Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-11-28

Out of the
Frying Pan
And In Due Time Into
the Fire
By SADIE OLCOTT

What on earth did l get married
forT' growled Ainsworth, slamming
the front door of his house behind him
and crushing his hat down on his head
as he left his home for business. 'Tm
going down to that dlngy office, where
the sun never creeps in, to slave all
day by artificial light to procure food
and clothes for another. Before l put
this yoke on my neck was free as air.
II | wanted cocktail or a cigar l
bought 1t; If wanted to play poker
with my friends till 3 In the morning
could do 1t without being beholden to
any one. Now can't.
"Oh, for the sense of freedom that
| had when was single-free as a
bird, light as air! When l woke up
in the morning was not weighed
down by n sense of responsibility as
now When | went to bed l didn't
have to listen to reproaches for some
thing | had done or something hadn't
done during the day. Instead of hay
ing my way In petty things as have
now, giving up In the important ones,
had 1t In both great and small things
There were no ten dollar hat frames to
buy, with fifteen dollar ostrich feath-
ers attached; no new spring and fall
costumes because the men who invent
the fashions get them up so that the
unworn and perfectly good garments
Of the last season can't be made over.
What induced me to give up peace,
comfort and freedom to take upon my
self a multitude of annoyances and
cares / don't know. II l were out of 1t
would never go into 1t again."
How in the world shall l get
through all have to do today% said
Mrs. Ainsworth to herself. 81 wish
were back in the happy days when
didn't have to do drudgery. There's
the washing just come in. and I've
got to go over all Jlm's underclothing,
mend every hole and replace every
button or he'll take my head of when
he puts the things on. When l was
free mother used to take care Of my
clothes. Now l have to do 1t myself
and take care Of Jlm's too. And yet
the comic papers are full Of silly Jokes
on mothers-in-law. l wish mother
were here this morning to give me a
lift with my days work. II she were
| suppose every time she opened her
mouth Jim would growl at her. She
would be his mother-in-law and my
mother OF course 1t wouldn't be 80
nice II she were my mOther-in-law and
his mother. Anyway, 1t wouldn't dis
turb him. He goes down to his Of
fee every morning and gets rid Of the
household worry till evening Then
when he comes home I'm expected to
look cheerful and kiss him with u
smile on my lips when I'm dead tired
with all I've been doing during the
day. I'd Just like to change places
with him for one day I can see him
now sitting In his office, scanning a
newspaper and smoking n cigar or
chatting about the market and wheth-
er money Is easy or tight or what eff
feet the tariff will have on prices. And
men call those the annOyances Of a
business life I'd like mighty well TO
have one of them at home and the
cook walk off In u passion an hour be-
fore dinner. | guess he'd find out
what responsibility means"
ION for home, Mr. AinsworthT said
Jones, the bOokkeeper, at the end OF
business hours. IL wish had home.
never envy married men so much as
when the days work IL over, with Its
annOyances and disappointments, and
you go to your own dwellings. A
pretty wife opens the door for you and
gives you a kiss. You sit down TO a
dinner Of home cooking; then In the
evening II you are tired you sit beside
table covered with periodicals and
smoke the happy hours away. or II
you like TO go out to an amusement
you've some one to go with you-some
one with whom you are congenial,
some one you love"
Just So was Mr.. AinswOrths la.
comic assent.
But we miserable bachelors" the
garrulous Jones continued what
must we do-go to n desolate room
filed full Of nothing? Nothing meets
US at the door. Nothing gives us
welcoming kiss. We sit down on
chair and pull nothing down on our
lap to sympathize with US In our dis
agreeable experiences Of the day
While we are making toilet nothing
talks to us, and when we are ready
for dinner nothing goes with US. Sin
gle life is just brim full Of nothing.
And there you are"
ut beats all" growled Ainsworth as
soon as he could get away from Jones,
how persons will be 30 stupid as not
to know when they are well Of"
Good afternoon, Mrs. Ainsworth,"
said Miss Elsie Asche. II Just called
in hoping you might be able TO cheer
me up bit. do get 80 tired doing
nothing. And after girl becomes too
old to hobnob with young men who
haven't become absorbed In the af-
fairs OF n career she IL left out In tho
cold. Everybody says to me, Why
don't you TAKE up some work.
don't need To take up some work, and
| don't wish 10 tnke up some work.
What ! crave II what Is natural for
M 4 a HIEEnRn