The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-07-28
About Shoemakers'Wiyes
And BlacksmithS' Horses.
.EOCRASTINATION was Tom Green


woods besctting sin; to IA certain
degree he was aware OF this shortcom-
ing, but like the majority of mankind
did not realize to what enormous liner
SONS the habit had grown. His wife
was at d disadvantage from the first,
Tor instead of providing a separate es-
ra5tishmcnt, as he could have we'll af-
forded, he brought her to his old home,
where his mother waited upon him and
continued 10 "by iEches,' until her
death two years later. After this Mrs.
Greenwood's horizon frightened for
awhile. Tom began to keep things in
better order, to keep pace with her in
terror improvements; for after becom-
ing sole mistress she changed things
about, added Il few new articles, pol
ished up the dull furniture, in fact the
rd-fashioned homestead was complete
Ay transformed, and spoke eloquently
of artistic figures.
After time Tom began to grow care
less. and gradually the place took on
aneglected air, until at the time this mar
rative opens, when they had been mar
server would not have imagined for a
moment that Tom Greenwood followed
the occupation of carpenter and
builder.
One night in June Tom retired at his
usual time, leaving his wife finishing
II bit of needlework; he awoke about
midnight. and, not finding his wife be-
side him, said: ''PolIy, do come to bed"
There was no answer.
MARY Greenwood' (he always called
her full name when he was in the least
displeasedD, care you going to sit up
all night:o"
Still there was no answer, and. look
ing sleepily towards ,he door. he saw
that the sitting room Ii -ht had been cN-
tinguished. Thoroughly alarmed he
now arose, struck 4 light and went in
search of his wife. The sitting-roo
was vacant, also the kitchen. He went
across the hall to the pretty guest cham
ber, then into the parlor, but she was
not there. He peered into the cellar,
then started TO go upstairs to the unfin-
ished attic, when he caught sight Of a
note pinned to the cushion upon his
wife's sewing table. Almost shaking
with apprehension he opened it, read II
once. then twice, his expression chang.
ing from dread to relief. then to in
credulity and anger. The note ran
thus:
Tom | am going back home. When
YOU reverse the old saying that 'shoemak.
ers wives and blacksmiths' horses always
go barefooted.' will come back. and no,
until then. POLLY.
Crushing the note he threw it into the
woodboN, and strobe angrly to bed;
sleep. however, was out of the question
and the remainder of the night was no,
an enviable one. 4 half-score OF mos
quitoes came to keep him company, an(
after slapping and ''confoundi,g &" then
he remembered that he had left thu
light burning. He went into the mex
room, turned out the light, then got into
bed with the fixed determination tha
there We're few mosquitoes to be dis
posed of, and when this was at last ac
complished he was thoroughly awake
and had good opportunity to think
The smarting bites upon cheek and arm
reminded him that he had not mendet
the screens, although his wife hat
spoken of them more than once.
III get the wire Tomorrow, sure. an
other night like this would finish m.
up, it's lucky I'm loafing.'
When early dawn began TO peep in h,
arose from his tossing and turning g
with the firm conviction that he wa
very much abused man. and that com.
what wenld, he would never ask hi!
wife to return.
'I'll gather the Strawberries; there
enough for breakfast and dinner h'
said. picking up his hat, but upon goin!
70 the garden he found that chanticlee