caller, : grumbled the professor.
Pray, what ID wrong with the furni-
ture9"
"Wrong2 Everything is wrong 1 tell
YOU" she retorted, hotIy. Look at the
sofa, at the chairs"
The professor put on his glasses and
inspected the seats and frames of the
pieces indicated.
II think" he began in an earnest, de-
Hibernate way, as though dissatisfied with
something, Il really think the furniture
does show signs of wear.
1T is old and unfit for use,'' his wife
decided .'and a disgrace to the room,
and that is the very reason why you
should receive all callers in the parlor.D
Impossible, he responded grufly.
II would rather buy new furniture"
buy furniture-?"r
The words seemed to make the little
woman speeches.. Approaching her taA
lord, she extended her hand to him,
looking up expectantly.
"All right" she said, 'hand me the
money. I could not buy a set like this
for less than 800. You remember it
was part of my dowry. In those days,
some 20 years ago, it cost a trile less.
because everything was cheaper. The
covering Of the sofa is heavy gros grain
silk, and the frame walnut. Where, do
you suppose, could get such goods now
for S10O?.
Nowhere, my dear, / am ready to.
take an oathi And for that reason /
think it is perfectly su~perfuous to
keep your hand extended SO long" smiI-
ingly retorted the professor. And he
meant it. Had his wife remained in the
same attitude for days and extended
her hands forever. he would never have
given her anything besides the house,
hold money, because he was still more
economical than herself. which means
gofdsai, considering that she had
gone to the length Of learning how to
make mems wearing apparel, to not be
obliged to have trifes like trousers and
20 forth made by ~tailors.
Aa q matter Of fact a single glance az
the professor suficed to show how sue
ceasfully she had practiced economy in
his garments.
"Did you know he asked after a lit
tie, what the minister wanted?'
How should I?ss
He notified me to be prepared for a
great distinction"
@What2 perhaps an order or a
title-2s
Not improbablei"
And we are apt to receive callers and
congratulations"
POSSIBLY"
Whom you would receive in this
room2"
Certainly.
Not in the pnrlor2"
MOI
sIndeedi Well, then, now 1 insist on
having a new set Of furniture" the *
cited little woman exclaimed in her
most positive tone, which the professor
knew but too well, and which brooked
no ~gainsaying.
He began to fear an assault upon his
pocketbook, for now his better half dis
covered additional need every moment.
She was liable to insist upon new wall
paper. new curtains and new paintings.
Almost every piece in the room had
been part Of her dowry and done sery-
ice for 20 years, and had consequently
been long ago At for the attic,
But he was for once mistaken. Moth
ing like that happened. His wife ut
tered not e word. Only her eyes sud
denly shot q ~lighRing fash at the
sofa, ~whereupon she suddenly left the
room.
An hour later, after the professor had
left the house, she once more stood be-
fore the sofa. Deity she ripped open
a piece Of the covering, and as o as
she was able to take a1ook at the wrong
side she assumed a challenging posi-
ton, saying to herself: