The Washington herald., 1914-05-04
DAILY SHORT STORY.
TOO MUCH MUSTARD
BY LOUISE OLIVER.
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NNofsiAsnAS ASiH-l
Mr. and Mrs BindIey had spent twenty
happy years of married life when some
one persuaded the male member Of the
partnership to Join the Mems Rights Club.
Mr.. Bindley at first was shocked at the
| things he heard at the regular Friday
night meetings, where the members re-
| ated instances of their eminence in the
home.
One session did not make him a convert
any more than one swallow can make
| summer, nor did two meetings do the
work. But by the time he had heard
once a week for six months that Smith S
wife brought in half of the income. that
Browns wife and daughters never dared
to sit down at the table before father.
and that Jones never allowed a light in
his house after O'Clock. he began to
think Of all the years he had been blind
ly coddling and pampering Mrs. BindleY.
For weeks lately he had been making
memoranda of past concessions to the
lady he had been accustomed 10 call his
better half. Since his conversion to mems
rights he mentally dubbed her his worse
three-quarters," calculating how much
better on he would have been had he
never married at all. What a jolly life
a bachelor can lead, How much money
he can save
To go back to the memoranda. Mr..
Bindley discovered that his wife was
costing him four hundred dollars a year.
Four hundreds dollars! In twenty years
he had given up eight thousand dollars
for the privilege of being bound down
with iron chains to a humdrum, unro-
mantle existence with his wife.
Well. what was gone was gone, But
he would see TO il that each fiscal yea,
hereafter would find him with $500 more
on the credit side his handbook
There were SO many Things he wanted
"a billiard table to begin with and some
fine guns. for which he had a 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-considered
reform.
He planned his campaign. 1t would be
short and sharp. There was no use
beating about the bush. Sunday morning
at breakfast. ensconced safely behind
the funny supplement. he announced
boldly. Della, I've decided to make a
change in the household accounts. We've
been spending too much money on the
house. I'm going to turn over a new leaf
and blow in a little on myself"
Mrs. Bindley making no reply. he went
on: Il intend to buy a billiard tsbfe,
and turn tire chicken coop into 4 dCm.
I'll fix it up with guns and things and
make il coy. I'm going to keep q
buffet going also. so when the wine
I've ordered comes tomorrow see that
il is safely stored in the cellar
Still no answer. and he continued. en-
by her silence. No one at the
club could call MIN a coward now when
he reported what he had done.
And ! might as well tell you, l 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 a couple. l guess that's all
just now, Della. unless there is-oh. yes,
Suppose you serve my breakfast in my
room after this, will you?''
The answer he now seemed to expect
not being forthcoming, he shifted I'M
easily 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 10 indicate that she re-
sented in the least anything that he had