Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-08-10
WAKING UP WILLIAM. : ] |
His WHY Wife Finally Cot What
.,s... she Was After.
IT WAS A WELL PLAYED GAME

|IT WAS A WELL PLAYED GAME
William Was a Little Slow, but When
the Ladys Trump Card Was Played
He Said Just What She Wanted Him
to Say From tho Very Start.
"Wiliam," said Mrs. Gilmartin, bend
ing over the sewing in her lap, what
do you think we'd better have Thurs
day night when the Pritchards come!'
MIR. Gilmartin lowered his paper an
instant and stared across the table at
her.
"Have?" he said. "Why. I suppose
we'll have a couple Of games OF clncn
and a lot of foolish talk, as usual"
II mean what will we have to eat
| stupidv' explained his wife. "You
know they always have a little luSch
! when we go over to their place.
"Oh, to eat!" echoed Gilmartfn, re-
| suming his newspaper. "Why, have
whatever you like, I don't care"
Mrs. Gilmartin sighed and patted the
sewing on her knee after taking fur
tive glance at her engrossed husband.
That's easy enough to say" she OBJ
served, "but want to talk to you
about it. This is important. Do help
| me out, Will,' she added. 1--WE
| thought until I'm dizzy, and nothing
seems quite the thing"
"H-m-m!' said Gilmartin, frowning
at the wall paper and trying to think.
"Why, I should think-er-almost any
thing would do NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ever they usually have, you know" he
added rather helplessly. "Go ahead
and get up a nice little supper. You
know how" And he calmly resumed
Ills newspaper.
But this is different, DEAR" persist
ed Mrs. Gilmartin, pickering her
brows and her sewing in her agitation.
"This is Mrs. Pritchard's birthday,
and we invited them to celebrate it
with us weeks and weeks ago. You
know she's such a stickler for having
everything just right. I'm worried
sick.''
"What is there to worry about?" de-
manded her husband, looking over the
top of the paper in surprise. Il sup
pose the Pritchards eat about the same
sort of things the rest of us do.
never saw much difference the few
times we had a bite with them. They
aren't any better than we are, as far
as l can see. guess what's good
enough for us is good enough for Al
Pritchard and his wife,
Mrs. Gilmartin heaved another rath-
er pathetic sigh and said: 1T isn't the
actual food I'm worrying about and
whether it will be, as you say, good
enough for them. That's silly. But it's
the selection of little menu for q
birthday party and the table decora-
lions and the lights and-and every
thing" she added. "Mrs. Pritchard
says it's the little things that show the
clever housekeeper."
There was silence. for a few mo-
ments, and then Mrs. 0amartin ven
tured suggestion: ~.
"Creamed oysters are NICE" she said.
"Um-hum," breathed the head of the
house absently. "What was that?',. he
demanded, turning suddenly. II didn't
hear"
II said creamed oysters are NICE" re.
peated Mrs. Gilmartin. - ~.
"Sure! OF course they arev' he de.
clared with enthusiasm. "All right.
Let's have creamed oysters" and he
dived into the stock market reports.
swell, you don't imagine we can
make whole birthday supper of
creamed oysters, do your demanded
Mrs. Gilnartin indignantly. There
must be lot Of other things thought
of. Mrs. Pritchard says It's just these
little affairs that bring out real tact
and good TASTE" .a ....> 49,.
"Oh, bother Mrs. Pritchardw snap
ped Gilmartin. .,..,,... E&
"Why, willr said his wife mildly.
''I'm afraid you're out OF sorts this
evening, and did want to have a nice
long talk about this. little supper, be-
cause SO much depends on it." =. ~.
II beg your PARDON said her hus..
band contritely, laying down his pa.
per. II didn't mean to be cross. Now,
what will We have after the creamed
oystersY' + s,.ssF
II suppose a chicken salad or some
thing like that would be all right q
said Mrs. Gilmartin rather doubtfully, !
"and we ought to have q stuffed to- !
mato, although that seems awfully
common and ordinary for birthday
party. You know the Pritchards al
ways turn the whole, thing over to
Robbem, who has that caterers place
near them, whenever they have any
thing sort Of formal Ia birthday or /
holiday party like this, you know,
What do we want OF a caterer to
get up supper for four peopleT' de
manded Mr.. Gffmartin. "'You can get
away with 1t in great shape with Hilda
to help you out" l4ts s.,s.s a.
d &. oh, I didn't mean for us to get Rob.
benz" she said. glancing at him from
beneath her lashes. II was just telling
you how easy 1t is for them. Mrs.
Pritchard says it's absurd for people
to 80 to the expense Of hiring q caterer
for small affair unless they have
plenty Of money. 7. D sSs5SE
49, 1850 SA. ~ -iF.k+E