The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1898-08-09
7 ERNAL CHOICE was pretty and

NJ ERNAL CHOICE was pretty and 4
Y commodious villa, and Dovecot-
tam select and salubrious suburb. To |
the happiness Of Mr.. and Mrs. Maurice |
Green-lately made almost complete by
the arrival of the veriest cherub that
ever came down from Heaven-there
were but two drawbacks. The first was
of Maurice's making. He had ride
ulous fad about gas fittings. He be-
lieved them TO be in a chronic state of
leakiness. He told his long-suffering
wife almost daily that more gas escaped
through unsupported cracks and defec-
tive Joints than served to illuminate the
coy rooms of Vernal Choice.
Mrs. Maurice Green's bugbear was
burglars. Nothing could shake her con
viction that when burglar took his
dark suburban way" his objective
would be by decree of fate, Vernal
Choice Thus it came to pass, that,
nightly, while Maurice was turning off
the gas at the meter-he would on no
account allow anyone else to do it, as
"gas is such a tickle thing"-his little
wife was on her knees in the bedroom,
not, as might be supposed, saying her
prayers-though she made the same
l<neeling serve both purposes-but tim
idly peering under the lowered terra
Gotta valances for the burglar that never
came.
Sometimes it would happen that the
gas popped out just as she was in the
act of raising the curtain that might
reveal the tragedy of her life, and then,
with a little scream, she would seek the
matches-she never could put her hand
readily on the matches-and light the
delicately shaded candle on the dress
ing table, ere proceeding with her
search and her devotions. At such
times, when Maurice assembled from the
underground regions, where the gas
meter meted out its dole, 10 the com
pany of his wife above stairs, she would
rate him, right soundly for so gentle n
little body, for what she styled his 'ab-
surd fad" about turning the gas Off.
what do a few extra feet of gas sig
Nifty, when three precious lives might
some night be sacrificed for lack of a
light?" she would exclaim, with as
much dramatic fervor as if she had been
pit, instead of blue-tinted corrugated
candle and a mildly scornful husband
When Maurice wished to be wither-
ing, he was always studiously allitera-
tive ir his choice of words. He never
failed to pooh pooh the burglar notion
He said it was 1.-The merest moonshine,
and that there were crowds Of cost
lier cribs to crack than Vernal Choice
you bet!"
Mrs. Green, as a rule, deigned no an
swer. She hated slang and wondered
how a man of Maurice's sense-eXcept
upon the meter question-could stool
to it's use. She generally refrainec
from saying so, however, like the sensi
BILE little woman she was, and, resigned
ly filing the baby's feeding bottle, anc
tucking the little cherub with sundry
croonings in it's bedside cot retired fol-
the night, leaving Maurice to blow GU
the corrugated candle.
1t was winter, and il was midnight
Maurice had cold, and so had thu
baby. The "little cherub," in fact, haC
a 'touch of bronchitis" and his hare
breathing az he slumbered restlessl,
in his little cot, plainly testified the fac
through the darkness.
81 wonder" murmured Mrs. Green
as she lay listening to the troubled
breathing of the child on the one hand
snd the influenza snore of her HUSBAND
on the other-"I wonder if the littl
pet is warm enough. I'm anxious abou
his little chest, bless him! I'd take hir
into my bed, only Maurice doesn't lik
it, The little fellow kicks the clothe
off so! What could / do 10 proven
him from taking cold afresh? Happ
>thought!-there's that little woolel
wrap in the spare bedroom. It's eithe
in the middle drawer of the dressing
table or in the wardrobe, | know.
poor Maurice! he would willingl
go and find it for me. but / wouldn'