Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-10-19
HE TRIED TO
REFORM

Il tell you what II is" said Beeson
to his wife. as he sat in his armchair
and dressings gown by the evening
lamp. one foot elevated beside the
steam radiator In his favorite pose
1 tell you what II is; We are making
big mistake. gettins>into a nut this
way. We ought to go out more even.
'ngs, see our friends and 60 to the the
aters and concerts. brush up little
and get in touch with things again. l
was talking TO young Abbott today. He
and his wife have Joined a card club
and taken tickets to the orchestra
concerts. He told me they made II n
rule to do something social four even
ings every week. That's the right
system. too"
But, my dear" protested his wife.
the reason we stay in so much is
that you are too tired after your ONCE
work TO do anything but rest up. You
know how you felt about my asking
the Jordans In for bridge last month
Aren't you afraid the Abbotts' pro
gramme would prove n little strenuous
Tor us? We are not young as they
are. or so enthusiastic"
We're plenty young enough TO en-.
JOY anything that's going" asserted
Becson, vigorously. land Wen begin
at once. Tomorrow night there is a
concert which we ought not to miss
We are going to that concert"
Beeson unfolded his newspaper with
decision and hunched his dressing
gown about him with an air OF finality
MY dear" said Mrs. Beeson. mild.
~ the next evening. as her husband
slammed the front door behind him
and stamped off the snow on the hall
rug, what makes you so late? Din.
ner has been ready twenty minutes
and you know you said you would be
home easrly to dress for the concert
Great Scott" returned Beeson, in
apparent evaporation. Cant a man
get his coat off before he is to be
nagged TO hurry? My business is
more important than fifty concerts.
couldn't help 1t, my dear; was held
up by man." he finished lamely.
We'll. II we don't spend too much
time at the table we shall be In sea.
son yet" consoled Mrs. Beeson.
They ate silently and hurriedly.
Beeson was hungry and so he wasted
no precious moment in conversation.
However, by the close of the meal he
was feeling better. He had almost
forgotten the duty which lay before
him. He took out cigar and leaned
back In his chair
AT that moment he happened TO
catch sight OF his wife's face. What
he saw there brought him back to the
present with n start. without n word,
be laid his cigar carefully on the tray,
rose and went upstairs
His evening clothes were laid out
for him with all care, so one might
have thought that he would be able TO
don them without great effort. Such
did not prove to be the case, however.
Whether the path OF virtue was be.
ginning already to prove n road of
poor accommodations or whether the
loss OF his after-dinner cigar in some
subtle way had impaired his temper
certain 1t Is that Beeson's struggles
to attire himself in the garb Of n
blooming head waiter" as he phrased
It, formed a period OF storm and
stress.
When. at length. his toilet was com
pleted. his countenance was flushed
and his eyes glittered. His wife was
waiting for him.
They were ten minutes late in ar
irving at the theater. Ten minutes
later, that is, than the fashionable
limit Of hardness. Beeson is man of
strict principles. His sentiments on
the subject of the late theater-goer are
are we'll known. The manner of their
arrival therefore did not tend to soothe
his feelings When. I'm the middle OF
the third number, the ushers discov.
cred that their seats were in the
fourth row back Of those they were
innocently occupying. his ire ap-
preached the danger point
The concert progressed brilliantly
Every one seemed to be congratula
ting himself on his presence at the
function. Beeson paid close atten.
ton and told himself that he was
having a delightful time. After about
an hour OF t. however he felt an I'm.
peratIve need for fresh air. Later,
strange aches in his limbs and back
began 10 aflct him. he wished violent
ly for HIS dressing gown.
The next stage was drowsiness. He
fought valiantly, but the day had been
hard and his present surroundings did
not have a stimulating effect From
that time on the space TO the end
seemed an interminable period OF
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