The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-25
Regulations of a Wife
CHAPTER XII.
BY ADELE GARRISON,

BY ADELE c
CHAPTER XII.
What Dieky Told Madss That Sunday
Morning.
What are you going to do, Madge!
Why the uniform?" Dicky looked
around Azily up from the Sunday
newspapers, which were strewn around
the couch in the living room. where he
lay stretched at ease. 1t was Sunday
morning. Dicky's "lazy time" of the
week.
The Sunday morning before this ]
mad sat near him in the big chair, also
reading and we bad promised ourselves
tnat this would be our weekly custom.
neither OF us having much inclination
for church.
But THIS morning, with the cxoecta-
ton of guests in the evening, ! Kne,y
that there was work waiting Tor me- so
as soon as Dicky was thoroughly alb
sorbed in his paper, had slipped into
my room and put on one of my kitchen
aprons. A sense of unfamiliarity came
to me as I buttoned it, for I had not
worn 1t since Katie had taken the helm
of the kitchen. had hoped that Dicky
would not notice my absence. but he
saw and called me as passed through
the living room on my way to the
kitchen.
Il must prepare those sailed almonds
for tonight, Dicky," I replied.
Bother the sailed almonds. I told
you to get those that were all ready.
Can't Katie do them?"
Katie has all she can do" I ex-
planned patiently. "She had the dim
ner to prepare, and then this afternoon
she will polish up the furniture a bit"
Dicky gave a groan Of pretended dis
may.
Don't tell me, Madge, you're one of
the women who start to cleaning house
every time they expect guests" he be-
gan. II used to VOW that never, never
would I marry one of that stripe. 1t
takes all the comfort of having any
body come to the house to have every
thing so stiff"
I wanted to remind Dicky of his
diatribe of a few days before, when
he had hurt me immeasurably by his
criticism of the disordered living room.
But / had learned that inconsistency
|acteristics. The opinion he expressed
one day he was likely to contradict the
next so I skirted the topic carefully.
We're not going to clean house,
|Dicky-nothing that will disturb you a
bit. But 1 must prepare the almonds
myself. 1t is tedious job. and want
the time after dinner free for the sand
witches and the table. You'll run out
this morning and get me a few flowers,
won't you?"
Sure" agreed Dicky, "but there's no
hurry, is there?"
None at ALL" I assured him.
"All right, then, I'll go after a while"
He resumed his reading and 1 went to
the kitchen.
please get me the nut-cracker and
the almonds you brought home last
night" told Katie. Il will crack them
here on the end of the kitchen table.
Be sure that you have plenty of boiling
water in the tea kettle by the time /
finish them"
"All right, Missis Graham, 1 feex."
Katie was hustling around the kitchen.
getting the breakfast dishes out of the
way with more than ever her usual
rapidity of movement. / sat down at
the table and began cracking the nuts.
1t was a slow job, and / had finished
only about a fourth of them when
Dicky appeared the door.
give come to help" he announced,
but saw Katies look of dismay at the
tiny kitchen, where she must get din
Iner.
GO back to your reading" I COM
manded gayly. Il don't need you. Be
sides there isn't room for three of us
here. Katie hasn't room to turn around
as it u.s."
That's easily remedied." Dicky
caught up the dish OF nutmegs, the bag
of uncracked nuts and the paper strewn
with shells where / was working and
carried them into the living room, /
trailing along behind him uttering futile
protests. AS he reached the table the
paper slipped from his grasp and the
shells flew in every direction.
"Dicky!" 1 gasped. Why on earth
did you bring all this stuff in here?
Katie cleaned this room thoroughly
yesterday, and with the exception or a
little Strengthening and polishing OF
some of the furniture it was all ready
for tonight. Now it will have to be
swept again, and that will mean the
busting and polishing done all over
again.
you don't suppose l meant to drop
the blasted stuff, did you?" demanded
Dicky. and his voice held a hint OF
anger that I promptly needed. At all
costs I wanted to avoid any unpleas-
antness before the coming of our
guests. The evening promised to be
enough of a trial to me without having
my nerves disturbed by any disagree
ment beforehand.
10 course not, Dicky," I soothed,
f"and as long as the mischief is done
we might as well finish them here. III
get another nut -cracker and the fold
ing sewing table from my room"
you get the nut-cracker and III
produce the table" said Dicky granny,
and in a few minutes we were seated
onnosite each other amicable cracking
the nuts while Dicky talked Of every
thing and nothing. and / half listened
to what he was saying, and half Won