The Washington herald., 1915-02-07

... ::
being still resolved to humor the
lunatic at any coSt-and that finally
in a somewhat dishevelIed. chipped
and discolored condition, he was asi
sisted to his coat and shown cut by
the back door, the shopway being
barred by Jennie. Mr.. Coombes'
wandering thoughts then turned t6
Jennie. Jennie had been unable to un-
fasten the shop door, but she shot the
bolts against Mr.. Coombes' latchkey, !
and remained in possession of the
shop for the rest of the evening.
1t would appear that Mr.. Coombes
then returned to the kitchen, still in
pursuit OF gayety, and, albeit a strict
Good TemPlar, drank (or split down
the front of the first and only frock
coat no less than FIVE bottles of the
stout Mrs. Coombes insisted upon
having for her health's sake. He made
cheerful noises by breaking off tho
necks of the bottles with several OF
his wife's wedding present dinner
| plates, and during the earlier part Of
this great drunk he sang divers
merry ballads. He cut his finger
rather badly with one of the bottles
the only bloodshed in this story
and what with that, and the SYSTEM
attic convulsion of his inexperienced
physiology by the liquorish brand OF !,
Mrs. Coombes' stout, it may be the
evil of the fungus poison was some
how allayed. But we prefer to draw
veil over the concluding Incidents
of this Sunday afternoon. They end
ed in the coal cellar, in deep and
healing sleep.
An interval of FIVE years elapsed.
Again it was a Sunday afternoon in
October, and again Mr.. Coombes
walked through the pinewood beyond
the canal. He was still the same dark
eyed, black-mustached little man
| that he was at the outset of the story,
| but his double chin was now scarcely
so illusory as it had been. His over
coat was new, with a velvet lapel, and
stylish collar with turn-down cor
ners, free of any coarse starchiness,
| had replaced the original all-round
article. His hat was glossy, his gloves
newish-though one finger had split
and been carefully mended. And a
| casual observer would have noticed
about him certain rectitude of bear
ing, a certain erectness of head that
marks the man who thinks well of
himself. He was a master now, with.
three assistants. Beside him walked
| a larger sunburned parody of hint 4
self, his brother Tom, just back from
Australia. They were recapitulating
their early struggles, and Mr..
Coombes had just been making a
/ financial statement
"It's very nice little business,
Jim," said brother Tom. an these
days of competition you're jolly lucky
to have worked it up so. And you're
! jolly lucky, too, to have wife who's
willing to help like yours does"
Between ourselves" said Mr..
Coombes, at wasn't always so. 1t
wasn't always like this. To begin
with, the missus was a bit giddy.
Girls are funny creatures"
Dear mel" ..--.
"Yes. You'd hardly think II, buts
she was downright extravagant, and
always having slaps at me. / was
bit too easy and loving, and all !
that, and she thought the whole
blessed show was run for her. Turn ;
ed the 'ouse into regular caravan !
sary, always having her relations and .
girls from business in; and their
chaps. Comic songs a Sunday, it was
getting to, and driving trade away.
And she was making eyes at the
chaps, too! tell you, Tom, the place
wasn't my own"
Shouldn't "a thought IL" J
at was so. WE'LL reasoned with
her. l said, I amt duke, to keep
a wife like a pet animal married
you for 'elp and company said,
You got to 'elp and pull the busi-
ness through She wouldn't ear of
it. Very WE'LL l says; I'm a mild
man till I'm roused,' says, and it's ,
getting to that But she wouldn't ear
of no warnings"
"Well?" y
"It's the way with women. She
didn't think l 'ad it in me to be
reused. Women of her sort (between
ourselves, Tom) don't respect a man
until they're a bit afraid of him. So
l just broke out to show her. In
comes a girl named Jennie, that used
to work with her, and her chap. We
'ad bit of row, and / came out
'ere-it was just such another day
as this-and thought it all out. Thea
| went back and pitched into them"
you did,"
81 did. was mad, can tell you.
| wasn't going to 1t 'er, if l could 'elp
it. so went back and licked into this
chap, just to show 'er what I could
do. f was big chap, too. Well, 1
chucked him, and smashed things
about, and gave 'er a soaring, and
she ran up and locked 'erself into
the spare room."
"Well?"
That's all. / says to 'er the next
morning, Now you know, / says,
what I'm like when I'm roused' And
didn't ave to say anything more"
"And you've been happy ever after,
!. eh?"
$50 to speak. There's nothing like
putting your foot down with them.
If it 'adn't been for that afternoon I
should "a been tramping the roads
now, and she'd "a been grumbling at
me, and all her family grumbling for
bringing her TO poverty-I know
their little ways. But we're all right
now. And it's very decent little,
business, as you say"
They proceed on their way medita-
lively. women are funny creatures"