The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-03-21
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THE WIFE's EXPERIMENT.
Had But One Chance to Go to Saloon
with Her Husband.

fist doubled up on the cOunterpane,
the other nestled against its face.
And Mrs. Liscombe had just brought
out her mending basket for pleas
ant evenings work.
She looked up from her work as
George came in from an opposite
room.
"Oh, George! you are not going
out tonight" she cried, involuntar-
lily, as she noticed that he had his
hat and overcoat on.
Just for a little while, Net"
"You said that last night, and you
didn't come until II o'clock"
"Now, darling, don't be a goose"
laughed Liscombe, airily pinching her
cheek. "a man can't always burrow
at home, like a mole in his tracks"
"And, George" added Janet, nerV-
ing herself to the point of remon-
STRANGE, with a visible effort, when
you did come home, you-you had
been drinking!"
Liscombe frowned darkly and then
went out.
One by one the big drops plashed
down on her work as she mechanical
ly stitched on. Janet Liscombe had
been a drunkard's daughter. All the
first years of her life had been spent
in daily witness of the terrible details
of the curse of drink.
"And," she asked herself, clasping
her hands in a sort of mute despair,
have | got to live all this over again.
in my own house? Mo-" she said
with sudden decision, 81 will not be
drunkard's wife, neither shall Bes-
sic be a drunkard's child"
The next night she made no COM
ment, when George put on his hat
and overcoat, except to ask him,
carelessly, whittier he was going.
There were three or four genial and
drouthy souls at Morris saloon that
evening" Gerald Dikeman was there,
the foreman in the hat manufactur-
ing establishment where Liscombe
worked; Tom Daley, whose wife
took in sewing; old Mr.. Hopgood,
whose scarlet nose betokened his
diurnal habits with unfailing accur-
acy, and Joe Ponsonby, who wrote
reports for the Pocklington Gazette.
supplied the poets corner" and be-
lieved firmly in the Byronic theory
that gin and genius went hand in
hand. And George Liscombe, sitting
in their midst, was just commencing
his fourth game at poker when the
door opened, and Janet walked in.
Everybody stared around in sur
prise. Liscombe dropped his cards.
Janet" he cried out.
"Yes, 'Mr. Liscombe," said his wife,
unloosening her bonnet strings, with
deliberation.
Isis any one sick? Is 1t Bessie?"
questioned the husband.
We'll, no one in particular" Mrs.
Liscombe calmly answered. Bessie
is a little inclined to Group, but
have left Mrs. Wingate with her."
Then what brings you here?"
asked Liscombe, with gathering dis
pleasure.
"Oh!" retorted Mrs. Liscombe, with
a defiant toss of the head, Il was
lonely at home, and | thought |
might as well come around here"
This is no place for woman"
said Liscombe, lowering his voice to
a tone of angry remonstrance.
"If it's no place for a woman, it's
no place for man." said Janet. "At
all events, here l shall spend the
evening"
And leave your sick child?"
"She is as much your child as
mine retorted Janet. Give me a
glass of Dublin stout, Mr.. Morris, If
you please"
"Janet!" gasped Liscombe, scarlet
with modification and anger,
Let me alone" said she, with an
impatient shrug of the shoulders.
You drink, and l shall claim the
same privilege. I am tired of sitting
tamely down by the fire. Henceforth.
when you go out, shall go, too"
Liscombe looked eagerly around for
his hat.
"A woman! in such a place as
that" he almost shouted when the
green baize doors had swung to be-
hind them.
is it any worse than a man in such
a place as that?" ~
"Janet!"
"George!"
You are determined to drive me
frantic!" he uttered, clenching his
teeth. asn Iu.
'Not at all, my dear" said Janet
"I am only trying to keep from be-
ing driven frantic myself! And. here
after, l wish you to understand that
mean TO accompany you to your even
ing engagements, whether they NAV
lead you to theater, billiard room or
liquor saloon!"
George Liscombe said no more He
walked quietly home with his wife
and sat silent and thoughtful the rest
of the evening. But the next morn
ing he kissed Janet, in the old, lover
like fashion, before he went to work
Net" said ne, I've been thinking
And although / was very angry with
you last night, do believe you were
right! I'll go no more. to those
places!"-Lucy Randall Comfort in
nood Titororurn 5st. Erl., e.. =