Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-03
By OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON


HENRY'S eye fell on the nickel pipes
of the shower as he brushed his
hair to a panty shine before the We
netian glass mirror.
Say, Con-" he called. these pipes
are q mess. They'd better be shined."
Il know, Henry, they will be ON Fri
day, but Theresa's so busy, and | Just
haven't had time"
mo use building a decent house I'M
less it's kept right" grumbled Henry.
Ready for breakfast"
you go on down. III be there In
minute"
Il get tired eating alone I wish you
could manage to eat with me IN the
mornings"
come through I'll get more sleep and
then I'll get back to schedule. I'm ter
ribly tired. Therel I'll go down this
way"
as you can that thing" was Henrys
comment q few minutes later as he re-
folded the morning paper and stuck 1t
into his his poke pocket; .o You ,. know now
II know, dear. But can look nice,
and that's something, isn't it?" she
smiled brightly.
Been a long timel" said Henry.
This dining room papers fading
notice2"
why. maybe it is a little But
what's the difference?"
well, it shouldn't fade. II you tell
Theresa to keep those west shades down
1t might help. Too much sun ruins
things"
Cornelia made a mental calculation.
Theresa might remember once, but it
would take repeated remindingS every
day. "All right, I'll tell her"
Dickie slid down the bannister and
banged into his seat at the table.
II was just going to call you, young
man. What's the matter with your
tie?"
why, nothin'." Dickie appealed to
his mother: Isn't it all right, Mom2"
at needs pressing, that's all, dear.
I'll attend to your ties today"
II like my boy to go out looking
like a gentleman" began Henry,
but there was sound from upstairs
and Cornelia fled, so what else he had
to say went to Dickie, who ate his
breakfast in silence.
All day Cornelia worked with fret
full baby, an incompetent maid, and
sick headache
Henry came in at 6, kicking the
porch rug straight.
"Con," he called, something will
have to be done about those leaves out
front. Can't Dick rake them up?"
HE was kept in and I had to send
him on AN Grand when he got home.
I'm sorry the place looks so bad, but
I'll get him to do 1t tomorrow. The
baby's better, think"
That's good; I was going TO ask
you how she was" suddenly remem
bered Henry. Dinner ready?" iEss
face lighted up.
"Yes-but oh, Henry, the butcher
made mistake and sent shoulder
chops instead Of rib"
Henry expressed his opinion of the
butcher. When he unfolded his nap
kin and found a hole he expressed his
idea of Theresa
He demanded to know an hour later
who had taken two books out of the
bookcase and hadn't put them back;
and 1t seems he had found wrinkle in
his cuff that day, so he spent is min
uteS oiSSertating on the way laundry
work should be done and how neces-
Sary 1t was for him to look his best
when he went to business.
He took a notion later to play bridge,
but Cornelia couldn't have any one in
on account of the baby.
Then Henry blew up, as he hoped he
would. He had wanted to all day-he
wanted to every day. He was Of the
type that gets more thrill out of petty
martyrdom OF hise own making than
most people would out of a transatlan-
tic flight.
Henry was never meant for marriage.
He was a firSt-claSS crank, a fusser, and
a grandma. Cornelia was not careless.
but she had a sense of values and the
family came before the house.
Many women, trying to do the best