Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-18

he nodded in the mirror opposite, and his
voice was a piping imitation of spinster
friend, 81 do believe hear the doorbell!'
The bell undoubtedly had rung. The
kitchen bell it was, and with cry of joy
Tom seized the can of oysters from the boys
hand and, reaching for fork, began to eat
ravenouslv, Food to a laboring man is
sweet" he said, and nodded to the grinning
boy: then sat down and at leisure ate of
bread and butter and oysters until he could
eat no more. Pushing the things aside, he
got up and stretched his arms at full length.
SLEEPY? No cat was ever more So |
haven't stopped minute; but nothing's
done The house looks like it's had an acct
dent. 1t may be good thing for man to
know how big fool he is; but this man will
never be the same kind of fool again The
next time | stay home all day it will be be-
cause I'm dead, or likely to be in day or so.
I'm going to sleep for fifteen minutes. My
head feels like a buzzsaw. Just fifteen min
utesi'
TWO hours later he opened his eyes, and
with a confused sense of something
wrong jumped up guiltily and hurried into
the dining room. "Set the table, Thomas"
he said aloud and as if to someone at his
side. "Set the table and demonstrate your
theories. Where's the water cooler?"
1OIlS llllO tilc pdIllly, He llCktu up lliC
water cooler and placed it in the center of
the dining table "When there's no maid
one must do his own waiting" he com
mented under his breath, and around the
ungainly object he placed six glasses Sew
eral loaveS of bread were next cut and placed
on the table, butter was brought from the
refrigerator, and plates, knives, forks, cups,
| and saucers arranged in awkward fashion,
after which he stood off and looked admir-
ingly at the work of his hands.
"Not an unnecessary thing on it, His
voice was triumphant. "Women are nat
urally weak when it comes to a change of
customs. They like pretty things too we'll"
In the kitchen he put celery and lettuce in
a pan of water, investigated the shelves, and
made effort to decide which was the tea
kettle and which the coffee pot, knocked over
a couple of saucepans, and finally laid on
huge platter three large steaks and looked
at them lovingly.
In the hall the clock was striking, and in
Amusement he took out his watch and looked
at it. Four o'clock, Where had the day
gone? A grasshopper couldn't have been
more active; but what had he done?
was coming in the door.
HOW do you do. Mrs. Markham?' Val
II iantly her husband nodded toward her.
"Come over and tell me how you do?'
Marie at arms length held up her lips to
be kissed. what in the world have you
been"
4Havingo A beautiful time, of course
I'm thinking of joining New Thought So
ciety. I've been thinking New Thought all
day. One more day like this, and I'd take
my X. n. degree. That means Know
Nothing, Marie. K. n. means Know
Nothing.
"But what have you been doing all day."
Marie's voice was only less dismayed than
her face. "The house is as cold as an ice
pond and the street hasn't been swept, and
nothing has been cleaned up. Our room is a
sight. The things have been just thrown on
the bed, and the bathroom not touched. |
bet youv been reading!'
Reading! | haven't sat down since you
left, and had nothing for my lunch but some
oysters and bread. did take little nap
But I'm always through with everything
by eleven when have no maid and | sew
and have company and go out and"
Il don't doubt it; but you don't have the
doorbells and telephone to ring ten thousand
times as they have done today. There's the
phone again! The miserable thing ought
to be taken out! It's blamed nuisance"
V/IPING his hands on a corner of the
w tablecloth, Tom hesitated a moment,