Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 298, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1913 — A Thoughtful Wife [ARTICLE]

A Thoughtful Wife

“Where’s my new meerschaum pipe?” asked Mr. Cumso, after dinner. “I thought I left it on the mantel, back of the clock, when I quit smoking last night.” “Didn’t I hear you say that it would take a long time to color that pipe, asked Mrs. Cumso. “It is quite likely you did. The operation can not be all at once. But where is the pipe?” 1 “You know how anxious I am to save you all the work I can, dear?” “Yes, just like the precious little woman you are; but what has that to do with the pipe?” “Just this, love. I got to worrying over the long time it would take you to get it colored, and 1 won-, dered if I couldn’t help you a bit.” “What! You don’t mean to say you have been smoking the pipe yourself?” “Oh, no! But a poor tramp came to the house this mordlng. He was smoking the forlornest little bit of a pipe, and ” “Go on!” commanded Mr. Cumso in a constrained voice, trying to keep calm. “You have made him a present of my meerschaum, I suppose?" “Oh, no! Your little wife isn’t quite so foolish as all that.” “Then what has the tramp to do with the piper "Don’t be impatient, dear, and 111 tell you. Ire membered what you said about the long time it would take you to color it, and so 1 asked the man if he would smoke it all day for a dollar. He said no; that a dollar and a quarter was the Io we | he could do It for. So I told him I’d pay him that. He’s out in the back yard now, working hard; and he really seems to enjoy it. Yet some people say that tramps can’t be induced 4o work. But where are you going, love? Not downtown so early, are you? Now I wonder what’s made that man so crossr she added, as imr tusband slammed the door;—Puck. * >