Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-07-24

III WHICH MTS. DenlOt naQ always COLI
Quoted his home affairs. She entirely
ignored the virtues of system.
Denlot recognized that this was par
tally his fault. When they were first
married, If he had set his foot down
firmly he might have trained Ida in
the way she should go, but she was
so disarmingly pretty and had such a
way with her that he couldn't. He
was helpless in her hands.
After Is years Of married life he
still was helpless, for Mrs. Denlot still
had that disarming way. When she
laughed at him and the corners of her
mouth turned upward and her eyes
sparkled Denlot never could remem'
Der anything except that Ida certainly
was the prettiest woman he had ever
seen.
So he had lived in a series of con
fuslons and kitchen upheavals and late
meals.
Getting the family of to their sum
mer home at the lake last year stuck
in Denlot's mind as the very worst ex'
perience of all. 1t had been night
mare. There had been missing trunks
and lost tickets and keys left at home
and trains evaded and half-garbeo
children at the last minute, enough
material for three full comedies of er.
rors. Ida had laughed through it ALL
even when, hungry and tired, they had
reached the cottage after nightfall
and, on unpacking the hamper sup
posed to contain delicious lunch put
up by caterer, had found it full OF
Denlot's shirts.
The chief trouble, however, had
been over Kim, the bulldog. He was
missing that last day and they had to
60 without him, and it cost Denlot
ten dollars to hire a man to find him
and send him to the lake by express.
"This year," Denlot announced a
week or so ago in his firmest manner
II myself am going to engineer the
removal of the Denlot family to their
summer home. am going to demon.
strate to you, Ida, how easy it is to &C
complish difficult task II you 60 at
1t In the proper manner. I know it is
no child's play to pack household
linen and trunks for three children
and ourselves and think OF everything
but it can be done. Just leave it tc
me-" ..'..
All right, DEAR" Mrs. Denlot had
said, cheerfully. I'm sure I don,
mind. 1t will give me much more time
to make farewell calls"
Not that Denlot proposed to dc
everything with his own hands. He
superintendent the packing for three
evenings and he wrote notes to the
plumber and the gas company. "There
won't be a light left burning in the
basement all summer this time," he
told himself, grimly.
He thought Of everything.
The hrst thing Denlot did that final
day was to conduct Kim, the bulldog,
Immediately after that animals break
fast, to the empty garage, the cat
having been shipped on ahead. He tied
Kim securely to staple and shut Tie
door and locked It. "There!" he said
to the surprised and disconsolate Kim,
this is the best thing yet! You are
not going to run away and be missing
at the critical moment this year! You
are going to be where can lay hands
on you when I want you!"
Trunks were got off in correct order
and the checks safely slowed in Den.
lots pocket book. Children, dressed
and in perfect order, were planted on
chairs and commanded not to stir on
pain Of their lives.
"There!" he said to his wife as she
sat demure and smiling in her natty
brown suit. "All done, all ready an6
no trouble or confusion. Do you see
what system does"
1T is perfectly wonderful, DEAR"
agreed Mrs. Denlot, enthusiastically.
Denlot heaved sigh Of relief when
they landed at last at the lake. II
certainly was good to have a whole
week ahead of him to rest and absorb