The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-12-04
= :, 4
TANNING
a SHREM
(Original.1

WHY not Try EetTuCiOS pan
"Who was PetrucioT
"a character in Shakespeare's play of
the Tanning of the Shrew.' He pre-.
tended to be fiercer titan bis wife Kath.
crime and in this way brought her un.
der subsection"
That's not bad idea" 5i...
was at the club. His wife was in the
country, and he was living bachelors
life. | went UP to him and offered MY
hand, which he took very coolly.
whats the matter. old manY'
What did you put me ON to that Pc.
truciO business fOr?'
Didn't it work." ~
"Oh. yes. it worked. but in different
way from the play"
lighted cigar and sat down bv
him.
"We had been married q week." he
said. land returned from our wedding
trip. got down that play you told me
about and read it. The first thing that
PetruciO did to show his spunk was to
complain at dinner that the meat was
not properly cooked and send it away.
| suppose this was to starve his wife
into subsection. Well, | concluded to
try the same scheme. At our first meal
/ fourished the carving knife and cried
out that the meat was burned to crisp
and not fit to eat. Kate sat looking at
me in astonishment.
"'Bridget.' | yelled. take away this
meat, and the next time you roast a
piece of beef in this house don't cook it
all dayv
with this | got up from the table
and went out, slamming the door after
me.
Il didn't go home till late, because
| wanted to give Kate time to think
over what a terrible fellow was and
make up her mind to smooth me down
gently When | went up stairs, |
found that she had gone off into the
guestroom to sleep. leaving me our
bedroom to rave in as much as liked.
Although l was disappointed that she
had not received me humbly after the
outbreak and endeavored to pacify me,
it was plain that she was afraid Of me,
and this was so much to the good
didn't sleep very well and the next
morning went down to breakfast feel
ing much in need of good cup Of cOf-
fee Entering the dining room. was
surprised to see no cloth on the table.
What | 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 served in the
house for the present. She Kate) had
gone to her mothers for breakfast.
and could get mine where liked.
1.-THE result of the first move was not
quite satisfactory. didn't seem to
have terrified my wife. and had been
the means Of losing very good serv-
ant. The truth is that l didn't have
the heart to go any further. Neverthe-
less, after / had got miserable cup
of coffee at q restaurant q didn't dare
to come here for fear Of having to an
swer questions), went back home
and, sitting at my wife's writing desk,
wrote her a note directing her to re-
turn to the house, find servant ana
behave herself. sent it by messen-
ger, directing that the answer be
brought to me at the Office. l was
afraid wouldn't get an answer. but
I 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. / went through lot
of them, selected the best of the lot ana
hired her, but she never appeared.
Then I went through the terrible WORK
q second time, with the same result
The third girl Tengaged appeared. Dut
while waiting for me to get home tine
servant next door told her what
frightful temper l had. and she toid
me when l came she had decided mat
she did not want to stay g.. n
meanwhile | had not sent WORD TO
my wife, hoping that my silence wouia
trouble her. | resolved now to write
her that she was leaving work TO me
that really belonged to her and that II
was her duty to come home and atteho
to the servant matter herself. was
surprised to receive very kind note 10
reply. saying that ! was quite right
She was the proper person 70 engage
girl and she would gladly do so pro
.vided the girl was not to be treated as
the last one had been treated Inc
note ended very alphabetically.
what had to do in order TO return
to comfort was to make simple prom
Use not to make an ass of myself again