The Prelude to a Symphony.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 81

The Prelude to a Symphony.

They were late starting for the symphony concert, and Mr Carruthers was hurrying down the hall after his wife as fast as her train would allow him, when she suddenly came to a dead stop, causing him to promenade- unexoectedly half-way up her back. "Tom, dexr, my fan! I've left it in my room somewhere. Won't you just run rp and fine it for me?" Mr Carruthers obligingly mounted the stairs three at a jump, and, rushing into tho dimly-lighted room at full speed, tripped over a footstool, kicked the household eat violently in the riba, and collapsed in a hesp on the hearth. "What confounded thing was it you asked me to find?" Her voice floated sweetly up from h.elow: "Why, my fan. Did you "think 1 sent you after the eat?" " Well, your fan isn't here. It isn't anywhere, amd never has been." " Now, Tom, don't stand in the middle of the floor arid expect the fan to pro-n-enade up to you. Look abcut a bit." " Look? I'm black in the face now from the strain." " Oh, I remember ! I put it in the upper drawer, next to the left hand side, in that long blue box with the metallic corners. See it?" " Nop. No long- corners here ; no metallic nothing. " " Maybe it's on the sew ing table in my work basket." " Nop. Nothing there but pins and nee Wow! That's a nice trick to play on a man." "Now, precious dear, don't scold. See if it isn't on the shelf in that closet." " How do you expect a man to reacH a shelf 20ft high?" "Mercy! Tom. what has fallen?" "One hundred and fifty bcr-cboxes off that shelf." " Oh, my Paris hat !" " There goes the cat under the bed with it. She thinks it is what it looks like — i mutton chop trimmed with paraley. My stars f I've cracked my skull !"' "Why. where are you.'" " Scrambling under the- led after your Paris hat." " Oh, neve" mine! that. I*vr been dying for an excuse to buy a new one." "Well, I'm not dying for an excuse io pay for it. Thunder and Mars !"' " What on earth is the matter now?" "Matter? You left an open botle of ink op the table for me to upset, and I've dropped you hat in a puddle big enough to swim in." " Never mind that. I want my fan.*' " Well, you'll have to keep on wanting, for I'm tired chasing that old bunch of feathers, and I'm coming downstairs right now. It's too late to go to the concert, anyhow." " Too late ! What nonsense ! Why, we'll arrive just in time to disturb everyone who is trying to listen to tho music, and that's so fashionable. You really must find my fan." "All right. Here goes all the bureau

r draws out on the floor. Enough stuff in s them to start a wholesale " " Oh, such a joke ! What do you think? Here's my fan lying- right before my eyes i on tho hall table. I forgot that I brought 1| it down before dinner. What's that you're - I saying. Tom?" , I | "My prayers — what do you think?" s " Well, I'm glad you've got downstairs t at lacjfc. Do get on your gloves. You've ' kepi me waiting in this hall a solid hour.' i ""The delay was all your fault, same as it 5 always is. 1 " How can you say such a thing, Tom i Carruthers? But, then, I don't expect justice from you. Mother said when I ' married you that you had too many bumps - oi your head for a moral character." " Well, if she ever says that to my ■- face " "Be careful! Don't you dare to contra- - diet my mother. There's my fan. Put it in 3 your pocket." * " Oh. drat your old fan !" 3 "Tom Carruthers, don't you dare to drat i it. I'd have you to know that Ed. Blivens 3 gave me that fan before I ever married 5 you, and I've often thought since that if ' I'd known then all that I know now „ You wretch ! If you haven't deliberately broken that fan into pieces. That settles it. j The very next time I go shopping I'll price b a divorce." s " Come on, if you're coming." t " Oh, you needn't roar at me. I wouldn't . attend that symphony concert with you now s if you begged me on your bended knees. ' Go without me? Go! I wish you would: I for all the unreasonable, tyrannical What";: t that? The door! He's gone without me 1 iust because I told him to. Well, if that fc isn't like a man; but I'll fhow him tliat J the daughter of my mother is not to be i trampled upon. I'll follow him down to J that concert now just to spite him."'