Middletown transcript., 1908-02-01
Fine /! said John


over his Raistcoat buttons. Yes, Mary 2
Yes, said Mary. And. JOHN, / hanght
you the loveliest present. Wait Fn
fetch themi
She ran out Of the room, breathless.
and ran back again with pair of pearl
gray R.iters in her hand. Look, John !
she cried. Now you won't catch pneu
monia
Why, cried John. aghast, these are
CATERS!
Yes, said Mary. Aren't they pretty 2
Why, cried john, in panic, ! cant
wear eaiters. Mary can't wear CATERS,
you kuowl Wh5-
He brought bis head round with that
under movement, and looked Mary in the
eye. And Mary's eyes we're so brimfnI
and her cheeks so bright that John said
no more, but wore his CATERS the next
morning, like the dutiful husband he was.
The morning following, when Mr.. Scott
went to work, he had CATERS on bis feet,
too--and looked as if he hated himself!
Seeing this, Mary took down her dotted
Swiss curtains from the sitting-room win
dows,-Mary's sitting-room looked into
Mrs. Scott's parlor,- land put her best
parlor curtains there instead took her
three steamer rugs and hung them out on
the clothes-line; rushed through her
housework like cyclone, and at hsli
past one, dressed in her very best things
MARY took the air, in manner most
exasperating, and called at the butchers,
the bakers and the grocer's.
II was banquet that John sat down to
that night, mo less, land after the last
morsel OF it had. disappeared, he made
perfect picture Of bliss.
Did you have good dinner, JohnP
Fine said John,
John, said bis wife, we must have
gardener this year to dig our garden so
that we can grow our own eggplant aud
caulihowers and squash and thing
three little weaknesses OF Johns.
Splendid said John. I'll begin digging
| it in the morning.
No, it's too hard work for you. I'll
get man. Shall I, John?
Oh, can do it, said John. ! need the
exercise.
No, John, it's too hard work for you.
I'll get man. Shall l, John? Look,
John, I have the telephone book right
open at the florists name. I'll ring him
up! Shall I, John? Yes, Til ring him
| up right away and tell him to send
his colored man round the very first thing
in the morning.
So that next morning. before John left
the house for his daily work, he looked
out Of the back windows, and saw, in
deed, Mary's colored man already busy
digging the garden-under Mary's per-
sonal supervision. Mary was showing
the gardener where to dig, how to dig,
where to throw the stones, and giving
him many other lessons-aIl in such a
manner and with such gestures that it
was hard to tell at times whether Mary
was giving her instructions to the gar
dener or to Mrs Scott's back windows.
Hello said John, coming home early
that night. Your mans over in Mrs.
Scott's garden, working overtime.
No, said Mary. That's their man.
They had to go and hire man this after
noon. Hurry up, John: dinner is just
ready she cried, excitedly. And I've
got such dinner for You
A dinner? 1t was feast! Tomato
soup, shad roe, fried chicken, loin of
| veal, potato chips, macaroni with cheese,
spinach and egg, gooseberry jelly, char
lotte russo and coffee. And after it all,
Mary cried:
John, ! am going to give party
II there was one thing John hated, it
was party.
A MUSCLE cried Mary.
Now if there was one kind Of party
that John hated worse than another It
was musicale.
And Tn going to teach you to play
banjo! concluded Mary.
Alb, and in vain we're Johns sighs and
lamentations, his piaintive EXPLANATIONS
and bis reproachful looks Mary's mouth
was set Mary's will was adamant, and
when John left the house the next morn.
ing, with his bat, bis stick and his CATERS
while Mary was giving her colored man
still further instructions, ,-he had little
bit OF white thread tied to his ring as q
reminder not to forget the banjo.
Toward noon that day Mary was walk
ing from the garden into her kitcben-to
study the conk k-book-when a strange
thing happened. Mrs. Scott came out on
her back piazza and said:
Mrs. Parr Parr was Johns other
name.
Mary looked to the right of her, and.
Mary looked to the left OF her. and in
front Of her, and behind her, until
finally her eyes condescended to dwell
upon Mrs. Scott.
| Mrs. Parr. said Mrs. Scott, want yon
/ to understand distinctly, distinctly, please,
that wnen / said last week that there was
very little style in Fremont, never for
one moment meant to INCLUDE you that
statement. And Won't you come over
and have lunch with me
Mrs. Scott, said Mar, | viii.
She did, too, and stayed so late that
Eaftefnoon that she had not been back in
her own house long before John came,
saying mournfully:
/ I've got the banjo.
John,said Mary I've changed my mind,
and we just won't give that musicale
John gave a great sigh of relief.
And, John, continued Mary, if you
really don't like to wear that hat and
John gave another great sigh Of relief,
And you might pay of the man, John.
He's finished.
Ten minutes later colored gentleman
II Ar