Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-06-03
1IT IT LEE S AvIoR.
BY LOUISA ANNUITY NASH.
-N/&NNANNNNNNNMM<

and go off to the country. 1t will be
the saving of YOU
Are you mad. Goeff? What, drop a
living, certain sure. and go off to
nothing." was my answer to the doe
tor, an old schoolmate of mine.
"The living will drop you soon
enough, in more sense than one. The
weather bureau does not want ghosts
as weather clerks!" he replied
I'D rather be ghost here than
starye there. won't. and that ends
it,"
"You asked me to be honest with
you, and l have been. And this is all
get for my pains" he closed with,
as ! left his office.
knew l was all run down. but
expected the summer vacation would
set me up as it had done before; and
honestly | was thinking of my wife
and her views as well as of myself.
When l got home that evening she
met me at the door. as was her wont,
nicely got up for dinner.
isn't it perfectly delicious. Arch,
for Mabel?" Zone of her sisters in
New York; They're going to settle
in the country"
at might be for Mabel; but l don't
know enough of her to pronounce"
you do now. story boy!" she an
swered. you know she's Just like
me. Twins always are alike"
l opened my eyes, dumfounded. for
evidently I had misread my young
lady, or perhaps her capacity for
won't say what.
She went on. just taking breath
long enough for all she had to say.
"Pve written and told her how
envy her her luck. Fancy being able
to sit upder cool trees when you're
bRking hot, and have a big fire when
you're cold and the children running
about without dressing up. and"
Here ! stopped her
"You mean to say they are to go
t .th 'nodings on?"
Nonsense, Arch! You know what
l. mean-dressed for the street, of
C, c,mrse!"
"a very lucid explanation" edged
4.
"And they can have their own milk
and cream and butter and garden stuff
- so good for the children!"
at looks as though, Coonie," q
call her Coonie but her name is Lu-
cia,) you want to follow suit"
"Why of course / do! What do you
suppose I'm telling you all this for?"
"We'll see about it. You have to
have your own way always, haven't
you?"
This metamorphosis of my wifes
views fairly took away all my fatigue
after my days work on the roof OF a
"sky-scraper. She did not return to
them till after the children were all
tucked up for the night. She then
| dragged one of their little rockers
across the room, and sat down by me,
as | lay on the couch, saying as she
did so,-
"The worst of you, Arch, is that you
never mean what you say"
"What lie have I been guilty Of
now?" l asked innocently.
"About my having my own way. OF
course. Mabel has hers. and it's just
lovely to think of it. Just imagine
how free and easy not to be at the
beck and call of people when you
want to be at home and not to have
to say you're out when you are
there"
"We1l see about it. little woman"
"That's what you said before din
ner. OF course that means yes" And
she clapped her hands, Just as Dickie
does when he's got 4 new toy. You
really mean it this time!" And che
got up and kissed me solemnly on the
forehead for ratification.
"What's Mabel going to live on in
the country, or you Wen say for ar
gument's sake?'
ooh of course the husbands do the
work, with a man to help them. and
we've lots to sell"
For example?" l asked
pigs and sheep; stock and steers;
and they hunt all we want to eat"
"Stock and steers different breed,
eh?"
That's one reason why I w&nt to
go on a ranch. Archie. to learn some
+ thing" she said in an unusually hum
Bile voice.
ooh, I see. Your education has
been neglected in the city!"
I could not help looking narrowly at
her to try to get at the truly truth"
| to quote Dick. She had always given
me the impression that she was de-
voted to the city, and city life. She
would not miss her concerts. or her
little parties. or her "at homes" and
occasional dances for anything. She
piqued herself on being "chic," CHATS
what she calls it, l think and she ap-
peared to love new clothes dearly.
But l may have been mistaken.
Women are hard to read anyhow.
Tho long and short of it was that I
! sent in my resignation to the weather
| bureau, although | had always con-
graduated myself on being an official
that stays in Office not to be turned
with the change of political wind, and
have to condescend to any trick to get