De pantoffelhelden

Summary

They live next door to each other and are good pals; but the ladies are sworn enemies, and the gentlemen cannot fraternise. One receives a card inviting him to the Paradise Bar, and urging him to enjoy life while it lasts. During a few moments, when they are alone, the gentlemen plan to have a night out. They write each other bogus invitations to a meeting convened to discuss the welfare and protection of the house mouse. These invitations are duly delivered, and the husbands set out.

The shades of evening fall, but they do not return; at an unholy hour they come struggling along the street and, after an adventure with a lamp-post, support each other to their doors. They retire. But there has been a little mistake - each has entered the other's doorway. The respective wives are in dreamland when their husbands return. Pausing only to remove hats and boots, the gentlemen get into bed, and the ladies, awakening, proceed to administer wifely correction, both being horrified when a stranger's face appears above the counterpane. They jump out of bed, rush to each other's doorway, meet in the street and announce the startling intelligence to each other. Finally, the ladies join in a little tussle. The husbands discover their mistake, and whilst the ladies are pulling each other's hair out, go to their rightful houses. The ladies seek the aid of the police, and judge of their amazement when, marching into the bedrooms with the law behind them, they discover their proper husbands calmly reposing. The police are indignant, and the wives are hauled away, whilst the husbands congratulate each other on the success of their manoeuvres.