Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-09-26

excuse put forward, and after an I'M
comfortable afternoon they started
back to town, consoied by the retiec-
ton that the danger was happily
over.
On the following evening, however,
Mr.. Battledore greeted his friend with
a very rueful countenance.
'sTne letter is not to be found any
where. Trose idiots at the Office must
have mislaid it"
'Or else it miscarried, suggested
Sam, with an exasperating grin.
"But | said | received it! Now,
what am I to dol What is it I'm sup
posed to have ordered. 1t might be
anything, from wallpaper or curtains
to pair OF gloves or a drawing room
sofa" exclaimed Mr.. Battledore quite
traglcally.
cit is certainly awkward, but If |
were you | should pretend to forget
all about the thing when next we go
down. Ten to one your wife will then
mention what it is, said Sam in his
confident way.
Poor Mr.. B4ttleaore plucked up
heart little at this suggestion, bat he
easy, especially after re ceiving post
card from his wife day or two later,
enjoining him to remember her com-
mission and to bring it down with
him on Saturday without fail, the
last two words being literally ander-
scored.
How can I pretend I've forgotten
it after that?" said Mr.. Battledore,
peevishly, as ne threw the post-card
on the table.
You will have to- It's the only
chance" said Sam, looking quite serl-
Gus.
why couldn't she have mentioned
the article instead of saying it2' ex-
claimed Mr.. Batrledore, tearing the
card viciously into small pieces.
I'll tell you what, old fellow, l
shall take Mrs. n bracelet or some
thing W hen we go down on Saturday,
said Sam thoughtfully. eff there
should be a 70 it won't do any harm,
and it may enable me to assist you TO
! ascertain what you wish to know"
Mr. Battled pres apprehensions
reached to a dangerous pitch when
his friend announced his intention of
adopting such precautlon. But a
little calm reflection induced him to
follow Sans shrewd example. and the
result was that both gentlemen had
prOpitiatory offerings to be sacrificed
on The altar of conjugal affection.
On reaching Eastbourne they We're
met by their wives in the carriage.
and Mr.. Battledore, at all events, felt
+of,,l fan thIS tIa
attention. However, he and Sam
looks their seats opposite the ladies,
trying their best to look as if they
had nothing on their minds, and,
above all, no guilty secret. But be
fore Mr. BattIeGore had time to re
cover his self-possession, his wife
said:
Joseph, you remember my speak
ing to you about a letter | wrote to
you last week.
"Ye-yes," said Mr.. Battlebore,
wincing at a nudge from Sam.
"Well, [ never sent it at all only
this morning discovered it between
the leaves Of my blotting book. |
forgot to post it"
cit is of no consequence, of course,
chtued in Mrs Newell; ''only you
will be the loser, Sam. Mrs. Battle
dore wrote to her husband to buy you
a cigar case on my behalf, and to have
your initials engraved upon it. To
morrow, you know, is your birth
dav."
Mr.. Battledore was by no means
treasured by these speeches. On the
contrary he realized that he was IN
worse fix than ever since he would be
now called upon to explain what he
meant by saying he had received the
letter. A sort of sickly feeling came
over him as his wife said:
by the way, Joseph, you said
you had received the letter, and
talked as though you knew all about
it,"
"And you, Sam, said Mr.. Battle
dore had mentioned the subject to
you; and [ vas vexed at the time, as,
Of course, 1T was secret" interposed
Mrs. Newell
"The fact is. F." said Sam, coming TO
the rescue, for Mr.. Battledore was at
a loss 10 find words, ''as Joe SAID to
me afterward, we have been at cross
purp1 Uses We each had secret, and
we thought you had discovered ours.
Joe let out that blue was the color he
had chosen. | tried to find out how
the land lay from my wife; she near
ly made me betrav everything by ask
ing questions. However, l dare say
neither Of you guess what it is"
No, indeedI' cried both the ladies,
considerably mystilied by this excite
ment
"Well, here, Maria" he said pro
ducing a bracelet, like a conjurer
" Emeralds, you see. Don't you re
member my saying it was a sort of
blush green or something. Well,
Joe's offering, believe has blue stones
-turquoises.
Mr.. Ba.tledare took the hint, and
handed to his wife the bracelet he had
bought as peace offering, inwardly
marveling at his old friends wonder
ful tact and impotence, and begin
ming to breathe quite freely again.
In fact, ii was evident that Sans ex
tempore discourse, followed up by the
bracelets, had satisfactorily explained
what was mysterious in their recen'
behavior, and the secret of the UNI
hallowed expedition to Paris seems
unlikely ever to he revealed.