, 1900-02-24

of some size. This is to give him ap-
petite and future strength. His cradle
shall never be rocked when he is not in
it, and we will not absolutely decide on
his name until the day he is to be
christened, for fear we shall accident
ally call him by it. which would be ru-
nous, and christening day shall be
postponed as long as possible to insure
his having large, strong eyes"
! You can imagiI how Petruchio
laughed, even though he had that
morning discovered that the supersti-
tious habit was growing on himself.
He had actually given up a business
engagement because a ladder stood ov-
er the doorway he was about to enter.
More months went by, and still the
husband smiled at almost daily devel-
luck, and even laughed when he caught
himself sitting down in his office chair
before starting out once more when
lack OF memory had forced a fresh
start. There came a day however, when
the master noted that the office boy
considered it a sufficient excuse for di-
fatoriness to turn the lapel of his coat,
showing the number of pins he had ac-
quired during the progress of an err
rand.
The same night Miriam was giving
a little dinner, just a dozen covers. AT
ter the first course the dcor bell rang,
and one of Petruchio's old friends vas
announced. He was passing through
the city and had only that evening at
his disposal. OF course, he was asked
to dinner, and equally, of course, the
old thirteen trouble came to the front.
The extra cover was laid, but when
Miriam arose to greet the guest there
came a convenient call to the nursery,
and, strange to say, the trouble lasted
SO long that, with many apologies, the
hostess failed ito appear again unit
the ladies were leaving the gentlemen
to their wine.
Petruchio said nothing, but he
thought much, and after the guests
had departed he argued the thirteen
superstition long, but. with no effect
He illustrated his argument with facts
stating that he had been, while in col
lege, a member of a table club number
ing fourteen, and that to the best OF
his recollection there had not been a
meal but what one and only one mem
Der of the club, always a different one
had been absent, and yet not a man oil
the whole crowd was dead yet. When
he had finished the gentle breathing
of the unconvinced Miriam announced
that she was simply sleeping.
But Petruchio had made UP his mind
to cure the little woman of her only
fault. Naturally he was too wise to
state that fact, but the next time the
fates said they ought to go back home
and start over again they did not go in
spite OF tears and %entreaties, and when
forgetfulness caused a fresh start Mrs.
Petruchio got no chance to make cross
~ S'Sh ~ cll uoWu DClOTt DekluuluR
the second trip. The tyrant man pick
ed her up bodily, when necessary, to
carry his point. He put himself out a
few times to arrange candles and chairs
the deadly three In rows no more and
no less, and, worst Of all, he carried in
his pocket the first tooth pulled from
his boys mouth instead OF throwing ii
in the fire, as commanded. He ever
burned shoes, old ones, though the
odor was not all that could be desired
instead of throwing them away. II
was almost as hard to remember moi
to do the superstitious things as to d.
them, and not nearly so amusing, but
by the time he had labored as hard al
Miriam's cure as she had at his CONVEX
sion every fresh scheme for securing
good luck or averting Ill luck became
a joke.