The Press., 1900-12-20
X Masculine Experiment

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 Blakey Is a born housekeeper. What he doesn't know about the care of the kitchen sink isn't written in. the books, and a person who tries to teach him how to make good coffee is simply con- veying anthracite to a well filled bin. It's a grief to Blakey that he can't get a proper substitute in his office, so that he can stay at home all .'ay :tnO see to things.
 And yet. in spite of all these inter- ests in common with them, Blakey isn't popular with women. There are days when he isn't even popular with his wife, and she is one of the most devoted spouses that ever made an eff fort to keep up with the procession. Some good friend ought to tell Blakey how women feel about these things. He ought to be informed that the man who is a winner tells his wife how 1t fills him with admiration to behold her as if by magic creating a feast from | the materials in the pantry. Thats s | the talk that sends woman into the | kitchen to fashion the puff paste with her own hands in order to have it just | as 'he" likes it. Blakey doesn't know | this, though, and there are more things | that he ought to know-and doesn't. | Perhaps life will teach him some of | them in time. It has looked just lit | tie that way of late.
 They had been dining out, and on the way home Blakey commented on the serving of the dinner.
 Did you notice that Mrs. Gillespie didn't issue one order to her maid?" he asked "She had her stationed behind that screen, where she could command a view of the table in the sidebOard mirror, and there was such a perfect understanding between them that Mrs. Gillespie only had to raise her eyes to that mirror and the thing she wanted was done. That's the way I'd like to see you have it. my dear. This ring ing a bell and telling what you want rather mar a dinner. Don't you think so?
 Mrs. Blakey murmured a weary word to the effect that much depended on having an expert waitress and
 
 | morning she was reused by her hus- | bands voice.
 ''I have it all planned out" he said. "I've been lying awake for two hours | getting up a code of signals for you to use in calling Nora to serve the table. I'll write it down for you. This is the idea: One pressure of your foot on the | electric button in the floor will mean clear the table for next course,' two pressures might call for repassing of | the bread, three would indicate that | the glasses needed refilling, and so forth. I think I can make it cover the whole ground"
 But, David, it is Morals duty to watch the glasses and keep them filled without any telling her at all'' "I know. but does she do it? She gets busy with something else and very | naturally forgets that. Now. by this | plan she won't have to tax her mem | ory at all. and you can remind her without anybody's knowing you've done thing
 But she'd have to remember what the signal stood for"
 Leave that to me-" he answered. "I shall make it very plain and easy, and I'll take it down to the office and have two typewriter copies made-one for l you and one for Nora
 "I-hope Nora will like it." ventured Mrs. Blakey anxiOusly. She's little | particular, you know"
 She's sure to like it! You womer tn of satisfaction it is to the employe, when he feels systematic hand o1 the helm. Why. the people who worl for you would rather have things rur pretty strict than not to feel system il the management. They want to know there's head planning things fo them. I've found that out in business l tell you. all that housekeeping need to make it run easy is the application of masculine brains and business meth ods! Nora will like it, all righ enough"
 But Nora didn't Loyal Mrs Blake, presented the plan as joyfully as if were her own pet project, but her ef fort to catch and impart her husband' enthusiasm about 1t was a dead fail ure Nora looked very glum as sh pinned the typewriter code of signal up by the kitchen clock, and Mrs Blakey felt glummer still as she fas tened her own copy on the edge of he mirror and stood mumbling over it
 words.
 zone long ring and two short finger bowls,'" she repeated. "'On
 short and two long-repassing articl last served Two long rings-clea table for next course.' Three shor
 rings-refill water glasses Oh. dear! she broke off suddenly. T sometimef wish David wouldn't take so much in terest in making my work easy"
 But David's interest kept right up He urged the use of the code with un tiring zeal, and one day when pretty black eyed Nora actually came and filled the water glasses in answer t( three short rings" he glowed with un I speakable pride and declared that they must really give dinner.
 Flight is the proper number for oul table," he told his wife. And then hs began to plan the menu.
 Mrs. Blakey was cheerful, gay lit tie body at the time of her marriage and the sparkle isn't entirely gone She looked very pretty on the night o1 the dinner. The table was perfect; thu cut glass blazed with rainbow hues the silver dazzled and the floral cen terpiece was a credit to MT. Blakey'i taste. The feast was to be rather nor, pretentious than anything MT. Blake, had heretofore planned, but he had n, fears about the service. He relied ol the code. Mrs. Blakey, on her part was determined to please David by ap | bearing quite unconscious wheneye she signaled Nora, The consequence was that her smiles, and attention t. ] the man on her left during the soul -------L L> - ~--~A