The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-06-07

was the nfst time i had ever called her
BY her full name; and she turned a
pale as was "Did you. Mary Jane
Dixon. look carefully in all the pockets
Of that suit?''
'Why. yes. Tom. she said. rsas-
sured.
''In all Of them. a" I asked again.
Eyes. in al; I'm certain
''In that miserable. wretched. decep-
tive, useless thing in the trousers
called a watch-poekets"
''Why-nO-Tom. l dldn't-I-I-"
She burst into tears and sat down
with her apron over her face. / stalked
into another room and banged the door
very hard l opened Il softly in less
than three minutes. and-well. we
made Il all up again. although We were
still very sober over our loss.
Ny wife said she would do without
great many things that she never did
do without. and tried 70 take an
optimistic view Of the affair. and said
meekly and untruthfully that I sup
posed it was all for the best To make
matters a little worse. I drew from my
pocket large. square. elegant-looking
envelope. and said to my wife:
''And here's an invitation 70 the
much talked Of Smythe-Durant we'd
ding next week. and I really would
like 10 60. I've known Helen Durant all
her life. and like her. il 10 despise
that snob Of a George Smythe she is
/ going 10 marry
'I'm 50 sorry" said my wife con-
tritely. land here we might have gone
as well as not II hadn't sold your only
black suit. Il did look real nice. and
quite as good as new. dare say. BY
lamplight. l could have worn my
wedding dress. and we could have
made very decent appearance. Il Is
TOO badr'
She began crying again. said
would 60 away and never come back il
she didn't stop. Suddenly she jsmped
TO her feet and said eNcitedly;
why. Tom how foolish we are Il
isn't at all likely that old Isaacs has
sold the suit Yet, and it may be he
hasn't looked in the pockets. Let u
hurry right down TO the store and buv
il back. We can tell him il was mis-
take. as il truly was Let us hurry |
right or
We reached the uninviting store Of /
B. Isaac. dealer in secondhand and |
misiit garments, in about fifteen |
minutes, but the suit was gonei
Il hat just sold it no more as dree
minutes and a halluf ago. Il vas not
worth much I makes me no money
on dot suit Il wood not Wit man dot
ways any ding at all.
| raced angrily out Of the store.
well. / said. as we walked moodilv
hOmeward. elm not the only hundred
pound siN-footer in this town. That's
evident Ill keep my eve on the other
living skeletons. and if find the one
that has my trousers IN have them
back again by fair means or foul.
l kept a sharp lookout for lean men
during the next week. and was grati-
fed 20 discover that there were fifteen
20 twenty in the city as lean rs myself.
but all Of them were saved the humil-
iation Of being informed by me that
they were wearing nv clothes. a humil-
iation that might not have been les
sened by the offer Of twenty-five dollars
that intended making for their re-
turn.
As the evening for the welding be-
fore referred % drew near our desire o.
attend IL increased and al last I said o.
my wife.
''Well. / just can not afford to get me
another full dress suit that might not
need again for ten years. Aud I'll /
stay at home forever and wear rag
and tags before I'll wear a hired
suit But we can. at least. go %
the church. Il is to be a church we'd
ding, you know. and I can wear any
ordinary business suit and overcoat e.
ihe churchill don't find the man who
has my clothes"
But did not find him. and we went
Early down 90 the church that We
might be- first there. and our lack %
'estive garments less noticeable
''lf il wasn't for Helen wouldn't 20
It ALL" I said rs we sat in the
'hurch. awaiting the coming Of tho
bridal party. IL can not endure Smythe.
he thinks himself vastly superior %
ne and makes me sick with his talk
lbOut fashions and best society and
H. that Il makes me 80 mad % be
BE- told that he looks like me- I know
+ m lank and lean. but he"
'Sh-sh--hr' whispered my wife;
hey're coming"
with such a lourishing Of trum-
lets. ! whispered in reply.
Down they came in the broad center
lisle-ive bridesmaids with gorgeous
pink and lavender and blue and cream
md cardinal trains; five chest men"
n ugly black garments. and. last Of
m. Helen with yards and yards q
white SATIN and tulle and lace; aud
imythe in cluiched at my wife's
Irm and almost shouted IA her ear:
He has on my wedding suit. as sure
Is you're a living womanr'
Mary Jane gave my arm m awful /
,inch in return and an admonishing I
,oke in the side with her fan.
mo. my dear. 1 said. as we walked :
after the ceremony. Il am
i0f mistaken. Those were my clothes.
would know those trousers IL saw
hem on a Hottentot Didn't you de-
ect faint Odor Of gasoline as he went
y our pew? I did To think. my
lear, that I can not 90 % the most
wedding Of the season be-
.ause the bridegroom has on my 2
lothesl But IL had gone. he'd had !
o have stayed at home. wouldn't he? !
can as we are We couldn't both have \
worm those \
Chow perfectly ridiculous you arer' :
Interrupted Mary Jane II don't feel !
.t all sure that they 'rere your !
lothes"
"And. II they were. how are we GO .
ng to get that iifiy-dollar bill out q I,
hat pocket2' =
We didn't get Il. But they were my ,
lothes. I gave old Isaacs a dollar for !
cling me that he had sold the suit b +,
imythe. who had sworn Isaacs To ,
ecrecy on the subject lie looked 4
cart broken and turned green when I 4
old him about that fifty-dollar bill ,
Detroit Free Press.
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