Then he hooked up with Laura so as to get a real Home and she gave him
a new one every Year.
Mr. Jump soon discovered that, although every Man is the Architect of
his own Fortune, the Wife usually superintends the Construction.
When Mrs. Jump made her Spring Announcement that they would move to
another House, he did a deal of Kicking, but he always went into the
Wood Shed to do it. He sassed her inwardly, but not so that she could
hear.
She was a Wonder at framing up Reasons for hurling the Lease back at
the Landlord.
One Year she quit because the Owner papered the Upstairs with a Jay
Pattern that cost only 15 cents a Bolt. Another time the Family next
door kept Chickens. Usually the Children across the Alley were not fit
Associates for their own little Brood.
One Time she quit on account of a Cockroach. She saw it scoot across
the Pantry and that afternoon she headed for a Renting Agency.
Father suggested that instead of vacating in favor of the Cockroach,
they offer a reward of $100 for its Capture, dead or alive, and
thereby save a little Money, but she refused to listen.
If the Plumbing wasn't out of Whack, the Furnace required too much
Coal or else the Woman across the Street had been divorced too many
times.
If they squatted in a low-down Neighborhood, Mrs. Jump was ashamed to
give her Address to Friends in the Congregation.
If they got into a Nest of the New Rich, then Laura had the freeze-out
worked on her, because Mr.
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