The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-20

My friend, Ebenezer Butterworth
SnagueS, tells me that l have made
quite a favorable impression among
his employees. When he called to see
me, socially, the other evening, he said
that his porter, Clonough, had asked
him if he supposed that l could tell
him what allied his wife. told Snagues
20 send Clenough up to my office some
afternoon and l would talk the matter
over.
Mr.. Clenough called the next after
noon and briefly described his wife's
condition. He said: II can't imagine
what the trouble is. My wife is very
quiet; doesn't like society; don't like
to go to the theater, or to concerts, or
lectures, in fact, all she does want to
do is to stay at home. She doesn't go
out of the house to call on any one
once a week. 1 do all the shopping,
such as buying groceries, meat and
vegetables, and make life as easy as
can for her in every way
asked Clenough if his wife had to
work very hard. He said: "Oh, no!
She gets up about half-past five in the
morning and builds the fire. I'm
ashamed to say that, but it's pretty
hard work in the store, and don't feel
much like getting up mornings, and
Mrs. Clenough says she would just as
soon build the fire as not. 1 get up at
and she has breakfast all ready for
me. Then have to hurry, because the
train leaves at half-past seven, and as
/ don't have time in the store l read the
paper while 1 am eating and finish the
paper on the train. 1nen, of course,
after l have gone, the missiS washes
the dishes and tides up things and
does her routine work about the house.
She's great woman for routine, my
wife is. She has set days for certain
kinds of work; washes on Monday;
irons on Tuesday, and SO on through
the week. She is too busy to get any
dinner for herself; she just takes a
lunch; bit of bread and a cup of tea,
and not always that, because she says
its so lonesome to eat alone In the
afternoon she begins to get the regular
dinner, and that keeps her busy until
1 get home at half-past six. Then we
have dinner, and read the evening pa
per while she does up the dishes, and
then she takes her knitting or sewing
and employees her time while 1 am so
tired that after 1 have had my smoke
1 usually fall asleep and don't wake up
again until bedtime"
irritable and FitfuI.
Nothing especial seems to be the
matter with her, but lately she has be-
come very irritable and fitful. If don't
listen to what she is saying, when she
is asking questions or talking of what
has happened in the neighborhood,
she actually loses her temper and
Scolds, and that prevents my reading
or thinking, and disturbs my nap, and
If I tell her not to bother me, she goes
off in a fit of the sulks. She has been
awfully sulky and morose, lately, and
she complains that she is so nervous
that she feels as if she would fly, and
she is so tired that she can hardly
drag one foot after the other. It's
strange, though, 1 don't see why she
she should be so nervous, because
there's nothing to disturb her, It's al
ways quiet in the house. She doesn't
have much company. There's nobody
In the house to worry her, not even
Child -
WELL" I said, II think know pref
~ we'll what the trouble is, but with
your permission 1 will drop in some
morning and talk with your wife" In
accordance with this promise 1 did call
and found things as 1 supposed
should. Mrs. Clenough was one of those
long and lank women, of an extreme
ly nervous temperament, very unas-
Stunning in appearance, of retiring,
diffident disposition, and not at all self
Rssertive. After gaining her confidence
by cheerful small talk, I said it must
be rather lonesome here. ooh, doc
tor" she exclaimed, lonesome is no
name for it; it's perfectly horrible; it's
worse than confinement for life on
desert isle. But 1 wouldn't think of
saying that to my husband; he's so tir-
ed when he gets home, and he has so
much to worry him."
l thought it was rather strange that
Mr.. Clenough should have so much to
worry about, as he was a steady-going
man, had no bad habits, had a good
permanent position, and was we'll and
promptly paid; but 1 didn't say so to
his wife. 1 did ask her if she liked
amuSementS. If she and her husband
didn't go to a concert or a theater once
in a while.
Would Like to Go to Theater
She said, ooh, no. I should dearly
love to go to the theater occasional
ly, but, as 1 have said, my husband
is so tired that he doesn't want to do
anything when he gets home but eat
his supper, smoke his pipe, read the
paper and take a nap; and he never
thinks of even suggesting that we go
call on our next-door neighbors; he
says he is no society man, and of
course if we don't call on the neighbors
they won't call on u.s.
Il suppose, Mrs. Clenough' said T.,
S'that you don't have very much work
to do" well, yes, / do have good
DEAL" she replied. 'It isn't hard work,
but it keeps me busy all the time. My
husband is awfully hard on clothes.
He has to have a clean frock every
day as we'll as a clean shirt and collar
and cuffs. So my washing is quite