The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-04-07
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He DID HIS
BEST

"AASA S~S SAoAS 70 AAS SAS SS~
inspired him. When harried into It
by wifely authority he would don the
abhorred garments, but his excuses
for avoiding all social functions which
involved wearing the festal garb were
puerile, infantile, maudlin.
According to his wife's ideas his
efforts to avoid wearing his evening
clothes were not only out Of all pro-
portion to any possible discomfort he
might suffer when he had them on,
but they a positive evidence Of
degeneracy.
However. when that particular sub
ject was mentioned, she always said:
"You know 1 love my husband dearly.
He is the best man In the world, but
there are times when I really want to
do him some bodily injury. His abso-
lutte Indifference to his appearance is
simply maddening. He doesn't care
how he looks. As long as he can be
clean he'd just as Don wear any old
thing anywhere. It's perfectly nerve
racking."
Melville seemed quite pleased with
the idea of attending his sisters we'd
ding In the small town where hts par
ents lived until Mrs. Melville casually
mentioned that he must have his eve
ming clothes pressed In preparation
for the visit.
why" he protested. half the men
thatll be there won't know q dress
suit when they see 1t. I'll feel like q
ringtailed monkey"
STUFF and n%onsense!" returned Mrs.
Melville. 1.-THE people down there are
as particular about their dress a. we
are, and more 80. People in small
towns always dress right up to the
latest thing"
So Melville's dress suit was sent to
be pressed.
Mrs. Melville vas slightly suspi.
cious Of the sudden accession OF help
fulness that caused her husband to
offer to pack his own suitcase the
night before their little trip. Being a
wise woman, she kept her weather
eye on him. Thus she was just In
time to see him going through some
rather wonderful gymnastics in an Of
fort to fasten his suitcase with M
hand while he meditatively dropped
his evening clothes in an obscure cor
ner Of the closet. She said nothing.
She merely transfxed him with a
stony glare. The clothes came meek
ly out again and were sadly deposited
in the suitcase.
Melville carried both his W suit
case and his wife's down to the office
in the morning, where Mrs. Melville
was to join him just before luncheon
time. They were to take luncheon to-
gether, which would leave them am
pie time to reach the train. They
we're about half way to the train.
when Mrs. Melville suddenly clutched
her husbands arm.
"Tom,' she calculated. sternly,
where is your suitcase?"
Melville looked silly and Mrs. Mel
Vile contemptuous.
"You must have left 1t in the res
t~aurant,' she said. Don't waste a
minute! Run back and get it,"
So Melville sped back to the res
taurant and then reached the station,
suitcase in hand. just in time to board
the train.
TITS mighty funny" he said. sheep
ishly. "how I came to forget, 1t like
that"
Eyes, wasn't it amusing?" replied
Mrs. Melville, caustically.
It was not until they had reached
the house and were being regaled
with tea and conversation that the
second loss Of the suitcase was dis
covered.
Everybody ran about excitedly for
a while-everybody, that is. except
Mrs. Melville, who sat with an in
scrutable smile on her face, calmly
slipping her tea.
Melville, apparently in great anx-
iety, telephoned to the livery stable
from which had come the carriage
which had brought them up from the
station. He also telephoned to the
station.
Il might telegraph to the train," he
said, finally, "but it's a through train
from here on and l don't know where
a telegram would intercept It."
Mrs. Melville sat down her teacup
and gathered up a few crumbs of cake
that had escaped from her saucer.
Il wouldn't bother she said. sweet.
ly, ito take all that trouble"
Melville turned to her with . ra-
diant smile. "All. right. Mary" he
beamed. "If you don't mind. I'm sure
I don't. I'll tell everybody how ]
happen to besweeuing my spldsbusinses
sg3t instead. Of my beautiful sl g
lspsSs." IS
There was a CLEAN in Mrs. Mel
ville'ss eyes as she rose majestically.
triumphantly and went out into the
hall. When she returned she had
over her arm. folded neatly. the de-
tested evening clothes.
Tom. dear" she said. Il was afraid
something might happen TO your suit
case, 90 after you went to bed last
night 1 took Ill the most nscessary
things out q II ana put thsm Into
nine" ,9s