Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-09-15
About ShOemakerS'WiVeS
And BlacksmithS' Horses.
MISREPRESENTATION was Tom Green

iNK, but AXE th0 luGJoIltry w lnS9lA'Du
dab neA gvGIals " what anonymous k1oA-
sions the habit had grown. His wife
was at n disadvantage from the hEst'
for instead OF providing a sepaRate es-
tablishmcnt, as he could have well af-
forded, he brought her to his old home,
whore his mother waited upon hiM and
continued to "by inches" until her
death two years latOr. Alter this Mrs
Creenwood's horizon frightened for
nvhlle. Tom began to keep things in
better order. TO keep pace with her In
terror improvements for after becem-
inn sole mlgtrsss she changed things
ghoh, nGsed few new articles, pol
jshcd ND the dull furniture, In fact the
old-fashioncd homestead was conplete-
" transformed, and spoke eloPnently
Of artistic figures
After Il time Tom began tegrow care
less, and gradually the place took on
aneglectcd air, until at the time this mar
mtiye opens, when they Ind been mar
ried about five years. an ordinary OBJ
server would not have Imagined for a
moment that Tom Greenwood followed
the occupation CT a carpenter and
builder.
One night In June Tom retired at his
usual time, leaving his wife finishing
a bit Of needleworI; he awolte about
midnight, and. rot finding his wife be-
side him. said; Polly, do come to bed"
There was no answer.
'Mary Greenwood" Che always called
her full name when he was in the least
displensed), "are you going to sit up
all night?'
Still there was no answer Gnd, ioo4t-
ing sleepily towards the door he saw
thst the sittng-room light had been ex-
tlngmshed. Thoroughly 0laFmed he
bow arose, struck light and went in
search OF his wife. The sitting-rcom
was vacant, also the Kitchen. lie went
across the hall tothe pretty guest cham
Der. then into the pnrlor, but she was
not there. lie peered into the cellar,
then started to go upstairs to the unffn-
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 1t, read it
once, then twice, his expression chang
ing from dread to relief, then to in
credulity and anger The rote ran
thus:
/gTom: I am going back homo. When
you reverse the old saying that shoemak-
ers' wives and blaoksmiths' horses always
no barefooted,' Will come back and not
until then. POLLY.
Crushing the note he threw it into the
yvo0dbox, and strobe angrlly to bed;
sleep, however, was out Of the question,
and the remainder OF the night was not
AN enviable one. A half-seore Of mos
quitOes came to keep him company, and
after slapping and "confoundlng" them
he remembered that he had left the
light burning. He went into the next
room, turned ont the light, then gOtiAto
beN with tho Axed determination that
NSsHiRR wSNla hRaP NSS W~alsh &sE
eksE0 VSuEO a few MosquftSss 60 he &lS-
pssad ef, and VIXEN this WAS al losA 40
romplished he was thoroughly awake,
and had good opportunity to think,
The smartiDg bites upon cheek and arm
reminded him that he had not mended
the screens, although his wife had
spoken Of them more than once.
"Pll get the wire tomorrow, sure! an
other night like this would finish me
mp, It's lucky I'm loafng."
When early dawn began to peepin he
brose ftom his tossing and turning,
with the firm conviction that he was
very much abused man, and that come
what would, be would never ask his
wife to return.
'PIl gather the Strawberries; there's
enough for breakfast and dinner" he
said, picking up his hat, but upon going
to the garden he found that chanticleer
and his family had arrived first, had
swallowed the berries (green ones and
alI); and wrought havoc amid the
Vines.
Tom shut his lips together and said
moi q word, but went to the shop for
hammer and nails, secured the loose
lathes and getting some corn, soon had
the feNthered marauders back in their
domain.
Returning with his tools he noticed
for the Arst time that Poi1y's garden
had likewise suffered, and Tho pansfes
in which she took an especial pride
were totally annihila4ed.
II believe I'm about the meanest fel.
low alive" he mHttered, "Pll get Epme
new plants this very day and SET ont
there's that gate posi- needs fixing, and
By rights the porch ought to have a
new door, tho south end is rotting fast.
I'll go and see about the lumber now"
He stayted back to the shop, then
changed liia mind, being warned by
hollow feeling in his stomach that 10
Was time for breakfast. He found the
l1indlihgs where his careful wife al
ways laid them, in readiness for the
morning fire, but in clearing out the
ashes discovered that the stove lining
was broken in many places, and showed
evidence of having been propped up
with a piece Of brick. Here he was re-
minded of another sin of omission, for
the new lining had been in the house
over q month awaiting more cenven-
ienS time for placing Ii.