St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-01-03
IN A BAD PRED1CAnENT.
Husband FegOt to Post His Wife's
Letter and the Consequences
Were Something Awful.

The sad-looking man in the day
coach Of the suburban train was star
ing with unheeding eyes at the rap
idly passing landscape. If he was at
| all conscious of his surroundings his
countenance failed to show it. Woe
was evident in every feature-the sol
emn gloom of a man who knows that
fate had been conspiring against him.
| The conductor had to lean over and
prod him gently before he gave up his
communication ticket, and the friend
who shared his seat spoke to him
twice before getting an answer.
Then the sad-looking man gave a
sigh and sank back into his seat,
relates the Chicago Daily News.
| beg pardon, but what were you
saying?" he asked, with dismal as
sumption of Interest.
"Say, but you're cheerful to-day!"
said his companion. you look like
man headed for the high bridge at
Lincoln park. What's worrying you,
anyhow? Have you lost your last
friend, or have you just received the
bill for the winters coal-of is it
just plain dyspepsia? Cheer up and
relate your troubles"
The sad-looking man eyed him re-
proachfully for moment and shift
ed uneasily in his seat.
"Looks like case of guilty con-
science" continued his companion,
cheerfully. What have you been do
ing? Trying to dodge your taxes,
or did you forget to do your wife's
shopping, or mail the letter she gave
you, or"
There" broke in the sad-looking
man, suddenly. "For wonder you've
hit it. How did you ever guess? I'll
tell you about it, though 1 know
you won't understand. You see. it's
this way"
"You don't mean to say that it's
case of unmailed letter that is
causing all the bother, do you!
Pshaw! You might know that If it
had been important you wife would
never have given it to you. She
might have turned it over to the
neighbours small boy, or intrusted it
to the cook, or maybe just dropped it
! out of the window unstamped, but
can't believe she'd give it to you
You said she really wanted it mailed
didn't you?"
"I'n tell you," said the sad-lookins
man. I'm about to be exposed, and
nv punishment will be cruel and
lasting. In the first place, you must
understand that l haven't anything
in the world against my wife's rela'
tives, but, of course, her mother has
her off days, like the rest of us. Well
she wrote about ten days ago to say
that she was coming to town.
suppose something I said made my
wife think 1 wasn't pleased at the
prospect. So there was little-not
exactly NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. my
wife and myself, but little-we
avoided the subject, don't you know?
"a day or two after, just as
was starting for the train, she gave
me a letter, and told me to be sure
to mail it. l told her would, and
put the letter in my pocket.
II meant to mail it, but l did
really forget it until two days ago
and then my wife asked me if had
mailed it, and l let her think l had
I thought I would go out to the mail
box after dinner and mail it then
so it would be just the same thing
I did so that evening. l couldn't read
the direction because there was nc
light, but l knew the letter, because
It was in one of my wifc's big
square envelopes.
well, last night she asked me
again if I was quite sure l had
mailed the letter, and l was able tc
say that I had.
"'It was to mother she said; y
wrote TO tell her to put off com
isg.'
II didn't say anything. because
wanted to think hard. l anticipated
.he worst, and sure enough, she ar
rived this morning. l was luckily al
the station when the train came in
and 1 hid behind a pillar while she
| loaded her two trunks into hack
Two trunks-and that letter still tt
hear from! I haven't been home
YETI
slave you any definite plan?" in
quired the friend, synoathetically.
-Four or FIVE replied the sad
faced man, "but they all seem pretty
weak in the legs, and I haven't de
| cided which one to USE"
The sad-looking man relapsed into
silence and continued to gaze de
jectedly at the chaos of lumber yards
foundries and gas works through
which the suburban train was swift
ly passing.
Il suppose you'll have to square il
with her somehow" ventured hi:
friend, gently, by way of consolation
"With her?" repeated his compan
ion, weakly. with them, you mean
don't you? There's my wife, too, re
member