Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-08-28
JONES' UNFORTUNATE
 JOKE
By MATE PALMER.
a~~>-.~~-~~.~~-.~%~ss~s-%-.~s-.~~~~~-%~-~-

TONES declared women had no sense Il of humor-eouldn't see joke un- less 1t was labeled, and wouldn't put themselves out to reach serious in- terpretation of the airiest jest. His wife thought such jokes as his would hardly ee recognized if they were labeled and said q clumsy prevari- cation was a long way from a wit- ticism anyway, and man of refined sensibiIity wouldn't play practical jokes on, his own wife.
 Then Jones grew very angry. It isn't pleasant to be misunderstood and maligned, and to have one's innocent rleasantries and good-natured fun dragged in the mire of condemnation $ and dubbed falsehoods.
 He said cruel things calculated to ranlSle for long time in the feminine heart, if by chance it didn't perma- nently ruin the domestic harmony of the establishment, and his wife took them all in dead earnest. They wouldn't have more weight if they had been deliberately planned six [ naonths in advance.
 She knew she was heartbrollen and she assumed an injured-innoenee manner which she intended should be deeply pathetie but which was really ] yer. ludicrous and strongly suggestive Of a fit of the sulls. She was bound to make the punishment fit the crime and determined that only the moxA abject apology should ever bring her off of her suits
 She performed her various house Mold duties with the utmost precision. Sbe prepared delicacias of which he was specially fond, thgs heaping coals If fire on his weary head, and then It like wooden woman while they ere being served.
 But posing as a martyr is q difficult talk. Few women can endure the tebsion longer than a week. Mrs. IoNes kept if up five days, and then keH dearest friend found her, like Siobe dissolved in tears
 She had indulged in a few surrepti- ious crying spells at different times fore. but, strong in her determina n to conquer she hal been able to flaolxe back all such indications of Neal<ness and present q heroic appear Fl1ce when the enemy arrived. But iefogy seemed as remote as ever and ESherves appeared to be dancing a Mtual cancan.
 M feared she was on the verge msal collapse. mental as we'll as Meal. and visions of detention hos as mingled with the shadowy phan- i.sAof hysteria.
 Ter friend was astountied to find her Inch d state of grief. Jones had T .I,I 4ff: it couldn't be his fault, and no X was dead or seriously i'll. That edh she managed to gather between W6bbing and moaning. But it was HI inc before the poor sufferer was Hntly quieted to give coherent
 the cause of ak her woe
 0peared that a few weeks be 2. ker husband had told her that
 &d friends of his had moved to
 He was delighted because Err d come. for he was very fond
 but sorry he had not known in #Eto get them into their neigh
 n. She had asked where they
 and he said: ''lAway out on
 street beyond Jackson park,
 her she must go and call on |l soon as possible, and then i s he might forget the number f f<written it down for her,
 &<treet.
 three weeks went by before
 ii spare the time, and it was v Sincolnfortable day when she flzfarted to make the visit It
 6$cnr to her to ask any ques- 1Ihr husband had said that they
 tat out beyond Jackson park.
 ! fook Cottage Grove avenue MIaxhen they got out ln that
 6rhood she told the conductor
 her off at Minute street. lie
 er over three times and then
 lust be mistaken in the name
 Ter heard of such street
 a new man on the route
 yss- <nch street.
 s5H 8e had gone far
 got off and walked and
 f6e7 names on the lamp posts.
 # kl a small boz and he giggiad
 s was 'sjust lip yonder.'