Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-27
Mrs. MAX MIXED UP.

al am perfectly satisfied that Mrs Jack
Daring went 10 the French ball with Bob
Billings. danced once across the floor, had
a glass Of wine and danced out again"
said Mrs. Max TO the ma jor, who was pre-
pairing grape fruit.
The major regarded the lady in an alb
sentminded manner for moment and
then remarked;
"The center Of the grape fruit should be
cut out with sharp knife, thus-at once
removing all the seeds and the tough,
hbrous core, and making a cup, into which
you pour q glass Of kimmel, thus. Then
you add a plentiful supply Of powdered
Slgar and gently press the sides OF the
fruit backward and forward. That works
the sugar and kimmel into the flesh Of the
:ruit, where, mingling with the acid Juice,
they produce a liquor which Is as refresh
Ing as It IL beneficial. Madam, yours is
prepared. You made some observation
concerning Mrs. Jack Daring. Has that
amiable and amusing person eloped with
Bob Billings or introduced the strong
man at one of her afternoons"
~ said, began Mrs. Max severely, and
then stopped to take a spoonful OF liquid
from the cup OF her grape fruit. When
she had done 80, her manner was molli-
fed. "I said thought she was there, for
i saw her maid In plaid street dress Just
like the one described In the papers which
was worn by a masked lady at the ball"
"And the man swallowed three crows"
said the major In faraway voice.
"What IN ever, major, are you talking
abouti said nothing about crows OF
course Mrs. Jack will tell me, for she al
ways does, after awhile, but IL is so much
more fun TO know thing when you don't
know II, don't you know, than to know It,
you know, when you do-er-you know
what mean, majorP
"In pure intellectual activity my life Is
an alternating current Of Joy, determining
things which you know that l should
know, but which you do not tell me, my
dear. As understand the present puzzle
you desire to know whether or not Mrs.
Jack and Bob were at the French ball, not
because you want to know, but because
you don't know. Am blazing away ac-
curately by the compass of intuitivenessi"
"You are absurd, and i think the ex-
preston 'blazing away must come from
the army. What can Mrs. Jack have to
do with a blazei"
1.-TWO souls with but single match;
murmured the major.
Mrs. Max had finger OF each hand In
her finger bowl and was tracing the pat
tern on the dolly beneath it when she be-
gan laughing In way 30 knowing that
the setter, which had stolen into the break
fast room, winked at the major IA IL to
warn him to be on his guard "Would
you think, major" she said, "that 1t was
yary tyiokaI ~ Mra lack In 90 IN that
ball with Mr.. Billingsi"
"To go TO the ball, no; to go with Bill
lipgs, yes. Decidedly yes"
"Why" asked Mrs. Max in some alarm.
SWELL" said the major thoughtfully,
"Bob Is such a harum scarum he would
be sure to disclose his identity, and from
Lis IL would be an easy step to guess that
of his companion. To go to the BAH for
a 10 minutes lark should consider no
sin. To 20 with Bob would be the height
of indiscretion."
Mrs. Max stopped laughing and looked
grave. The major looked solemn and or
dered the setter out Of the room severely.
"Of course, major" she began in a
voice of deep humility, al intended, of
course, you know, meant to tell you that
-that-I was only joking about Mrs.
Jack, because, OF course, you KNOW was
only joking, you see, and, you know, she
WASH I there-there at the ball you know"
"Pardon me, my dear, but you are mis-
taken. She was herewith me-"
"Majorp'
"Yes. knew she was the only woman
In our set who had spirit of adventure
enough for that sort Of thing. So we
went.'
"Oh, she's tho only woman In your set
who had the spirit TO go for a 10 minutes
lark, is shef Well, whose set do belong
tor was there with Bob Billings"
"Certainly, my dear, that is the way
we arranged it. Now, do not excite your
self, Mrs. Jack. Bob and planned the
whole programme, and you've concluded
II beautifully. Mrs. Jack told her hus-
band she was going with Bob, and Jack
asked why you and / did not 20 with
them. Bob thought you wouldn't go, and
bet him a dinner you would, and Mrs.
Jack bet me dinner you would not con-
fess until next week. So you've won both
bets for me-"
Mrs. Max was flaming now.
ado you suppose would go unless |
knew it was joke and that you were go
ing, tooi" she demanded.
"Certainly not, my dear. l told Mrs.
Jack to tell you as a secret that l was go
Ing 50 that you would go and i would win
Bob's bet"
There was long, thoughtful silence,
which was broken at last by Mrs. Max
saying:
"Msjor Bob Billings was here yester-
day"
"Of course he was, my dear. told him
Mrs. Jack had helped me win my bet
from him and suggested to him that he
could square that account by urging you
to confess this week instead of next and
thereby make Mrs. Jack lose her bet. Did
he urge your
Mrs. Max stood up and made speech.
"Major Max" she declared, "all men
and Mrs. Jack Daring are wicked, deceitful
things. Mrs. Jack called yesterday and
urged me, Just to carry out a joke, she
said, not to tell you until next week that
Twas there. Then that miserable Bob Bill
lings came and with tears In his voice
begged me to confess today, saying he was
conscience stricken, and things, don't you
know. Now 1t seems every body knew ev-
erything about everything except that
knew only that 1t was all right for me to
70 because you were to be there. You are
q set of villains, and / shall never speak
10 that horrible Billings nor Mrs Jack