Arizona republican., 1909-09-30

parture with mingled feelings of
 regret and pleasure. They had had such a good time.
 Mrs. l. had been so benefited Gy the fires. sea-alr and the tired look had disappeared entirely from her eyes lt had been such a relief 10 be free from household cnres-even though those cares concerned nothing more gigantic than a four-room-and-bath apartment. And the prospect Cf taking them up again was not altogether pleasing.
 As for Homer dear. he was as brown as berry and he had gained 10 pounds In weight. More than that he had for once forgot his eternal balancing of bankbooks and checking up of daily accounts-for which Mrs Justwed was duly thankful. He had enjoyed his vacatiOn-the first in two years-to the uttermost and, like a man who has been on a spree and then straightens up with a jerk he felt not unkindly about getting back 10 the grind again.
 "I tell you. Blossom he remarked. quite sentimentnlly, as they boarded the train for home ''i. won't be so bad after nll to get hack 70 our little nest. will itT We've had our hing-and home looks good to mel
 Mrs J. smied-dubiously.
 Ut will be sort of nice. Homer" she replied in halfhearted tone that Indi- cated a correlative. troublesome thought on the matter away back in some little nook and cranny If her mind.
 Indeed. it will! reiterated Homer dear. Its the first time we've ever re turned home-together-isn't 1t? Never cared much about getting back to the grind before l was married. But now it seems sort of different-sort of that Be 1t ever SO humble. there's no place like home feeling"
 Mrs. J. appreciated the sentiment. but was not oblivious to the practical side of the matter.
 ''Pm afraid 1t won't be m ideal Home. sweet home when we first get there, Homer" she remarked. lauGhiDgly.
 "Humph!'' objected Mir. J. And wtv notf''
 Mrs J. paused moment to collect her facts.
 Well, you sec" she replied. there's SO much to be done before you can really call 1t home know everything is sim ply covered with dust and dirt. The entire fai will ha to be scrubbed and In the whole house-and the telephone will have 10 be connected up-and-and- why, irll take three days to get every. NhiiS eoiuS euOOtuly nEuln.
 Now. isn't that just like womanr' Mir J. fared up. Always looking on the cark side of things. never saw anything to equal jt You make a mountain out of moiahill. Haven't you got Mary to do all the work, while you tell her what 10 doT' .
 That sounds ail right. Homer. but never saw any servant yet who will do exactly what she fs fold n In nnlass you stand over her with a club Besides, Mary may not show up.
 May not show upf" interrupted Mir J.. taking fresh start Didn't you get letter from her yesterday saying that she would positively be at the flat at o'clock this afternoonT'
 Yes" admitted Mrs J. quite readily.
 Well, then. whnt are you borrowing trouble for7 If she said she will be there-then she will That's perfectly obvious. Isn't it,''
 Mrs. J. smiled-sadly and wisely She started to explain how a maid of all work can promise to clean the moon and then Ind thousand and one excuses for failing 10 wipe out the kitchen sink but refrained from doing so-what was the use
 The train was on time and the Just weds landed at their home city q few minutes before in the afternoon. Mir J. attended to the baggage and then. as last concession to that feeling of reckless extravagance permissible on vacation. ordered a carriage
 As It drew up in front of their apart- ment house. Mrs J. looked out. The win dOws of their fat were closed and the shades drawn precisely as they had left them
 Mary isn't hereI' she remarked. half triumphantly.
 Perhaps she is just trife late." sug- gested Mir. J.. not cheerfully. but stub bornly.
 Mrs. J. held her peace.
 MT. J. paid the cabby, swung on to the suit-cases and then entered the build ing. There was quite collection o. mail in their box and Mrs. J. waited. patiently while Homerdear looked fl over. q
 Then they climbed the stairs ane opened the door of their nest.
 It was dark and cheerless and the at mcsphere was heavy with that peculiar odor of a room long closed.
 "Whewr' exclaimed Mir. J.. we must get some air in here!'
 He dropped the suitcase. raised th. shades and flung up the windows.
 "Ah, that's betteri''
 The dust was heavy on everything, anc the apartment. stripped of all but the unpackable things. was not in the least inviting.
 Mrs. J. removed her hat and gown, donned comfortable kimopa and started in to straighten up her dressing table. Mir. Justwed, who had divested himself of coat and collar and sat down in an easy chair by the window to read his let ters. looked up.
 'Now. for goodness sake, Blossom" he said, cant you sit down and wait until Mary comesf
 Mary is not coming!" she replied en- phatically.
 Mir. J. looked at his watch.
 Tt is just ten minutes after two," he insisted. Mary is a trife late. She said she would come and l know she win keep her word'
 with her work Q
 Homer-dear continued reading his mail full half hour passed. Suddenly Mrs. J., who had been restraining herself with difficulty. could stand 1t no longer.
 Now look here, Homer" she burst forth, 'I should think you would be ashamed of yourself You know Mary's not coming and you sit there and let me work my fingers of under the pretext that she will come. Here's the entire nat to be dusted and cleaned, the rugs to be unrolled and laid, the silver and dishes and cut-glass to be unpacked, and and thousand things to do-and you just sit there reading your old mail,'' Mir. Justwed was on his feet in an in-