The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-04
The Eoeni,ag Story

HOO MUCH 040DQ3kUs e
(By Louise Oliver.)
Mr.. and Mrs. Bindley had spent
twenty happy years OF married IKE
when some one persuaded tho male
member Of the partnership to join the
Mons Rights club.
the things he heard at the regular
Friday night meetings, where the
members related instances OF their
eminence In the home.
One session did not make him a
convert any more than one swallow
can make a summer, nor did two
meetings do the work. But by tho
time he had heard once q week for six
months that Smiths wife brought In
half of the income. that Browns wife
at the table before sfather, and that
Jones never allowed q light in his
house after 8 O'Clock. he began to
think Of all the years he had been
blindly coddling and pampering Mrs.
For weeks lately he had been maxi
ing memoranda Of past concessions to
the lady he had been accustomed to
call his better half. Since his CONVEX
sion to mems rights he mentally
ters," calculating how much better
off he would have been had he never
married at all. What q jolly life q
bachelor can lead! How much money
ne can save! -
TO 70 back to the memoranda, Mr..
Bindley discovered that his wife was
costing him four hundred dollars a
year. Four hundred dollars! In twen-
ty years he had given up eight thou
sand dollars for the privilege OF being
humdrum, unromantic existence with
his wife.
Well, what was gone was gone! But
he would see to it that each fiscal year
hereafter would find him with four
hundred dollars more on the creolt
side Of his bank book.
There were SO many things he want
ed-a billiard table to begin with ana
some fine guns. for which he had
craze. Then he could take an extra
week In the fall and go hunting with
some friends.
Indeed. there was no end OF the GOOD
things which would come his way
after he had instituted the much con-
sidered reform.
He planned his campaign. It would
be short and sharp. There was no use
beating about the bush. Sunday
morning at breakfast, ensconced SAFE
ly behind the funny supplement. he
announced boldly. Della, I've decid.
accounts. We've been spending too
much money on the house.. I'm going
to turn, over new leaf and blow IN
little ON myself"
Mrs. Bindley making NO reply. he
went on: IT intend to buy a billiard
table, and turn the chicken coop into
q den. I'll fix 1t up with guns and
things and make 1t cozy. I'm going
to keep a buffet going also, so when
the wine I've. ordered comes tomor-
row see that it is safely stored in the
cellar
Still no answer. and he continued.
encouraged by her silence. No one
at the club could call him a coward
now when he reported what he had
done.
don't want my socks darned any
more When they get holes In EN-.
just throw them away. I'll get new
ones And you can give those two
old suits to Jake, I've ordered q cou-
pie. guess that's all just now.
Della, unless there is-oh. yes! Sup
pose you serve envy breakfast In my
room after this, will your?
The answer he now seemed to ex-
pect not being forthcoming. he shift
ed uneasily in his chair.
Then Mrs. Bindley started quietly
to remove the dishes from the table
and busy herself in the kitchen.
All day Sunday he watched her out
of the corner Of one eye. But there
was nothing to indicate that she re-
scented in the least anything that ne
had said. AZ usual. she went TO
church, prepared a splendid dinner.
read in the afternoon and went TO
church again at night.
The next morning he was served q
delectable breakfast in bed.
'What q fool I've been all these
years." he remarked joyfully to his
coffee cup. ut just shows that when
a man really asserts himself q woman
admires him all the more. 1t all goes
back to the old cave man theory.
Beat her and she'll follow you till
death. must call up Jones"
He called up Zones" that day and
was duly congratulated ON his spunk.
But on Tuesday he did not call up
night when he went home ne mao
found Mrs. Bradley gone. bag and
baggage, with not q word a. to her
whereabouts.
He ate q dinner Of cold liver and
onions he found in the refrigerator
coffee. Mr.. Bindley had never been
known to approach the kitchen stove
and knew nothing OF cooking.
That night he contracted . cold In
his chest. "Wednesday he stayed In
bed: after attempting to make max =, : mus
tard mixed without -four or lard.
burned . hole Through several layers
He managed to telephone for the
doctor to come and fix up the hole.
not realizing how sick he was. But II
took the doctor about . minute and
q half to discover that MT. Btndley
! was really on the verge OF pneumOnsa,
although he said he didn't hurt inside
Mr.. Bfndley declared that he could
not, dared not, must not. BE- sick, an
his wife was away. But the doctor
insisted that he was in for 1t, and had
better let him call an ambulance to