Show Mclemore W Vi It YORK YORK YORK-If If Edgar Guest cuse me for or paraphrasing oday I would like to say takes J W v wM ap o o 0 od d tl Neto Net Net- w o make nake 1 i i e his hist t until ar pron pro- pro 1 n aboard board r called to the facture lIe ile of so did the Gage age can McLemore l can d de- de er e- e r proper improper proper affection for his hisa a iest est and all of the things which he has feathered it too many years he has for tor granted all the hun- hun and one articles which contributed so much to- to making his house com com- l le For too long has he Q Indifferently by the au- au IC can opener the folde fold- fold le e rack the oven and the faithful r without so much as a ac at t c ou those days are over All tie le country men and wom- wom e et J scurrying about their P taking inventory of told gold effects to find out will last and what wont won't r the duration the day that the list of or ores s was printed I start- start ed on a round of my home Clutching the newspaper that contained the list I inspected items just as they were enu enu- The first was bath bath- tubs My bathtub has been with me a long time and has served me faithfully but I believe that the morning of the inventory was the first time we had looked at one another man to tub There was a catch in my throat when I realized how I II I had ignored it The enamel on onI its sturdy little feet I was chipped Its stopper was shrunken and wrapped in a bit bitof bitof bitof of white cloth but it looked uncomplainingly uncomplainingly uncomplainingly un un- un- un complainingly at me through its hot and cold running eyes Standing by just as uncomplainingly uncomplainingly uncomplainingly was the tubs tub's faithful faithful faithful faith faith- ful companion the bathroom scales I felt a pang of re remorse remorse remorse re- re I morse when I recalled how many times I had stepped on its face with soaking wet feet how many times I had rebuked it for doing its duty by recording my weight correctly and refusing to cheat five or six pounds in my favor I p patted a t tt t e edit d it and passed on On a window sill sm clogged and dusty was an old fountain pen abandoned months ago in favor of a younger pen with newfangled newfangled newfangled new fan plastic sides and a threeway threeway threeway three- three way point It hurt me to remember remember remember re re- re- re member how many times I had taken that old pen by the leg legand legand legand and shaken it as a nurse does a thermometer in order to make its ink run It was not until I reached the kitchen however that I realized realized realized real real- how thoughtless and callous I had been been toward the articles which had labored so long and so hard to make my life a happier one There was the toaster toaster- the best little toaster in the world and the last one Ill I'll have for many a year perhaps sit perhaps sit sitting ting patiently with crumbs all allover allover allover over its chromium face There was the can opener hanging at an uncomfortable angle on the wall waIl all because I had failed to replace a nail nall that would have made it secure and snug Before I had completed the inventory of the house I realized realized realized real real- how we Americans had grown gro to accept the highest standard of living in the world as something that was our sent heaven-sent right without ever stopping to ask any questions just why that was We took care of nothing When something something something some some- thing broke we didn't fix it we bought another When something something something some some- thing started to rust we threw it away The devil with saving saving saving sav sav- ing anything Now we are faced with looking looking looking look look- ing after our a bit Well We'll have to mend a thing here patch a thing there and generally generally generally gen gen- get along as most of the people in the world have always had to do The chances are it'll be good for us Two chickens in every pot is too much for anybody If you dont don't think so take a look at atthe atthe atthe the man who had that for his slogan |