Red River prospector. (Red River, Taos County, N.M.) 1900-190?, 1902-12-04

was to complain at dinner that the
meat was not properly cooked and
send it away. I suppose this was to
starve his wife into subsection. Wen,
/ concluded to try the same scheme.
At our first meal l fourished the carv-
ing knife and cried out that the meat
was burned to q crisp and not fit to
eat. Kate sat looking at me in aston
ishment.
Bridget, 1 yelled, take away this
meat, and the next time you roast a
piece of beef in this house don't cook
1t all dayl'
with this I got up from the pable
and went out, slamming the door after
me.
Il didn't go home till late, because
l wanted to give Kate time to think
over what a terrible fellow l was and
make up her mind to smooth me down
gently. When l went up stairs, l
found that she had gone off into the
guestroom to sleep, leaving me our
bedroom to rave in as'much as T1iked.
Although l was disappointed that she
had not received me humbly after the
outbreak and %endeavored to pacify me,
1t was plain that she was afraid of me,
and this was so much to the good. l
didn't sleep very well and the noxt
morning went down to breakfast feel
ing much in need of a good cup of cof-
fee. Entering the dining room, l was
surprised to see no cloth on the table.
What l did see was a note from Kate
saying that as the servant had depart
ed bag and baggage the day before
there would be no meals servednn the
house for the present. She (Kat6) had
gone to her mothers for breakfast,
M l could get mine where 1 liked.
THE result Of the first move was
not quite satisfactory. I didn't seem to
have terrified my wife, and l had been
the means Of losing a very good ser
want. The truth is that l didn't have
the heart to go any further. Neverthe-
less, after l had got a miserable cup
Of coffee at a restaurant Il didn't dare
to come here for fear of having to an
swer questions), 1 went back home
and, sitting at my wife's writing desk,
wrote her a note directing her to re-
turn to the house, find a servant and
behave herself. l sent it by a messen-
ger, directing that the answer be
brought to me at the office. 1 was
afraid l wouldn't get an answer, but
l did. My wife informed me that as l
had been the cause of the Servant
leaving she would expect me to secure
another, when she would go home at
once.
There was nothing to do but hunt
the intelligence offices, question girls
and engage one. l went through a lot
of them, selected the best of the lot
and hired her, but she never appeared.
Then l went through the terrible work
a second time, with the same result.
The third girl l engaged appeared but
while waiting for me to get nome the
servant next door told her what a
frightful temper l had, and she told
me when l came she had decided that
she did not want to stay.
Meanwhile l had not sent a word to
my wife, hoping that my silence would
trouble her. l resolved now to write
her hat she was leaving work to me
that really belonged to her and that it
was her duty to come home and attend
to the servant matter herself. l was
surprised to receive d very kind note
in reply, saying that was quite right.
She was the proper person to engage a
girl and she would gladly do so pro
vided the girl was not to be treated as
the last n had been treated. The
note ended very alphabetically.
What l had to do in order to return
to comfort was to make a simple prom,
ise not to make an ass of myself again
and all would be well, but this was
surrender, and l assumed that il
meant living under subsection for the
rest of my life. However, it was the
only thing to do, and when l did it
a~pologized handsomely, adding that
had tried the experiment OF living
without her, but had found she was
not only necessary to run the house
but it was desolate without her.
II got no reply to the note, but when
l went home at dinner time my wife
met me at the door, threw her arms
about me and made me happy as
king. The servant had abused was
cooking a dinner. and the house was II
perfect order. Kate has since giver
me my way all l have wanted.
Its my opinion about women" add
ed Peter, that to have your own way
with them you've first got to make {
complete surrender. Then you can d,
what you like. / don't believe thar
Petrucio story had any foundation il
fact whatever. Portland TRANSCRIPT