The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-07-25
lis Natural.
Self

the prize unOer nle arm. ibis was an
indisputable fact, for his wife said
so and she should have possessed sx.
pert knowledge on the subject.
IF you should turn James Dockity
loose in the middle Of q desert" she
often said, with an oasis in plain
sight, that helpless man would turn
and walk the other way and die Of
starvation. Here 1 am, wearing my.
self to a shadow remembering to re.
mind him of what he ought to do or
telling him where he put his pink
striped shirt or getting him more
towels when those in the bathroom
have slipped down back of the tub!
You'd think that the man never heard
of the back Of the bathtub the way
he forgets to reach behind it! He's
more trouble than q family Of ten
children! I declare, his helplessnesa
dooms me to become old before my
time"
He never knew where he had put
his umbrella when there was q rain.
storm that he had to 60 out In. He
was petrifed with a dismal sort Of
horror If he had to hunt out his own
apparel. 1t was on record that once
when they were dining out and Mrs.
Dockity had gone on ahead to spend
the day he didn't come. When finally
they telephoned him he told his az.
asperated wife with tears in his voice
that somehow he couldn't possibly get
a white tie on that looked right.
where r you getting your dress
ties from?" Mrs. Dockity inquired
with IN awful premonition.
From the little drawer to the left
in the top Of the chifonier." recited
Dockity. pathetically.
"Those," breathed Mrs. Dockity
over the phone. ARE my white sum.
mer belts! Look in the drawer be.
low!"
She often said with pathos that If
James would only reform she would
be the happiest woman on earth.
It was nothing short Of tragic then
when Dockity had to go west ON bust.
ness and his return was delayed three
months. Mrs. Dockity worried inces.
sanity over him. IF he wasn't 30
helpless" she said, 1T wouldn't be
so bad, but he'll lose everything he
has and will come home with his cuffs
tied on with strings! He won't be
able to find a thing and nobody will
look out for him and he'll leave a
pair Of pajamas hanging in the closet
of every hotel room he's in! I'm
afraid he won't get enough to eat.
because he never knows what he
wants and always insists on my pick.
ing out things on the bill of fare"
When at last Dockity returned
home his wife looked him over fear.
fully. His coat was OF right side up
and his right shoe was not upon his
left foot. He was wearing his own
hat, his linen was ~presentable and
he was short only one pair Of paja.
mas.
do you feel well, James," Mrs.
Dockity asked, anxiously.
IF I felt any BETTER" declared her
husband, I'D be sick abed from it,"
At breakfast Dockity put sugar and
cream on his berries as ~nonchalantly
as If he had always known how. He
picked up his umbrella from behind
the door and produced his gloves air
lily. Wken he had gone Mrs. Dockity
sat down and breathed hard. She
could not understand 1t.
That evening 1t was still worse.
Dockity dressed without once asking
where anything was. When his wifs
said that she had come to put in the
shirt studs Dockity looked surprised
and said they were already in. He
W got out his silk hat and brushed
it, whistling cheerily, while Mrs.
Dockity stood around making futile
efforts to help him.
She was pale and not herself all
evening and persisted in trumping her
partners ice When they started
home not only did her husband find
his own wraps, but he got hers and
helped her into them.
She did not speak all the way home.
When Dockity turned out the hall
lights instead Of waiting for her to
do 1t she ned upstairs to hide her
emotion.
Just when Mrs. Dockity had reached
the point where she decided that the
queer feeling which possessed her
meant that she was going to die Dock.
ity came with hesitating steps into
the room.
Dear" he murmured. II can't find
the soap-it isn't in the soap dish
and where are my bedroom slippers?"
It was then that his wife cast her
self upon his bosom and dissolved in
a food of tears. Tits p%-p-probably
Slipped down on the h-h-noor!" she
sobbed. "They-they're in your closet
be-behind your g-g-golf shoes! Oh.
James, you haven't seemed natural till
this minute! I th-thought I'd lost
you! I don't like to have you Hook
after youryourself! It doesn't seem
n~atural!"
WELL" grinned the enlightened
Dockity, II wouldn't worry! l guess
! haven't reformed enough in three
months 30 you'd really notice It'll Say,
I wish'd you'd help mel can't get
this blamed tie loose!"-Chicago DAT
" News.
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