El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-13
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A WlFE'S GENIUS :

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Fried oysters, waffies and such coffee
as a Partisan cook could not improve up
on-the little supper had been ready full
half an hour, while Juliet keyser leaned
sorrowfully against the easement, watch
ing the brown sparrows in the gutter and
the gradual fall of twilight
Suddenly she rang the bell.
'You may take the supper away, Bet
sey.' she said to the little maid. ut Is
not likely your master will be home now"
Meanwhile Mrs. Keyser was left to her
own meditations.
How foolish L am to cry" she thought.
''I1l 20 and look at the baby"
But it was past IL o'clock when Mr..
Keysers key grated in the door latch.
What, sitting up, Ety." he cried
gayly. why, L supposed you would be
asleep and dreaming long ago. Etty, you
are not in the sulks?"
mo" said Mrs. Keyser, swallowing a
little lump in her throat, Il am not in
the sulks, Fred And there the matter
dropped.
And the next morning she was as fresh
rs q daisy and as sweet as sugar lump.
"Oh, l say, ETY." said Mr.. Keyser as
he was buttoning on his fur lined gloves,
81 may bring one or two of the fellows
home to dinner with me-"
Very WE'LL" said ETY., smiling to her
self.
At half past precisely Mr.. Keyser,
accompanied by Tom Osborne, a great
bearded six footer of a fellow, and Jo-
seph Marden, a specialized, little old
bachelor, who was looked up to as
wit and genius, entered the little parlor.
But it was empty.
''Where's your mistress?' demanded
Keyser of the maid little impatiently.
please, SIR said Betsey, Il don't
know
where's the dinner?'
Il don't know, either" asseverated
Betsey. There was a leg of lamb sent
homeland oysters-and a salad-and
there they is on the kitchen table now"
Keyser looked at his friends. The two
friends looked at Keyser.
'Some mistake" said Fred, essaying
galvanic sort of smile. "We'll just ad
journ to Levini's- It's only a step or two
around the corner, and Levin gets up
fine article of turtle SOUP"
Marden and Osborne grinned at one
another, and Fred Keyser had to make
believe that he did not see them.
He came home after settling the bill at
Notwithstanding wines, cigars, ETC., it
spoiled the balance of a $40 bill-in
rather a savage temper
Hasn't your mistress come in yet?"
he demanded.
mo, sir, she amt, and the fires have
all gone out with me a-tendin baby"
whimpered Betsy. $50 now if you'll
take it, SIR
But where is she?''
1.-The Lord only knows, sir! I don't"
This is pleasant" snarled the desert
ed husband. Juliet must be crazy or
else she has eloped."
At the bare idea he laid the baby down
on the sofa and rushed to the front door.
Then, spurred by the shrieks of that in
fantile Nemesis, he ran back to trot it on
his knee and bawl out whatever snatcheS
of nursery rhymes he could remember at
short a notice.
Il shall go crazy" said Mr.. Keyser.
''Where is my wife? There goes the
clock striking Q. Nine o'clock and she
not homer'
Just then the door swung open, and
Mrs. Keyser entered in her hat and furs.
Mine O'Clock! Upon my word L hadn't
an idea it was so Later said she airily.
II hope you haven't missed me, dear?'
missed your echoed Keyser.
al intended to be home at dinner, but
I met Kate Severance, and she was go
ing to a kettledrum at Mrs Blytherigge's
and positively insisted on my going too.
So I went. And 1 had a most charming
evening too. Such a number of my old
schoolmates and chums as l met-you'd
never believe it,
Juliet" said Mr.. Keyser.
Yes. my dear" said his wife.
Are you crazy|
Not that 1 am aware of, Mr.. Keyser."
'Then what is the meaning of this very
extraordinary conduct" demanded
her husband.
Mrs. Keyser's eyes twinkled.
"Why, my dear, we used to write in
our copy books at school, It's a poor
rule that won't work both ways so I
thought 1 would let you have a practical
taste of the joys that spring from wait
ing all alone at home by oneself for the
other member of the domestic firm to
come. How does it seem?''
ETY." said he, you are a curious
genius, and 1 confess you have me
there
Neither of them ever alluded to it
again. but Mr.. Keyser was punctual to a
second thereafter.-New York News.