Mexico Missouri message., 1917-03-15
IN KITCHEN
WHY MR.. eUNNEY WAS EATING
CRACKERS AND CHEESE.
Unlike Most Husbands, However, He.
Was Willing to Admit That His Bet
ter Half Really Had Some Good
Reason to Be Mad.

"Bassett," requested Mr.. Quincy,
leaning over the counter of the general
store, Il wish you'd give me bout a
pound of crackers and mebbe five
cents wuth of cheese. You needn't
wrop 1t up" he went on as Mr.. Bassett
reached for the Irvine. II expect to
eat it right here, if you don't mind the
crumbs"
Caleb Peaslec, watching placidly,
turned to Mr.. Quincy.
"Ain't that kind of light diet for
you, ObedY he asked. wife amt
left We, has she?"
Mr. Quincy shifted his feet and red
dened perceptibly.
oval, yes" he admitted, II d'know
but ye could call it that. She's gone
over to Dedham for the day"
"She didn't leave a great sight of
grub cooked up" he said, "if you're
down to crackers and cheese already.
| What you ben dom, Obed?"
Obed looked ut Caleb with whim-
steal smile.
"'Twas my fault, Caleb" he admit
ted sheepishly, "and now I'm gettin'
paid out for ii.
"Prob'ly 1t was six months agony
wife says twas, but it don't seem
nothin' like that long ago to me-that
she begun to poster me bout fiXin' the
kitchen chimley. She claimed it didn't
draw as IL ought to, and, to be honest,
i there were tire when it smoked con-
sld'able. But you know how it's. A
man does the work that seems to be
crowdln' him wust, and lets the rest go
with lick and promise-and in this
case bout all the chimley got was the
promise.
"Course was cal'latin' to fix it when
got round to it, but it was one of
them jobs that seems 'sif they can be
done bout as well one time as another
and fnly my wife quit talkin' bout it,
and l let it go out of my mind COM
plcte.
81 noticed from time to time that
when she'd be cOOkin' and was round
the kitchen she'd be kind of short and
curt with me, and her mouth would be
shut sort of tight; but that amt on
common with most women, and it's
better to let 'em alone at such times,
I've found.
Il s'pose what brought things to n
head was my goin' off with Ben SOmers
yesterday. l suppose l might jest as
well and better been ut home fixin' that
chimley; as 1 told you, since she quit
talkin' bout it, l amt thought of II
scurcely. l told her them very words
this mOrnin', and they only made her
madden.
"'Wal,' s'she, you pay heed to what
l say this time, for it's my last word
"'There was food 'nough cooked this
mornin' for one persons breakfast she
says, bitin' the words off short, and
ct it myself. What you're goin' to dc
for breakfast don't know, but amt
gOin' to get it for yOu-not on that
stove, with the Chimley in the shape
it Is now!
I'm gOin' to get ready now,' s'she
and go over to Dedham for the day
Ill be back tonight, and If by that time
you've got that chimley fixed, we'll and
good. But she says, with her mouth
shut tighter'n airy bear trap you eveI
see, not one spoonful of victuals do
cook over that stove till it is fixed
and you can lay your mind to thatn
"And with that" continued Mr.. Gun
ney gloomily, "off she went, and make
no doubt she was in the right ont"
He rose and brushed the cracker
crumbs from his lap.
81 guess I'd better be gettin' back tC
work on that chimley," he remarked
and BaSsett and Mr.. Peaslee grlnneC
i'm cvmDothy -Ynuth'S Compon ion