The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-11-19
A HUSBANDS
DlSCoM future
Futile Attempt 10 Cure a Bad
Memory.

interested.
"My dear" said Mrs. Jastrum, II do
wish that could rely on you to attend
to such household matters as require
your attention"
my DEAR" replied Mr.. Jastrum
sharply, lowering the paper, III you
will name any especial matter requir-
Ing my attention instead of blaming
me beforehand I shall be happy to
oblige you"
every we'll wish you to post
letter for me ON your way downtown"
"Do you call that household mat
ter? Isupposed you referred to leak
In the roof or some plumbing or gas re-
pairs. Indeed, you have made as much
fuss about 1t as IL you had. II It's only
a letter you want posted I should sup
pose you might have dispensed with
your structures
"Thats all wish this morning" re-
piled Mrs. Jastrum in an injured tone.
Just before Mr.. Jastrum departed his
wife slipped a letter in the right hand
pocket of his overcoat. He kissed her
perfunctOrily and went away. intend
ing when out of sight to carry the let
ter In his hand that he might not for
get 1t, but he had no sooner turned the
corner than he met HicksOn. HicksOn
asked him II he had noticed the fall In
the price Of copper Jastrum said that
he had, whereupon HicksOn said that
1t was sure to go lower. Jastrum hur-
ried away to his brokers' Office and
gave him an order to sell out his hold
ings in copper at once. Then he went
to his own Office and hung up his over
coat. with the letter In 1t.
At 9 in the evening Mr.. Jastrum
opened the front door of his house and
was greeted with the smell Of gas.
"Phew! My dear Betsy. hello! Where
are your
"Up here, dear"'
Mr.. Jastrum went upstairs and found
his wife sitting in her bedroom in her
fur cloak, with the windows open.
Good gracious" he exclaimed, TAX
ing In the situation. when did the
leak OccurW
81 noticed faint smell Of gas this
morning as soon as l got up, but 1t
was In the cellar and not very strong
in the house. I kept the cellar door
shut, but by noon the house was full
of It."
"And why, may ask, didn't you tell
me, so that l could have notified the
plumber"
"When the leak In the water pipe
occurred ! asked you to stop at the
plumbers ana send him right around.
You forgot 1t, and the house was flood
ed. spelling both the dining room and
parlor carpets. besides the ceilings of
both rooms
"And out of revenge, to show your
Not at all. Finding | could not
trust to your memory all the way to
the gas Office, | concluded to subject 1t
to much less strain. Both the post
and gas Offices are very near yours
the postOtiice across the street. the gas
office on the same block. | wrote you
II note asking you to 20 to the gas
Office and tell them to send man here
Mt once"
"And mailed the letter this morn
ingW
Yes. There Is mail box, as you
know, just around the corner. The
pOstman takes up the mail ut 8 n. IN.
My letter was dropped in the box not
two minutes after you left the house
this morning and should have been
handed you on the II o'clock delivery.
Didn't you get it?'
Get It? No. Doubtless you thought
you put 1t in, but forgot it. You're
always grumbling about my forgetting
to post your letters, while you are the
real delinquent. Nobody knows how
many times you have claimed to kSvs
given me letters to post that you have
intended to post yourself and have for
gotten"
Did you post the one l gave you
this mOrningT
Jnstrum looked dazed for a moment,
then frightened. He thrust his hand
In his overcoat pocket and drew forth
the letter
II met Hickson--just after--I left
you," he stammered guiltily, land he
Look at the address"
He did as she asked and saw that
the letter was addressed to himself.
Read IT,"
He tore of the cover and read
The gas Is escaping In the cellar Send
n man at once.
Jnstrum stood looking at the letter
long enough to have read two pages.
isn't II plain?" asked his wife.
Without replying, he rushed down
stairs and out, slamming the door be-
hind him, intending to get n man to
do what he didn't know how to do
himself-turn Off the gas. His next
door neighbor came In with n monkey
wrench ana did the trick. Jastrum
then went upstairs His wife stood
laughing at him,
my dear" he said. not In reproach.
but giving the word its real meaning,
Its "A horse on me- Wait with din.
ncr II few minutes while | go out and
telephone for seats Mt the theater. Aft
AZ hn NAV