The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-10-24
WHERE WAS Mr.. BLANK I?
His Absence Causes His Wife
Much Trouble.

HIS Absence Causes HIS WltC
Much Trouble.
Pretty Mrs Blank had very unpleas-
ant experience in Bay Grove, y. j., and
Il was all due 70 mistake.
When she moved herself and her baby
and hor pug and her other household
goods TO Jersey, along in the spring, tho
villagers seemed to be ready 10 take
her to their arms and their hearts.
They gave her teas, they showed her
all the show sights OF the neigh bor-
hood, shey posted her On the proper
church 70 attend and the proper Peo-
pie 70 know. They almost gave q
dinner in her honor, and that is some
that had not seen even dreamed Of since
an unfortunate affair OF several year.
back. when q hcartless detective had
appeared At = Toast and had carried
away with him emo who for briyI
month had all Bay Grove at his feet.
l. was the remembrance Of that touch
ing incident that made people hesitate.
and by iheir hesitatins Mrs. Blank lost
the dinner.
She was bright her maids caps were
irreproachable, what flirting she did
was artistic enough 10 be pleasant To
look upon But il was seldom that Mrs.
Blank was artistic in that way, and
therefore she was popular with matrons
and maids The men liked her, too
and ali went merry as a marriage
bell FOR many day and until somebody
ill-nataredly asked question.
Where is Dir. Blank and who is hep"
quorIed this busybody.
Nobody but Mrs Blank could answer
this, and she didn't volunteer any infor-
nation on the subject So gossip, hay
ing nothing to feed upon, grew rapidly,
as is generally the way, and in a week
Bay Grove began 70 believe that some
thing must be very wrong somewhere.
Now it happened that Mrs. Blank had
brought one letter Of introduction 10 Bay
Grove. This spistle had been hurriedly
pennei BY a young woman about TO take
flight 10 Europe, and, under the scru-
tiny of a female committee OF invesJiga-
tion, it appeared 10 lack satisfactory de-
tails about tho nominal head of the
Blank family.
II do so hope you will like Mrs. B," it
ran. ''She can see so little Of her hus-
band, you know, that 1t viii be very
dull for her out there unless you look
after her bit think she frets over
her husband sometimes, but how can il
be helped now? But then she has"
And here the writer drifted into mat
tors that were never intended fer the
public eye. When the letter was re-
ceived the sentences about the husband
had attracted no attention; but now,
with suspicion resting heavily upon
them, the committee women agreed that
something must be very, worry wrong
with Mrs. Blanks spouse. 1t came
about therefore, that Mrs. Blank was
soon put 70 the question.
"Whon are we 70 see your husband?"
asked one of her friends in q guileless
way.
Mrs Blank pouted. Really, don't
know" she said. He is in Auburn
now with that poor wretch Kemmler, I
believe"
Auburn happens to contain a prison.
Kemmler was then in that prison. 1t
is not difficult TO put one and one
together and get . dozen, il. you are in
proper frame Of mind for the achieve
mont. So it happened that when Mrs.
Blank entered church the next day
there was rustic Of silk all through
the pews and with it general feeling
that the sermon should deal with
hypocrisy. But IL didn't It was de-
voted TO mercy. Which only goes to
show that preachers are not always in
touch with their congregations.
When Mrs. Blank joined the group
IN the vestibule after the services, the
church thermometer hanging there
dropped half dozen degrees Nobody
quite cut her-the sermon had been
really a good one-but the social at
mosphere was full of little icicles
Mrs Blank went homo alono, wonder
ing what was the matter.
The next day one Of her closest
friends called upon her Jsst as the
visitor was departing she INDUCED in Z
sort of spoken postscript, saving the
important part of her business for the
last, just as IL she were writing 4 let
ter.
"How is Mr.. Blank?" she queried.
''He has been sent TO Elmira, was the
answer.
As there is 4 reformatory in Elmira,
this proved to DO a very unfortunate re-
sponse- Bay Grove posted itself on
New Nork's penal institutions, and the
next day three acquaintances Of Mrs.
Blank failed TO see her on the street.
Nobody called, and her name did not
appear on the list of patronesses of a
strawberry festival the village was
pledged to make 4 glorious success.
She attended the festivities and was
greatly puzzled by her treatment Ev-
crybody seemed 70 shun her except one
young man who was popularity under
stood 10 have gone very wrong in a big
Wholesale store in the city. He had
never paid her much attention before.
but now he treated her like friend and
a sister.
Finally there came another caller at
the Blank cottage. She came I'D like
one bent on business that is distasteful
but must be done. She was, by the way.
the person to whom the letter had been
iu0fessed- So =. -. !