The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-17
CHAPTER /.
7 was while I was shaving that the
idea came to my wife. Unfor-
tunately. ideas do not come to me


u tunately. ideas do not come to me
while I shave-as they seem liz
variably to do to other men. Perhaps
st is because my mind IS then too busy
plotting methods Of torture for the in
veator Of the safety razor.
However, as say, in this respect 1
am unfortunate.
For. when my wife exclaimed Hen
ryP Just as I scraped clean the left
side OF my upper lip. adding, Il have
il. IN a triumphant tone, 1 mad no IDEA
what she meant or I should never have
asked:
What have you got?"
Had not asked that question,
TROUBLE, capitalized throughout its
EeVen-lettered length, might not have
been my lot for the following six
months. / might have fewer gray hairs
fringing a lesser area of bald spot 10
worry about today. Ny bank balance
might be weightier. Maybe-but I did
ask the question. repeating il,
What have you gOt2'
Il have got the solution OF our serv-
ant problem, my wife replied from
the center Of her room. in the middle
OF her toilette Il have thought Of a
nurse for Chloe"
I lathered my neck.
''Who is it?'' I questioned, with
sufficient amount OF parental Interest
1
Il before" she added broodingly, with
charmingly customary Indifference to
my query.
Not 50 strange, my dear" I remind
60 her carefully, moving my jugular.
IF the nurse you have thought Of Tor
our child is an it, the hardness Of the
Inspiration is quite naturally pardon
able F."
you won't be any sinier than you
have 10 be. viii yOu2' requested my
-ufF 70 a
ing our bedrooms. The nurse / have
thought of is Elizabeth"
7 turned on the hot water and looked
through the steam at the cut the glass
reflected on my chin.
us il silly TO ask ] politely inquired,
(which Elizabeth
you know-the little girl who nursed
Ronald In Kohlburg- Urgher, four sum-
naers ago. Elizabeth SCHNEIDER"
"Oh, that Elizabeth ] sprinkled my
palm with talcum. It remember
Five years before my wife and I,
newly married, had gone to Germany,
where, in the village Of Kohlburg-
Urgher. my firm had established a ship
ping office. in which / was installed as
manager. We lived in the home of
Herman SCHNEIDER, the Well-to-dO super
intendent Of our factory, and 1t was
there that our mrSt child was born
Herr SChnldIers household was small
(as German households go), and the adj
vent of our baby was a source of IN
measured delight TO Elizabeth. his nine-
year-old daughter whose two brothers
were so near her own age that their
babyhood had passed unnoticed by her.
She consequently constituted herself
an auxiliary mother to the infant. at
tending it. amusing it and reveling with
true mOtherly Joy in every opportunity
70 minister TO IL She was a practical
little girl, this Elizabeth, and her watch
fulness over our baby boy was so eff
cient that soon my wife found herself
intrusting the baby TO her care when
ever occasion made other demands upon
her time. And she came, in fact. To re-
~ so confidently in the childs care OF
the baby that when an unfortunate &C
cident robbed Herr SCHNEIDER Of his
position at the factory by making him
an invalid she took Elizabeth 10 the
new home I'VE moved to and paid her 10
devote all her time nursing Ronald.
When we left Kohlburg-Urgher II was
With deep regret that our child would
lose the tender care given 4 b. the lit
tie girl. We would willingly have
brought her with US 20 America. but
her fathers helplegsness made his capa-
bic young daughters leaving impossible.
1t was this Elizabeth that my wife
announced she had thought Of as the
nurse for or second child Chloe
year-old baby girl.
for the child I agreed But she's
prize some hundreds Of miles out OF
resch-we can't get her"
Why notF' asked my wife
Because" I reminded her, "ws are
not going to Kohlburg- Urgher this
year.
sTt would be almost ike having some
one IN the family taking care of Chloe,
II Ellizabsth were her nurse-maids' my
vile said Wistfully.
] was speechless under q toweL
THE baby could be learning her Ger
nTan with her English. then, TOO she
=
speaks ss clearly IN one language as the
other, now. you know"
hung Up the towel and entered my
room
nurse girls one sees around these days
Ny wife followed me into my chamber,
absently combing her hair. ''EliZab beth
didn't ioOk-waEu't a bit like that kind. J."
MY dear" 7 turned 10 her. impress
sively emphasizing my words with the
collar I shook II, my hand, don't emu
unerate any moro Of Elizabeth's points
81 superiority. ] VIII willingly grant
that she has a thousand-and-one quail
ties Tar SURPRISING those Of any other
nurse-girl living, which make her the
fittest Of the at 70 ill the Job you have
vacant. But just the same, we are not
going 70 KohIburg- Urgher this sum
Ny wife sat Town on che side o. the
bed
'I know we're not" she said.
Then why not relegaIe Elizabeth 10
the top trellis Of a sour-grape arbor9'
We can't get her-hence we don't want
her"
SHUT we do wsnt her" she co)lly con
tradicted. Her father has been dead
for six months. YOU remember
] remembered learning during the
winter that Herr SCHNEIDER had died of
his injuries received while we were at
his home I'VE years before.
''Well2" I suggested nay curiosity
10 know what that had TO do with the
discussion.
IF her father is dead-''she began
slowly.
"Hsr two brothers are still alive"
finished
What have they got TO 90 with it?''
asked my wife sharply.
What has her deceased father got 70
do with it2'f ] cOuuLered.
nv wife rose. laid the comb down on
my dresser and faced me.
"EVerything," she explained incompre-
hensibly.
After he's dead7' 7 asked with mild
surprise. Patricia, are YOU leading up
10 the breath-takinE recital OF a ghost
story2"
you are always more 1ight-beaded
before breakfast than az any other
time" my wife sighed. But perhaps
then I am less able 10 bear with your
nonsense"
Then let's be sensible suggested.
you tell me what you're driving
around in circle at, and III try 10
understand IT,"
- ana TRYING 20 tel YOU that Eliza