Judge — February 28, 1914 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A CHILLY PROSPECT Ske—It you loved me you would go and bring poor Penny before be breaks in. Coward! I hoped I was married to a real man. I'll get a divorce! You know, Mr. Robson, they moved the range and the sink and dresser into the back kitchen last summer, and made the front one into a dining-room, and tore out all the built-in closets from the din- ing-room and made it into a sitting-room, and’’— She paused for breath. “Yes,’’ her husband supplied, with a smile; ‘‘and so we fixed ours the same way.’’ “Well, you know,’’ went on Mrs. Jimson, ‘‘we did find that the back kitchen was a tiny bit crowded; but what do you think the Barkers have just done? It’s splendid! They've taken out the cellarway and made a lot more space, and put in a trap door to go down cellar. And they’ve torn out the re- frigerator and rebuilt it on the back porch. You must see it, Alfred! I know you'll be as crazy as I am to have oursdone the same way.’’ She tripped into the house, and there was a silence, while the men smoked hard. “IT see,’’ ventured Resson finally, with delicate sympathy. Mentally he was comparing Jimson’s unrest with the peace- ful home atmosphere created by his own contented little wife. “You may think you do, but if you were up against it your self, you'd see a whole lot more!"’ answered Jimson feel- ingly. ‘‘Last winter the Bark- ers had a sleeping porch put on the back of the house. We followed suit, and may- be it didn’t cost a bunch of money! In- cidentally, Barker’s income is bigger than mine, and he’s an amateur carpenter and can do a lot of the work himself. Then they put in some expensive skylights here and there, and our dark hallway and dining-room became so depressing that we had to have some, too. We haven’t yet built in window seats or put in elec- tric lights anda 1915 model gas stove, but it’s only a question of time. I’m fond of the neighborhood, but if this goes on’’—— “Oh, Alfred!’ Mrs, Jimson fluttered out again excitedly. ‘‘I forgot to tell you the biggest piece of news, after all! The Barkers are going to have an auto- mobile! It seems there’s a public gar- age right around the corner, and Mrs. Barker says it’s quite easy to get a car. You simply have to mortgage’’- Jimson passed his hand feebly across his forehead, and then rallied to the charge. “Well, well! Isn’t that jolly!’’ he ex- claimed, with specious brightness. ‘‘And that reminds me, I forgot to tell you some news, too. I went to-day to look at those new apartments we heard about, and they’re just the dandiest ever! Im- provements—well, say! Come on in and let me show you the plan!’ He rose and went into the house with great sprightli- ness, and his wife followed, with dawn. ing interest. Robson puffed awhile longer, in thought. ful silence. Then, as his own wife came to the open window, he looked around at her with a smile of newly awakened affection. *‘James,’’ she began, in her gentle lit- tle voice, ‘since we've about decided to buy the house, I do wish you’d step in at Mr. Barker’s and see their lovely sleep- ing porch and skylights! And Mrs. Bar. ker says that next year they expect to turn the stairs around and make a square reception hall. It’s the nicest idea and will make the house ever so much more attractive. Perhaps we— Oh, James! Did you burn your finger, dear, or what?” “Something stung me,’’ said Mr. Rob- son laconically. A Rural Blunder Abner—Silas is the darndest man I ever saw to try to put on a front—to sail un- der false colors, so to speak. Hiram—What's he been doin’? Abner—Why, everybody knows that he never saw the time when he was makin’ more’n enough to buy his clothes and to- backer, an’ yet he stands around town every day and talks till he’s red in the face, denouncin’ the income tax. The doctor—You should diet—eat onions—they are the secret of life. The patient—Yes ; but how do you keep it a secret? comicbooks.com