Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-02-27
WAS GOOD and kind
BUT Still. CRITICISED

Ross winked at me.
II suppose you think l didn't see
that" said the Madam to me.
James is getting into a habit Of
sneering at anything estimable," Mrs.
Ross informed the Madam. "You
might suppose he thought it unmanly
In Mr.. Dunphy to be perfectly and un-
varyingly polite and considerate to the
woman he married"
THAT seems to be Paurs attitude"
sighed the Madam.
at was his loveliness' got me-"
Ross pleaded in eXtenuation. He re-
minds me of white rabbit that some
body has forgotten to feed--supposing
rabbit capable Of growing ginger
whiskers."
"He can't help his looks, Mr. Ross"
reproved the Madam, gravely.
He might if he'd get safety razor
and go at himself with determination"
1 put in.
Il suppose when he brings Mrs.
Dunphy's breakfast up to her room,
before he starts down town, she
doesn't mind his looks so much," re-
marked Mrs. Ross, to nobody in par
ticular.
"They would spoil my appetite,
know that" said Ross.
"That's pretty cheap wit, James,"
said his wife, pityingly.
"She told me that he never forgot
her birthday or their wedding ami
versary since they've been married."
the Madam contided to her friend.
"The day before our wooden wedding
1 asked Paul If he knew what day 1t
was tomorrow, and he said 'Wednes-
day" .
so it was," maintained
"And then when l looked at him he
stammered and guessed it was my
birthday, and my birthdays in Octo-
ber."
"Fierce!" commented Ross, hypo-
critically.
"You needn't say anything" OBJ
served his wife.
Getting tho Dates Mixed.
Il merely got the dates confused
in the heat of the moment" explain
ed, with dignity. And l came across,
didn't II"
Its the thought" said my wife.
That's it," Mrs. Ross chimed in.
And the way that dear man took hold
with the housecleaning was simply
fine. | saw him down on his hands
and knees with a scrubbing brush two
days in succession, and he beat all
the rugs"
1T beats ALL" Ross snickered.
I'D like to see Paul beat rug" in
terposed my wife
/ was about to crafty her when she
changed her mind and l had to men
tion the vacuum cleaner that had re-
Gently bought. How about that?" l
asked. 81
You know that we couldn't make it
work" she answered, with feminine
ingratitude and lack of logic. IF you
had paid little more and got good
one"-
Whats the use!" grinned Ross.
Mrs. Ross seemed to be little put
out. IF l used slang I'd say the same
thing" she said, turning to the Madam.
You can't get James to admit that a
man who tries to be helpful and sweet
isn't necessarily a poor, hen-pecked
creature. Because Mr.. Dunphy helps
to dress and battle the children and
doesn't drink or smoke or use bad
language and finds his greatest happi-
ness in his family circle, James
laughs"
"Paul's the same way, PRECISE
LY," said the Madam. Il was telling
him the other day that Mr.. Dunphy"-
Pardon me, but don't you think he
is little hen-pecked?" asked Ross.
The ideal" exclaimed Mrs. Ross.
Indeed, do not, said the Madam
They are like sweethearts, and Mrs.
Dunphy never does anything without
consulting him. She told me so. They
talk everything over. He doesn't rage
and carry on becaLse somebody acci-
dentally broke pipe that he had care
lessly"--
felt it my duty to speak plainly
mildly, but positively, stated my opin-
ion that Mr.. Dunphy was an effemi-
nate freak, eaten up with the pride
and vain-gloriousness of petty domes-
tic pottering; that he had an insatia-
BILE craving for the praise that his
wife slobbered and stopped on him
morning, noon and night, to keep him
up to the high milk-andwater mark
they had jointly set; that his highest
ambition was to pose as such COM
bination of yard-boy, butler, nurse
maid, lady's maid and tame tom-cat
as would excite the admiration and en-
Wy of was going to add fool fe-
males" but, even as | checked myself.
voice broke in from the shadow of
| the porch where We were sitting, a
voice sad, solemn ard full of rebuke
"You haven't heard the news about
poor Dunphy," it said
There was a general exclamation
and question
Dead" said Timrod. for it was he
who had come upon US, unobserved
Drowned }
We were frozen with horror, and
two of US, | think, with remorse. In
an instant the man we had maligned
had passed beyond the poisonous at
mosphere of our petty structures and
envious misconstruction into the Great
Mystery and assumed majesty be.
fore which We spiritually crawled, like
the insects we were.
There was long silence, and then
| again the women questioned:
"Im afraid 1t was not accidental
answered Timrod reluctantly. III