Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-03-01

I'm not setting up any fctititious
claims like some people know. Wen
begin on these readings right after
dinner, and from this time on nothing
whatever is going to interfere with at
beast one chapter of Gibbon every
evening. You'll thank me for this lat
on, although / can see by your looks
now that you are suffering the miser-
les of an anticipated martyrdom."
Mrs. Jobson denied the impeach-
ment, and said:
"Of course, you know that the chap
tiers of Gibbons Decline and Fall are
very long, and that"
"Oh, that'll be all right, too" inter-
rupted Mg. Jobson. II don't care IL
each chapters as long as the Koran.
when l set myself certain task, that
task perform in the face of every dis
enlargement. just hurry the girl up
with dinner, SOS we can get at the first
volume right after dinner"
So, Immediately after the evening
meal, Mr., Jobson planted Mrs. Jobson
in chair right opposite himself, so
that he could watch and see if she
yawned or nodded, and started in 10
drone chapter l Of volume l OF Glib
bon's decline and Fall" lie hadn't
got through with more than half a
page before he struck a number Of
snags. by the time he had read four
pages he was in real difficulties. The
Latin quotations in the foot notes first
got him going. He bravely went at
them and spluttereG them SO that they
sounded like a mixture of ragtime and
FIJI, and ne looked out the tail of his
eye 10 see whether Mrs. Jobson was
laughing at him. She wasn't laughing
outWardly, however. no matter how
much She might have been iuwarGlv
enjoying herself. The names Of the
ancient provinces of the Roman empire
caused Mr. JObson 20 sp,utter and
choke a good deal. too, but he attacked
them all. and continued to regard Mrs.
Jobson siantwise, after misnamiug
long list Of the provinces. 10 see If she
vas giving any exterior manifestations
of glee, which would have afforded him
his opportunity to throw the book
down and refuse to play any more Mrs.
JoOson, however, preserved her inter-
ested exterior.
81 wonder" Mr.. Jobson broke off.
after reading many pages, where the
dickens the hot stuff, so to speak. in
this work begins? Where's the account
of this fellow. Nero. who used TO burn
Christian maidens for torches and who
played on the fGGle while Rome was
burning and
"Wel, interrupted Mrs. Jobson. "you
viii remember that the work doesn't
include The reign Of Nero The history
begins, / believe, with the imperial
reign of Augustus, and then hurriedly
passes on TO the reign OF Trajan where
the real story begins"
well, thatu be about all for the
present. said Mr.. Jobson. closing the
book with a snap. You seem 10 know
the whole thing, anyhow. 10 hear YOU
tell it. However, L shall resume the
readings tomorrow evening, right
after dinner"
Mr.. Jobson did resume the readings /
on the following evening. and be con-
tinued them for four nights. until his .
voice grew husky. He really didn't APP .
pear TO be enjoying himself very much. |
Immediately after dinner on Thurs
day evening he went upstairs and when /
he came down. about half an hour later,
he was logged out in his best clothes
and primped up.
Are you going out?" inquired Mrs.
Jobson.
DO l look like I'm on my way down
to the cellar to repair the furnace 2" he
asked her.
But" said Mrs. Jobson, "how about
the reading from"
THE readings are all Off" broke in
Mr.. Jobson. IF you think you're go
ing TO put up a job like that and make
It stick-bambo me into reading
about a million pages every night of
ong-winded, dry-a s-dust, dead stuff
about dead criminals with purple togas,
Tor the purpose Of keeping me in the
house all the time, you're mixed, that's
III. I'm going downtown to pay bill
iards and take in a variety show. and
you want to wade through that Ro-
nan rot, go ahead There's nobody
going TO stop you"
And when he had gone Mrs. Jobson
smiled and smiled.-Washingt Star.
pOvAT TWO NDEATNEC