Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1904 — A Shade Too Much. [ARTICLE]

A Shade Too Much.

j “Whatever in the world la , this, Maria?" asked Mr. Tompkins, stumbling over a great parcel In the hallway when he came In to supper after the day's work.' “Awnings?” he echoed. "Awnings for what?” “Why, for the windows, of course!” I returned Mrs. Tompkins, Impatiently, j “What did you suppose they were for? j iFhe tool-chest or the coal-bin? All the big houses in the village have got ’em. The agent who came here to-day told i me so himself, and everything about 1 our house hero is so old and commonplace ” “But, Marla,” began Mr, Tompkins, mildly, “if all the big houses havo got ’em It’s only because they’re so new that their shade-trees haven’t had a chance to cut any figure yet. It's just because this house is old that the trees father planted—and now I come lo think of It, Maria, it was only the other day that you were complaining of the up-stairs rooms being musty for want of more sun.” “And jo _I did!” replied Mrs. Tompkins, with asperity. “I can’t see that that's got anything to do with awn ings.” “Why, awnings keep out the sun, don’t they?” “Umph!” returned Mrs. Tompkins, "If that isn’t Just like a man—taking everything for granted and never investigating anything on his own accountl Awnings keep out (he sun if you want ’em to, but they don’t If you don’t! The agent himself told me they roll up, flat as the wall, and he fixed one on the guest-room to show 7 Just how it's dona And so It does, just as he said.” “Well, then ” "Now it’s Just like you, Hezekiali, to go on finding fault, but I’m Just that tired of being behind the times in everything! You might about as well not have had a progressive wife, for all the good it does you I” —Youth’s Companion.