The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-19
MANDYS DESERTION.
By Edna Kingsley Wallace

Josiah creaked about the kitchen restlessly on his
tptoes; he could not bear to wake the echoes OF
silence He resented the rustic of the newspaper ne
picked up to beguile the time. It was stupid paper
He would 90 to bed He wound the eight-day clock
"a performance which might be regarded not abso-
utev necessary inasmuch as he had wound it exactly
forty eight hours before, on Sunday night 1t was
all Mandy could do to restrain her impulse to adj
nonish him of this fact He tried the windows and
locked the back door, still tptoeing as if there was
sleeping child in the house.
At last he entered the sleeping room and prepared
for bed Awbwardly he pulled down the coverlets'
and Mandy held her breath lest she be discovered
With sigh which might have been attributed either
to a feeling that the day was over and oblivion near
at hand or to tired resignation the troubles incident
to the lot of sinful man, Josiah climbed into bed But
although he was physically comfortable he tossed
restlessly, and thought with blank reiteraion She
oughtn't to hev taken me Up like that l never
thought she'd really go"
During these dull cogitations of Josiah, poor Mandy
was aching in every limb and stiff with the chill OF
the droughty floor If only she could turn over
Softly and cautiously she raised her consideraOle
bulk when
@Tarnation, Bulge" shouted Josiah get out o there
u want to get wink o sleep, and dunno as can
with YOU a-walking off with the hull bed. Get out
Mandy shrank back terrified Bulge, hearing his
name emerged from his innocent secusion under the
kitchen table and stealing to the bedside on velvet
paws thrust his cold nose upon his masters face
"Get out Of here, I say" yelled that much tired
gentleman, and the dog skunk away abashed
Silence It was as still as if the world had not yet
been made it seemed to Mandy. The unhappy woman
was now beginning to suffer actual pam because OF
her cramped position and the cold of the frosty Octo
h. bfe ff11e
would be more cautious than before but she could not
stand # another minute; she would slip out creep
softly upstairs TO another be1 aad set away early IN
the morning before Josiah was awake. Slowly and
cautiously she vrigged toward the outer edge OF the
he'd But the sound of her movement, slight as II
was aroused Bulge to the investigation OF Its cause
and he came and sat down by the bed, humping ms
honest tail by way Of encouraging her efforts Mandy
dessted and lay still for a moment but the mischief
was done; Josiah was aroused, and he arose IN MS
wrath.
"You blim dog| he muttered hercely, III teaoh
Won to fool round in the middle of the night WIN
this Josiah leaped out of bed with the DioodthISy
intention of aboishing Bulge from the category OF
oppressors of the dQwntrodden- One bare 1901 en-
countered Mandy's outstretched hand
"Spferin' Cesar" he exclaimed, what was that
~Onlv me. Josiah" said weak voice OF captula-
.
MANDY Harris! What in thunderatiOn you dom
under the bed?
He dragged her forth. There were matches on
the stand by the bed, and he struck one
''Your best clothes" he said mechanically,
dyes" said Mandy, sobbing; Il was gon', and you
come home so sudden didn't have time and I'm so
cold" Her teeth we're chattering. Josiah pulled the
counterpart of the bed and sitting down on the Hoor
nv Mandy wrapped it about them both With her
head on his shoulder and his around her. Mandy
sobbed out the hurt that was in her. When she had
grown little quieter, Josiah suddenly gave vent to
something between snort and chucke 1--WE might
as well set on the bed guess" he said, his shout
ders heaying. Mandy began ggge Historically and
in less than minute they shouting with laugh
ter.
"Seems to be clearing up after the shower OBJ
served Josiah when he could get his breath.
Isl" said Mandy suddenly what time IS It
Josiah struck another match, and looked at his
watch Test Teven o'clock, Mandymine," he answered
slipping naturally into the pet of their counting
days
sWen, then I'm going to wash them Dishes an
nounced Mandy energeticaly, and l reckon mebbe
I'll hev bite to eat"
"I'n wipe" said Josiah. And later as he polished
coffee cup, he observed carelessly, Say, Mandy,
where did you say you wanted them hndlin's put