The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-16
Copyright. 1914. BY the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate.)

kSOpyT1SnI, 1919 Dy InH hCCluF5
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Mr.. George Griscom, twenty-three
years old, and married less than four
months ago to Miss Dorothy Dayton,
took a sip of his morning coffee and
scowled. Then he started to take a
third, but replaced the cup In it's s.. =
Ger and made use OF the single word:
Stops"
Then he helped himself to slice of
toast-surveyed it-nibbled at it and
laid 1t contemptuously aside and made
Use of the compound word:
"Hen-food,"
Then he reached for a fried sausage
and held 1t up for examination on the
tines Of his fork. 1t was raw on one
side and burned on the other.
Dog meat" said Mr.. Griscom as
he replaced the sausage
Then he folded his arms and looked
at his wife. She hadn't exclaimed
She hadn't hurled the coffee pot She
hadn't burst into tears. There was a
bright spot on each cheek. but she was
controlling herself wonderfully we'll.
For two or three minutes the husband
looked for her to say something, but
as she maintained silence he clapped
on his hat and left the house. An
hour later she was with her mother,
trunk and all
ing that he was a martyr. He had
married a wife that couldn't cook-a
human doll. She couldn't cook, sew,
clean windows. polish the stove or
sweep. He could figure that half the
provisions brought into the house were
wasted. He had married for a help
mate and had been deceived And il
irritated and injured him that she
hadn't talked back. She ought to have
wept or become defiant. She had
given him no opportunity to relate the
story of his long -sufferings through
her incompetency.
: George Griscom, martyr to matri-
mony, wanted to relate his sad, sad
tale in full, even though II made him
him a reproof. but II a wife won't talk
back what is the use of wasting
breath?
It was a long day. and the husband
had not coma TO any decided conclu-
sion when he reached home. He came
to one then In about half a minute.
! was that neither his bride nor her
trunk was in the usual places.
The usual farewell note did not re-
pose on the table. That was another
injury.
Mr.. Griscom went out and bought
him some cheese and crackers and re-
turned TO dine. AS he had finished
his mother-in law opened the door and
walked in on him.
Excuse me. George she said, ''but
I fear / shall have to take up a few
minutes of your valuable time, You
don't like Dorothy's cooking. do you p
"Cookingi" sneered MIR. Griscom.
VERY we'll. | want TO read you a
few extracts from this little notebook
w hen you asked Dorothy to marry
you she replied:
II love you. George, but cans
cook"
delicatessen store, deary, and now and
then go out to restaurant was you'
reply"
But can't sew"
we will hire 1t done"
Il have never even tried TO set 6
table"
I can show you how, darling"
who will make the beds9"
! Mamma thought you would get 6
/ hired girl for me until had chance
to learn these things"
/ You can have three or four o.
them If you wish, sweet angel"
George, do you recall the Words
asked the mother-in-law as sne look
ed up.
"Um," grunted the husband.
Two months before the marriage
|
ed the notebook, Il had a talk witt
you, so that everything might be plain
| / told you that Dorothy had been ava,
| to school for three years and had hat
no chance to learn housework. DIX
/ you recall your reply?
| ''N-um." u
| "I have II here in black and white
You said: Il
That makes no difference Sht
| need never nut her hands into dish
water. 1t will be romantic for me II
do all the cooking
! There you are, George, and how
much cooking have you done?'
George didn't say.
How many hired girls have you
here to give Dorothy a chance?'
But how am / going to pay hired
girl out of my salary"
Let us figure bit. my son. YOU
| cigars cost you 80 cents day. Tha
lis S2.10 a week. Your street car far'
Is the same, although you had mucf
better walk. You have club dues O.
so cents a week. That makes $470 {
week. or more than enough to pay s
girl
/ But you see" began George wher
she stopped him with:
/ "Oh, yes, you are man and 6
/ husband, but what moral or lega
right does that give you over YOU
wife? II she spent one-third as mucl
for candy or flowers there'd be an aw
| full kick. Do you savy, George z"
/ He was wondering why she hadn'
added his beer money in with the othe