Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-05-30
WHEN MADAME WAS AWAY.
A Woman Ovsrhcars the Plant Of Man Whose
Wife Was in the Country

i 'iS"i' tHe otHcr evening. n
they smoked they grew confidentia
and told each other some secrets tha
that were bnrdensome to their com
fOIt. a woman sat within the house
near window that opened on tn,
veranda. 1t was warm night an,
the window was open. But the wo
man was supposed to be reading, an,
the men forgot her existence. Snatcbe
OF the conversation noated in to her
and as the theme was particularly in
teresting to femininity the woman lis
tened. 1t couldn't be wrong, she ar
gued, because one man was her hus
band, and the other was her dearest
friends husband. Their talk amused
and interested her so much she told il
to friend. and that person repeated
1T In newspaper Office, and so it was
secret no longer, says the Buffalo
Express.
The theme Of the mems converse.
ton is not an unusual one in Buffalo
this month. Dozens of other men
could take part in it il they chose
The dearest friends husband was try.
Ing to keep house while his wife and
the children were in the country for a
few weeks.
You know, Clifford, l can make a
cup of coffee and broil steak as we'll
as the next person, but when it comes
to washing dishes, l funk, that's all.
How the women keep the dishes in
shape is more than l know. Then it
beats all how untidy the bedroom gets.
can't understand it, for l never had
any difficulty in keeping my shoes,
ties, collars and those kind of things
in their place before. l suppose | for.
get to put them away now, that have
the breakfast to cook"
The woman listening laughed, for
she knew all about certain bags and
boxes which her dearest friend had in
which she slowed away her husband 's
soiled linen and handkerchiefs and
Kept his neckties straight. She re-
membered, too, her friend telling her
oho had left everything in apple pic
order for Herbert. "Hell get along
nicely" the little woman had said,
" for the fiat is in perfect order; there
isn't a soiled article anywhere, and
I've left q supply OF cooked things and
have told the milkman and baker to
call every morning in time for break
fast"
"It wasn't so bad until had made
my first breakfast" the voice on the
veranda went on, that was not sue.
cess, for after / had made the coffee
and on the eggs sat down to read the
paper minute. What's a minute
when you want to find out about the
situation in China? But it was long
enough for the coffee to boil all over
the range and the eggs to get as hard
as bricks. What coffee was left tasted
queer, and hadn't time to wash the
dishes. was sure l had used only
one plate and cup and saucer. bur
there was enough for half dozen per-
sons. After l tidied up the kitchen
thought would look over tho evening
paper, when / remembered l hadn't
made my bed yet. could have sworn
burglars had been in the room, for
there were more shoes and neckties
and things lying around than could
wear in a week. / couldn't begin To
put them away! Marion has one ol
those long, narrow boxes for my neck
ties, and l tried to straighten the
things out and put them away as ]
usually keep them, but it took too
long"
Again the woman on the other side
Of the window laughed softly, for she
remembered her friend telling how
Herbert always tried every pair ol
shoes he owned before he could decide
which ones to wear and how his neck
tie box had TO be tied every morning
as regularly as the bed was made.
at is two weeks now since Marion
went away" the man continued, "ant
though l have written her that every
thing is all right and that l enjoy
housekeeping, / shall be mighty glat
to see her back. Every dish in thu
house was used nearly a week ago, ant
have given up trying to wash more
than the plate and cup l need fol
breakfast. After this / am goinl
downtown for breakfast and 1 am 60
ing to send for the washerwoman t.
come and clean up the house. l tolt
Marion it wasn't necessary to have
anyone come in; that l could keeI
things going for month all right
Our fiat is so small there never seemed
much to do, but either / am too busy
at the Office or 1 haven't felt so wei
as usual, for this housekeeping beat'
me-"
you'll be glad when it is time to
your wife to come home, eh?" said th'
friend, as he knocked the ashes off th'
end of his cigar, and the woman whit
listened made up her mind she woult
write her friend that very night ant
tell her how glad Herbert would be t.
see her and the children.