The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-08-25
About ShoemakerS'WiveS
And Blacksmiths' Horses.
was Tom Green.

ing. but like the majority of mankind
did not realize to what enormous linen
sions the habit had grown. His wife
was at disadvantage from the nrst,
for instead of providing separate es-
Establishments, as he could have well al
forded, he brought her to his old home,
where his mother waited upon him and
continued to 'by inches" until her
death two years later. Afterthis 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 few new articles, pol
ished up the dull furniture, in fact the
old-fashioned homestead was complete
ly transformed, and spoke eloquently
of artistic figures.
After time Tom began to grow care
less, and gradually the place took on
NEGLECTED air, until at the time this mar
rative opens, when they had been mar
ried about five years, an ordinary OBJ
server would not have imagined for a
moment that Tom Greenwood followed
the occupation of a carpenter and
builder.
One night in June Tom retired at his
usual time, leaving his wife finishing
bit of needlework; he awoke about
midnight, and, not 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
displeased), "are you going to sit up
all night?"
Still there was no answer, and, look
ing sleepily towards the door, he saw
that the sitting-room light had been ex-
tinguished. Thoroughly alarmed he
now arose, struck light and went in
search of his wife. The sitting-room
was vacant, also the kitchen. He went
across the hall to the pretty guest cham
Der, 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
note pinned to the cushion upon his
wife's sewing table. Almost shaking
with apprehension he opened it, read it
once, then twice, his expression chang
ing from dread to relief, then to in
credulity and anger. The note ran
thus:
TON: am going back home. When
you reverse the old saying that 'shoemak-
ers' wives and blacksmiths horses always
go barefooted, I will come back, and not
until then. POLLY.
Crushing the note he threw it into the
woodbox, and strobe angrily to bed;
sleep, however, was out of the question,
and the remainder of the night was not
an enviable one. A half-score of mos
quitoes came to keep him company, and
after slapping and "confounding" them
he remembered that he had left the
light burning. He went into the next
room, turned out the light, then got into
bed with the fixed determination that
nothing would keep him awake. but
there were 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 smartirg bites upon cheek and arm
-eminded him that he had not mended
the screens, although his wife had
spoken of them more than once.
"I'll get the wire tomorrow, sure! an
other night like this would finish me
up, it's lucky I'm loafing.''
When early dawn began to peep in he
arose from his tossing and turning,
with the firm conviction that he was
very much abused man, and that come
what would, he would never ask his
wife to return.
"I'll 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
ally, and wrought havoc amid the
vines.
Tom shut his lips together and said
not word, but went to the shop for
hammer and nails, secured the loose
lathes and getting some corn, soon had
the feathered marauders back in their
domain.
for the first time that Polly's garden
had likewise suffered, and the pansies
in which she took an especial pride
were totally annihilated.
Il believe I'm about the meanest fell
low alive" he muttered, "Ill get some
new plants this very day and set out,
there's that gate post needs fixing, and
by rights the porch ought to have a
new floor, the south end is rotting fast.
I'll go and see about the lumber now"
He started back to the shop, then
changed his mind, being warned by
hollow feeling in his stomach that il
was time for breakfast. He found the
kind!ings 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 a month awaiting more conven-
lent time for placing it.
NOW or never" he said, and in a
short time the old lining was in the ash
barrel and the new one in place.
There, so far so good; but I guess
the new maid had better black the stove
while he's about it" and he went to
the sink closet for the polish. The lit
tie door stuck fast, and not until after
he had automatically lifted it up,
pressed it down, jerked it quickly. and
given it long, strong pull did it con-
descend to open.