The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-27
UNMAKING A
MISER
How Mrs. Toomey Reformed Her
Siingy husband

1.-THE cool, unresponsive mani let us
look well at Mr.. Toomcy and contem-
plate miser in the making.
He was then, one of those gentle
men who never spend an unnecessary
penny until they have scrutinized the
Indian with such an intensity that the
Indian trembles and turns his face
away. He didn't hail the empty
taxicabs on hot nights because troll
ley rides come cheaper, and he side
stepped the trolleys because when he
took Mrs. Toomey it cost 20 cents to
go there and back, and 20 cents is
more than days interest on thou
sand dollars, and who was Mr.. Too
mey that he should waste the inter-
est on a thousand dollars p Echo an
swers, "Who, indeed?" And as Echo
answers we will turn our gaze back to
Old Economy and give a few specifi-
cations as well.
Brows: bushy.
Eyes: fierce from scrutinizing the
Indians.
Mouth: set.
Chin very firm.
And as for Mrs. Toomey, It will suf-
flee to say that she was a frail, little
woman.
Yes, such were Mr.. and Mrs. Too
mey on that hot evening when Mr.
Toomey came home fresh from his
fan in the office and his evening ride
on the 81" and found Mrs. Toomey
sweltering in the kitchen, where the
temperature was at the fever point
and the humidity was somewhere be-
tween apoplexy and that degree of
vapor that is necessary to steam the
most abdurate of clans.
'Of course" said Mr.. Toomey in a
judicial manner, the summer is al
ways hot. Else" he added, '.of course
it wouldn't be summer"
He drew his chair to the open win
dow and settled himself to pass a
pleasant FIVE minutes in thinking of
his balance In the bank. A crash
from the kitchen brought him back to
earth with another crash.
What's the natter" he called.
Silence answered him.
Drop something?" he asked, hur-
rying to the kitchen as this phase of
the situation presented itself with a
financial clarity that was vivid nearly
to the point of blindness. Break any
thingT'
Mrs. Toomey was sitting in q chair
as limp as one Of those steamed clans
above mentioned, and only a trifle
more vocal.
20, DEAR" she murmured, IT think
nearly tainted"
"Fainted?" he said. "Fainted?"
ats the heat. o, dear! l was TAX
ing the rice pudding out of the oven
and all at once"
She made feeble little motion.
1T fell and broke"
Mr.. Toomeys anguished eye took
in the wreck.
all over the hash"
Mr.. Toomey swallowed hard.
and spoiled your dinner"
And few minutes later when she
was carrying the teapot in one hand
and the creamed potatoes in the other
she dropped them both as well, and
Mr.. Toomey caught her only just in
time.
"Jabez." she said. IL think you
had better 60 fer a AootOs-"
"Nsnssase!" DRIED JaAes win Q ter
rihts cry. why. those asstess an
awful ps0Dlsi WIZ. tAet ySn e. to-
ribas kAisi They ~ U1a0 n 4
~! Ysa'rs Al yi0At Annslins," h
eleQueA3ly assured hG. "Its Ne heat
that's all. Wen - - have . lsel
in the store windows And tAat'n ~
you W. Yea'll ~ all right thea"
T hope So" said Mrs. Toomey
There was poor Mrs. T1bbsts. Sat
began dropping things-nsrvous ant
all run down-and she had to have 6
trained nurse night and day for more
than six months"
20, but you've got nothing like
that" urged Mr.. Toomey, horror
struck.
81 don't know" sighed Mrs. Toomey
those people upstairs made me 81
nervous this afternoon with theil
noise! They're packing to go ON thei
vacations-up in the mountains. Ant
the Perkinses, across the hall, they're
packing, too-going to the seashore-
and what with the noise and one thins
| and another ! Though goodness
knows" she sighed once more, it'll b.
quiet enough when they're gone"
And as Mr. Toomey looks at he
thoughtfully, so, too, will We.
She had eyes of trust and the glanc'
of innocence. She had earrings in he
ears and finger rings on her finger
and bracelets Oh her arms. Her dress
too, was a thing ridiculous. Her wais
line was just beneath her arms an,
she wore SO many buttons that 1t be
tokened a monomania. And yet-an
yet-she looked at Mr.. TOomey an
she smiled, and in that moment
miser was unmade.
How would you like to go, too?" h
asked.
And in firm little voice (vastl
more vocal than the CLAIM she cried
Mrs. Perkins gave me her summe
resort pamphlets to-day. was reat
Ing them all afternoon. and put ther
in the cake dish. Wait! I'll &c