Smyrna times., 1917-03-07
BROUCHER'S SARCASM |
sv HAROLD BRONSON.


soolIsh person once told him that he
~os delightfully."-, wickedly sarcastic.
~bot explained him. 1t is rather an
.uful thing when a man gets an idea
.bot he has a gift for sarcasm. He
!, particularly apt to cultivate it.
Rroucher became unpopular. He
vss not really such bad sort Of fell
low not even ill-tempered, but he de-
relOped a sort of carping habit Of
.nAech for the more frequent display
A his gift and his associates natu-
aIly got down on him.
II was in his loneliness that he be-
.su his wooing of Miss Bardexter, the
meek and amlable little woman whose
rImble, white fingers ratified over the
keys Of the typewriter in the office.
Miss Bardexter rather admired |
Vroucher's style Of talk. Perhaps it
vss she who originally complimented |
him on 1t. Anyway, Broucher got |
into the habit of lingering about her
DISK and saying wickedly sarcastic
things about the other men in the
0nce. The upshot of the thing was
that he married her.
But with the waning Of the honey
moon It was different. If anything
gent a little crossways he usually
eaued attention to it, and Of course
a Young hOusekeeper is not an old
Oue and things will go a little cross
ways at first.
Then It was: Dearest, l have OBJ
served with some pain that you are
not sufficiently considerate Of the feel
ugs Of the young lady who has so
kindly consented to assist you in the
nre of the household. You must re-
member that girls in domestic service
have their feelings"
~Why, Courtney, dearl am sure ]
! have always tried"
@Yes, yes, know. don't think you
meant to hurt her, but there is that
yOung man Of hers and her girl friend
and her young man in the kitchen
now. I know they are there because
Ihear them very plainly, indeed. They
have been there three nights hand
running now, and you have never
once invited them to use the parlor
and the piano, so that they have been
obliged to put up with the kitchen and
4 mouth organ. Don't you think it
would be nice for you to go out and
invite them in. I'm afraid If do it ]
shall be tactless."
Mrs. Broucher would look at him
Gmidly and hesitatingly, and he would
sustain her look with an unpleasantly
band smile. Then she would go out
to the kitchen, and shortly after the
sounds of revelry would cease.
But Broucher was not dissatisfied
when letter came announcing visit
from his mOther-in-law whom he had
never seen; he said he would be more
than delighted. "You see, we bore
each other so that any distraction is
welcome" he said with a smile, and
patted his wife on her plump cheek.
1 But Mrs. Bardexter arrived, bag and
baggage, for a months visit, and then
WELL there was no trouble; she was
a mighty sweet and easy-tempered
woman. But she seemed to take
Boucher so seriously. When he came
down a little late and observed that
he apprehended the consideration his
wife had shown in not waking him
as he liked to be late at the office, oc
eslOnally-it looked independent
then did Mrs. Bardexter exclaim
We'll! l should think you would b'
afraid they might not like it."
"YOu don't mean to say we hav'
4 eggs, dearv' Broucher said a littl'
later. "This is indeed a surprise. MIC
little change, isn't it?'
4Emmie said you had been havini
them so often lately that you wer
hind Of sick Of them," said Mrs. Bar
dexter in a surprised tone.
What did you put that roast in tn
oven for, my own?" asked Brouchel
You have warmed it almost through
believe and it would have been S
much nicer quite raw, to say nothin
Of the gas you must have useC
Haven't you a little really raw meati
Mrs. Bardexter got up from the II
Die, went out and came back with
ace little piece of raw beefsteak.
"Oh, mamma" said Mrs. Brouche
Courtney doesn't really like ra'
neat. He was just making fun. d
uEes it quite well done and I'm afrai
Ills just little bit undone."
Courtney, do you always mea
what you don't say?" inquired h
nOther-in-law.
How could Broucher keep it up2 e
couldn't, All this happened in the fir
week and Mrs. Bardexter's stay WI
pfOonged to five more. People wit
cut any sense of humor are awful
Tying, but there is really no use
ugntng against them.
Courtney" said Mrs. Bardexte
Shen she was leaving for her hon
Grand Rapids, "when first came
aOaced that you talked very strane
v out you don't do it any more al