Evening star., 1902-08-09
PUPPY'S BATH NIGHT

"I do hope she'll go out tonight" said the
young wife to her husband, they sat in
the twilight of their third-fioor-front board
ing-house room.
''Who go out?" asked the husband.
why, the landlady," said the young
wife.
"Ohr' said the husband, understandingly.
There was pause, during which the wife
went to the door leading to the hall, opened
1t slightly, and going into the hall. listened
intently, with her head cooked to one side.
This is her night for the guild meeting.
1 believe" she said when she returned to
the room.
"Uh-huh." said her husband.
IF she only didn't have the second-story
back room, right next to the bath room.
murmured the young wife, after a while
Might suggest that she move down into
the cellar. or out on to the roof, or some
where" suggested her husband facetiously.
Again the young wife walked quietly over
to the door and going into the hall listened
over the banisters. There was an express
sion Of discomfort on her face when she re-
turned to the room.
II don't know whether she's going out or
not" she said to her husband II hear her
moving around her room. Maybe sne 8
primping. She's such an old-rubberneckF
and the young wife pumped herself into a
chair with a sigh.
Cant you go out and send her a fake tel
egram, calling her Immediately over to
Anacostia, or some remote place like thai!
inquired the husband putting away at his
cigar.
"Oh. I wouldn't like to do anything so
risky as that said the young wife, mus
ingly. "She might find out who sent the
telegram, too besides, you know.
'"Well, run up to the corner and start
some kind of riot, and then when she
rushes up there to see what's the matter,
you can sneak back and accomplish your
fell purpose" suggested the husband, cheer
fully.
why don't you suggest something prac-
tical?" groaned the young wife. miseraoly.
I'm doing the best 1 can," said the hus-
band. Tell you what 1 might tell the
landlady that there's partial eclipse OF the
moon to come off in about half an hour
from now, and take her up on the roof to
see it, and then, while were up there, you
could get away with your awful design.
But how would you explain to her the
absence of the eclpse?" mournfully in
Quired the young wife.
"Oh. tell her that l was mistaken in the
date, or something" recklessly replied the
husband.
"she'd suspect something, for certain.
and then she'd dislike you, and it's awful
to have ones husband disliked by board
ing house landlady, L should think" said
the young wife.
Or said the young husband. again
coming to the front with a suggestion, Il
might sneak down into the basement and
chop one of the gas pipes with hatchet,
and while she's down Investigating the
source Of the escaping gas you could exc
cute your momentous scheme"
"N-n-no, that wouldn't do" vetoed the
young wife, with a finger at her lip, land
we might all be asphyxtated in our beds. V
want me to go down and invite her to
accompany me to little deviled crab feed
out at one Of the suburban restaurants?
You could get in your fine work while we
were gone, you know said the husband.
"Cer-tain-ly not!' said the young wife.
How can yOui'
"Well," said the husband, I'm digging
do for me to do a gum-shoe act and slip
down and crawl into her room and just
chloroform her?'
BE sensible!' said the young wife.
Just at this moment they both heard the
noise of a door on the second floor being
closed
"Sh-sh!' whispered the young wife. ad-
vancing again to the door. 81 believe she
has gone out, after ALL
She passed swiftly into the hall and
gazed over the banisters. A moment later
she returned to the room with an exultant
look
Yes she said. her eyes shining with
happiness, "she's got all of the things on
that she always wears to the guild meet
ings, and she's gone.
"Hooray!" calculated the husband, with
subdued enthusiasm.
Then the young wife picked up the fox
terrier pup that was slumbering comfort
ably the couch, carried the dog down
to the bath room under her arm and gave
the mutt a good washing In the porcelain
tub.
"Jes' as if the little tingsy-wingsy isn't
clean as folkses," she said, when, happy
and victorious, she returned to her room
with the swabbed pup.