The Detroit times., 1916-08-30
TheEpening Story
When He Was a Bachelor.
Copyright 'sl5. 3y W. Werner

ent-mOnOtOnOuS. But It's ne
cessaty and must be done. Now.
when | was bachelor lie got
no further
Mrs, Smith could not conceal her
irritation. She gasped. Then she
clapped both hands TO her ears to
shut out the sound and fed from
the room. Smith looked after her
in astonishment. Now, what IN
Samhill Is the matter with Mary"
he wondered. She seems to be out
of patience.
But Mrs. Smith knew. when he
was bachelor" She almost wished
Smith had remained In his former
state OF bachelorhood. She flung
herself upon the bed, her nerves
keyed up TO such tension another
word would have snapped them.
She was six years a wife and during
the six years Smiths continual ref
erence 10 his housewifely skill dur
ing his days OF bachelorhood had
become a bug bear TO his inexperi-
| enced wife No matter what was
the cause OF vexation--failure OF
| the bread 10 rise IA IL should. the
boiling over OF the coffee. steak
over or underdone, butter that re.
fused to gather" or the jelly that
wouldn't jell-anything. everything,
no matter what. brought from Smith
"Reminiscences OF something that
| had happened TO him when ne WAS
a bachelor and kept house for him.
| self The worst OF Il all was-to
! hear him tell the story-he invaria-
! bly, came of conqueror in whatever
| trouble he had 10 struggle with.
| His pies always came from the oven
delicately Drowned on top, his bread
well. he could make the best
| bread um-m And when it came
10 buckwheat cakes and smothered
chicken mother had nothing on
him. not on your life And talking
bout butter he had once taken a
prize for butter making at the coun.
TAR yes really.
Mrs. Smith lay on her bed and
stared mp AT the ceiling. II her
thoughts turned regretfully back 10
the tiny country school house with
its salary OF $50 a month, and no
CHASTITY cook stove looming darkly
in the background to mar her peace
no do W
blame her? or course il was all
right that John should know how 10
cook His mother, having no girls,
had always taught her boys house
wifely knowledge, while she had
gone constantly TO school until her
graduation, and thence to country
schoolroom to teach. On her mar
riage the art OF housekeeping wa
to be learned, and John taught her
Whatever her thoughts were, "a
sharp wrap upon the door brought
her 10 her feet Before she could
cry out the door few open and Bot
ty Deane. Johns cousin from tie
city. breezed in I'm the dumps.
do believe. cries Mistress Betty,
putting off her wraps. What's the
matter now? Out with the trouble "
Mrs Smith smiled, though she
VAS still in a nervous tremor IT'S
really nothing she denied, moth
ing at all e" Then she burst out,
only you see. John was a baChe-
lor long while before We were
married. and his mother had taught
him how TO cook Somehow he
see ms never 10 have had any fail
ures, can't manage IT, A new
problem comes up every day. | am
a failure as a housekeeper and John
reminds me many times a day OF
how he managed when he was a
| bachelor and kept house for him
self Now I'm ashamed to admit il,
| but those words When | was a
bachelor in Johns mouth have be
| come an obsession Sometimes
think I'll run away" And then Mrs
Smith did exactly the thing she did
not want to do She burst out cry.
ING
Failure calculated Mistress
Betty scornfully "Not a bit OF It.
| know about Johns housekeeping
faugh Let's 20 into your pantry
and get a snack. We've come fifty
miles In slow machine and I'm
hungry as bear. Tom and | have
come TO make you days visit and
your supper hour on the farm is 8
o'clock You see | know
Betty was oblivious to Mrs.
Smiths tears. for which Mrs. Smith
was thankful They made pot OF
fresh coffee and set out a good
lunch on the dining table. When
the three were in the very thick OF
the eating in walked Mr.. Smith
10. Cousin John. cries Mistress
Betty. genially putting out Anger
shake"
John, knowing his cousin Betty
very we'll shook hands with inward
foreboding. He felt mistrustful OF
Betty.
This reminds me OF the time we
swooped down on you In your days
OF single blessedness and found you
unprepared for visitors" says the In
corrigible Betty. only this time
there's plenty 10 eat and the cook.
ing IL better" Smith did not look
exactly pleased. And We were