Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-06-22

MEANS cONhDleu MIN lot LNe awful OQOI
that presently stole through the house.
"Jennie'--the cool-"has gasoline for
Ing to wash a waist in gasoline for
weeks" Mrs. Wilson explained, with
deprecating patience, "and 1 thought
she could do it safely this morning,
with no fire in the basement. But the
smell seems unusually bad, admit"
Wilson. who is sensitive to odors.
made no answer, because he disliked to
give rein to his i'll humor. A delect-
able luncheon only partially soothed
him, and he flung himself down on
the library sofa to struggle with the
sulks. The bell rang, he heard his wife
usher some one into the parlor, and
then:
Ding Ding Dingl"
The sound was repeated with such
awful force and persistence that VIII
son, forgetting that Bunch was away
from home, tore across the hall like a
parental whirlwind.
Would you prefer death by an ak or
a shotgun you little demon!" he yelled
as he ran.
The surprised piano tuner faced him
with a timid air, and Mrs. wilson came
calamity to the rescue.
Il wanted him to do it three weeks
ago" she explained leading her amazed
husband back to the library, and omit
ting to add that she had failed to inform
the piano tuner of this desire until the
lprevious evening, and I've asked him
to hurry. He says he'll be through about
six o'clock"
Half an hour later Wilson, on the
verge Of nervous prostration or mad
ness, went out for a walk. The cold
lake wind got into his bones and his
temper He returned home to find that
Bunch, who ordinarily liked nothing
better than visiting Aunt Alice, had
wailingly refused to do so as long as
his papa was at home. Bunch is an ex-
ceptionally noisy youngster, and the
older children, unable to continue the
mornings repression indefinitely, were
like so many young steam engines. Mrs.
Wilson hurried them all off to bed at an
unwontedly early hour.
Next day her Browning class met
e with her, and Wilson stayed upstairs
all morning. Luncheon was good-Mrs.
Wilson prepared it herself, because
Jennie was ironing-but it was little
late, and Bunch chartered steadily
through it. In the afternoon there were
callers, and Wilson, caught Longing in
the parlor, was sympathized with and
pitied and offered grip remedies until
he felt like committing murder.
The colored man, Charles, still peni-
tent over yesterdays mishap, had SO
faithfully labored with the furnace that
the house was unbearably hot all even
ling. Bunch, unnoticed stole away to
sit, bare-headed and coatless, on the
front step. Wilson was decidedly worse
by bed time, and in the night Bunch
had Group.
You are having i'll luck with your
holiday" mourned Mrs. Wilson next
morning, looking from the breakfast
table, at which Wilson had insisted
upon appearing, to the driving sleet out
side Then she privately telephoned
for the family physician to call before
noon.
Penny wise and pound foolish"
grumbled this fearless individual, writ
ling half a dozen prescriptions with grim
satisfaction. "Of course it's all right
from my point of view, if you'd rather
pay me and a trained nurse than spend
money for railway fare and hotel bills.
But the trip south l advised would prob
ably cost you less in the end"
Il won't be shipped off like miser-
able invalid" obstinately grumbled
Wilson. I'm not really sick at all, only
tired and little nervous, and l don't
need to go away from home. I'd be all
right here if could only have a little
quiet and peace"
But Mrs. Wilson and the doctor
lsmiled Understandings at one another
as the latter rearTanged his sheaf OF
prescriptions, and it was noticeable that
Jennie had washed and ironed almost
every garment owned or worn by
Bunch. A sleepless night followed for
poor Wilson, and next day the plumber
appeared to fix the long neglected hall
radiator. He kept up an irritating tap
tap!" accompanied by tuneless whis-
tie, until the head of the household felt
that Kankakee yawned visibly before
him. Then Oracle, the musical member
of the family, remembered that her mu-
sic lesson had lacked attention since
Saturday, and began to practice chro-
matte scales with the hammer touch.
Mrs. Wilson, placidly doing embrOid-
cry, distracted the child's attention
when the hunted look in her husbands
eyes threatened a nervous breakdown.
She darkened the room and did her best
to keep the house quiet. And before din
ner she sent Jamesy over to the home
of Mr.. Briggs, Wilson's dear friend and
fellow sportsman, with a note. Mr..
Briggs, sworn, like Jamesy, to dead
= silence, dropped in" informally that
evening and talked fishing and fine
weather until even CHEEKY Mrs. Wilson
sighed.
MY How I'd like to go down to Flor
ida again, and take Harpole," said Mr..