Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-07
MADAME WAS AWAY.
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIoNs OF A MAR
RIED MAN.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIoNs OF MAR
RIED MAN.
Two men sat behind the vines of Sc
cluded veranda to smoke their after
dinner cigars the other evening. AS
they smoked they grew confidential and
told each other some secrets that were
burdensome to their comfort. A woman
sat within the house, near window that
opened on the veranda. 1t was warm
night and the window was open. But
the woman was supposed to be reading
and the men forgot her existence
Snatches of the conversation foated in
to her, and as the theme was particular
ly interesting to femininity the woman
listened. 1t couldn't be wrong, she ar
gued, because one man was her husband
and the other was her dearest friends
husband. Their talk amused and inter-
ested her SO much she told it to friend,
and that person repeated it in newspa-
per Office and so it was secret no longer.
The theme of the mems conversation
is not an unusual one in Buffalo this
month. Dozens of other men could take
part in it if they chose. The dearest
friends husband was trying to keep
house while his wife and the children
were in the country for few weeks.
"You know, Clifford, l can make a
cup of coffee and broil steak as we'll as
the next person, but when it comes to
washing dishes funk, that's all. How
the women keep the dishes in shape is
more than / know. Then it beats all
how untidy the bedroom gets. can't
understand it, for l never had any diff
Guilty in keeping my shoes, ties, collars
and those kind of things in their place
before. l suppose / forget to put them
away now that l have the breakfast to
cook"
The woman listening, laughed, for she
knew all about certain bags and boxes
which her dearest friend had in which
she stored away her husbands soiled
linen and handkerchiefs and kept his
neckties straight. She remembered, too,
her friend telling her she had left every
thing in apple pie order for Herbert.
"He'll get along nicely" the little
woman had said, ''for the flat is in per-
feet order, there isn't a soiled article
anywhere, and I've left supply OF
cooked things and have told the milkman
and baker to call every morning in time
for breakfast"
sit wasn't so bad until / made my first
breakfast" the voice on the veranda
went on, "that was not success, for
after had made the coffee and put on
the eggs, l sat down to read the paper a
minute. What's a minute when you
want to find out about the situation in
China and if the Democrats have agreed
on their platform! But it was long
enough for the coffee to boil all over the
range and the eggs to get as hard as
bricks.
"What coffee was left tasted queer
and hadn't time to wash the dishes.
was sure | had used only one plate and
la cup and saucer, but there was enough
for half dozen persons. After tidied
up the kitchen l thought | would look
over the evening paper, when l re,
membered hadn't made my bed yet.
81 could have sworn burglars had been
in the room, for there were more shoes
and neckties and things lying around
than could wear in a week couldn't
begin to put them ay! Marion has
one of those long narrow boxes for my
neckties, and tried to straighten the
things out and put them away as / usual
ly keep them, but it took too long,
Again the woman on the other side OF
the window laughed softly, for she re-
membered her friend telling her how
Herbert always tried every pair of shoes
Il I. hnf hn a xph
ones to wear and how his necktie box
had to be tidied every morning as regu
larly as the bed was made.
SIT is two weeks now since Marion
went away" the man continued, land
though | have written her that every
thing is all right and that enjoy house
keeping, shall be mighty glad to see
her back. Every dish in the house was
used nearly week ago, and have giver
up trying to wash more than the plate
and cup need for breakfast.
"After this am going down town fol
breakfast, and I am going to send fol
the washerwoman to come and clean W
the house. l told Marion it wasn't
necessary to have any one come in, that
/ could keep things going for month
all right. Our flat is so small there
never seemed much to do, but either
am too busy at the Office or haven't
felt so well as usual, for this housekeep
ing beats me-"
"You'll be glad when it is time fol
your wife to come home, eh? said the
friend, as he knocked the ashes off the
end of his cigar, and the woman who
listened made up her mind she would
write her friend that very night and tel
her how glad Herbert would be to SET
her and the children.-Buffalo Express