A MAN'S WAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 199, 20 August 1904, Page 10

A MAN'S WAY.

Mr —obson sneezed ana sirs Hobson remarked that he must have caught cold. Mr liobaon Is one of those men wtio hate to have a fuss made over them. He has been trying to Impress that fact on his wife's mind for 20 years. "What makes you think I've taken cold?" he demanded irritably. "You sneered, " replied Mrs Hobson. "That doesn't signlly" He paused. "But it does signify, it ls one of the lirst signs of a cold. You went out tins morning wittiout a tiling round your neck." "I always do." "And now you've caught cold." Mr Hoi.sou returned to the reading of his newspaper without replying, in a few moments Mrs Liobaon said— "Henry." "Well?" "You've got to do something lor that cold." "Can't 1 sneeze without being accused of a cold? Is there any law against sneezing T "I don't see anything foolish ln taking a cold ln time," Mrs Hobson said calmly. "If you would let mc put your feet ln hot water and mustard, and get you to bed—" Mr Hobson resumed his paper, and as be did so he felt an annoying tickling in his nose. He struggled heroically for nearly half a minute. Then he sneezed again. "There!" said Mrs Hobson ln melancholy triumph. "You sneezed again." "I've sneezed twice, and I'm not ashamed of It," Hobson replied coldly. "ir 1 feel like It I'm going to sneeze again. I'm—" Three successive and violent sneezes interrupted him. "Now wIU yon let mc heat that water, Henry?" "No, thank yo_T "Will you take some quinine, then?" "No." Mrs Hobson sighed. "Sneezes," Mr Hobson explained, "are convulsions caused by an irritation of a sensitive membrane. The irritation may be caused by the introduction of any small particle of foreign matter, such as a grain of dust. Snuff has beeu known to produce a sneeze; so has pepper. You can get up a fairly good imitation by tickling the nostrils with a straw. It ls not, as yon Imagine, an infallible indication of a cold." "I suppose," said Mrs Hobson reflectively, "that you would object to an onion poultice, tooT" Hobson rose from his chair and started for the door. With his hand on the knob he paused to say, with dignity, "I'm going up to my room now. I've got some work to do, so 1 had better be alone the rest of the evening." Hobson sneezed twice on the way up- ; stairs. Then the door of his den closed j explosively. Fifteen minutes later the door | opened and Hobson's voice called down tiie stairs. "Maria!" "What ls it. dear?" "Say, If you think I really ought to tnke j a hot foot bath I suppose it won't do any I particular harm, whether I've got a cold i or not. Would It be troubling you too mucli | to heat the water?" Mrs Hobson's voice replied cheerfully--"lt's all ready now, dear. I've heated It and got some blankets nice and hot. When you're ready I'll bring them up."