Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-10-31

!: Jogging His Memory


nlng the morning paper, especially the
copper market In which he was much
interested.
"sIy dear" said Mrs. Jastrum, Il do
wish that ] could rely on you to attend
to such household matters as require
your attention"
my dear" replied Mr.. Jastrum
sharply, lowering the paper, III you
VIII name any especial matter requir-
ing my attention instead of blaming
me beforehand l shall be happy to
oblige your
"Very we'll | wish you to post q
letter for me on your way downtown"
do you call that household mat
teri supposed you referred to leak
In the roof or some plumbing or. gas re-
pairs. Indeed, you have made as much
fuss about 1t as IL you did. IL it's only
a letter you want posted / should sup
pose you might have dispensed with
your strictuns.'
"That's all wish this morning" re-
piled Mrs. Jastrum In an injured tone
Just before Mr.. Jastrum departed his
wife slipped letter in the right hand
pocket Of his orercoat He kissed her
perfunctorily and went away intend
ing when out Of sight to carry the let
ter In his hand that he might not for
get 1t, but he had no sooner turned the
corner than he met Hickson. Hickson
asked him If he had noticed the fall In
the price of copper. Jastrum said that
he had. whereupon dickson said that
It was sure to go lower. Jastrum hur-
ried away to his brokers' office and
gave him an order to sell out his hold
ings in copper at once. Then he went
to his own Office and hung up his over
coat, with the letter In it.
At in the evening Mr.. Jastrum
opened the front door OF his house and
was greeted with the smell Of gas.
"Phew. My dear Betsy, hello!
Where are you?"
"Up here. dearv'
Mr.. Jastrum went upstairs and found
his wife sitting In her bedroom In her
Good graclousv' he exclaimed, TAX
ing In the situation. when did the
leak occur?"
II noticed faint smell Of gas this
morning as soon as i got up, but II
was In the cellar and not very strong
in the house. l kept the cellar door
shut, but by noon the house was full
Of It."
"And why, may ask, didn't you tell
me SO, that could have notified the
plumber"
"When the leak in the water pipe
occurred asked you to stop at the
plumbers and send him right around
! You forgot 1t, and the house was food
ed, spelling both the dining room apd
parlor carpets, besides the ceilings OF
both rooms"
"And out of revenge, to show your
mot at all. Finding could moi
trust to your memory all the way to
the gas Office, concluded to subject II
| to much less strain. Both the post
and gas offices are very near yours
| the postoffice across the street, che gas
| Office on the same block. l wrote you
a note asking you to go to the gas
office and tell them to send man here
at once"
"And mailed the letter this morn
mgr
| YES. There Is a mail box, as you
know, Just around the corner. The
postman takes up the mail at 0 a. IN
Ny letter was dropped In the box mol
two rlinutes after you left the house
| this morning and should have been
handed you OH the II O'Clock delivery
Didn't you get it?''
"Get 1t? No. Doubtless you thought
| you put 1t in. but forgot 1t. You're
always grumbling about my forgetting
to post your letters. while you are the
real delinquent. Nobody knows how
many times you have claimed to have
given me letters to post that you have
intended to post yourself and have for
| gotten"
aid you post the one ! gave you
| this morning.
Jastrum looked dazcd for Il moment
then frightened. He thrust his hand
| in his overcoat pocket and drew forth
| the letter.
IL met Hickson-just after-l left
YOU" he stammered guiltiy. land
he
Look at the address"
He did as she asked and saw that
the letter was addressed to himself.
Read it."
He tor off the cover and read;
The gas Is escaping In the celier. Send
| a man at once.
Jastrum stood looking 1T the letter
long enough to have read two pages.
Isn't it plain?" asked his wife
without replying. he rushed down
stairs and out, slamming the door be-
hind him. intending TO get a man TO
do what he didn't know how TO do
himself-turn off the gas. His next
door neighbor came In with monkey
wrench and did the trick. Jastrum
thea went upstairs. His wife stood
laughing at him.
MY dear" he said. not In reproach,
but giving the word its real meaning,
ats "A horse on me. Wait with din
ner few minutes while | go out and
telephone for seats mt the theater Art
- A. nt,,r wall sup ut the Arlington