The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-18
The Man in the Mo on.

/ aboutT
I am talking about your extrava-
/ gance," said her husband en- his best
I house-of-c0nmons manner. If it con-
dnues, you viii simply bust up the
/ show" ne added, relapsing into slang.
I'm afraid your theatrical friends are
/ demoralizing your English
And I'm tired OF these dark illusions
/ to my theatrical friends. It's absurd 10
imagine that because I take girl to
supper that-that there's anything in it.
/ She was an old friend
II should hardly cali her old, said
Mrs Portland Rhodes, critically. Sup
pose we say middle-aged?"
anyway. we are drifting from the
point"
What is the point Of this dialogue"
inquired his wife. with extreme affa-
bility.
your extravaganza. cannot stand
the pace. Whats to be done with these
things?" indicating a little pile Of bills.
I'm afraid I have no head for bust
ness" said his wife looking tired.
But how are we going 10 meet
them?"
why not write out check?" she
murmured.
Write out a check?" he gasped.
what the
IF you wish the servants to know all
our private affairs, I'll ring the bell
said his wife But don't shout, dear,
because it makes my head ache"
There was only one reply for an IN
dependent British husband. Mr.. Port
land-Rhodes, N P, gathered up the Pile
of bills, housekeeping and otherwise,
placed them by his wife's plate, and
stalked to the door.
You've made a very poor breakfa st,
Charles" said his wife, sympathetically.
And you'H make me very poor
man." he muttered.
I'm sorry, dear. forgot how many
calls you have upon your private
purse"
This was the last straw. The "mem-
ber'' banged out of the room, muttering
expressions which would not be per-
mitted even at a religious demonstra-
ton
It was a pretty piece of acting on her
part-the airness, the nonchalance, the
ma gniicent contempt for debit was
all put on. She was in complicated
frame Of mind. She was jealous of her
husband on account of an innocent
spree" of his, which green glasses had
made hideous. She was uncOmfortably
conscious that she was on the high road
to making a fool of herself She was
up to her pretty little ears in debt, and
above all, she was in funk about It.
In short AIrs. Portland Rhodes, wife
Of the member for Tattenham Corner,
had cast herself for an unsuitable role
She hated to owe money, but to keep
level with the times she ran headlong
into debt, and suffered agonies. She
adored her husband, and quarreled with
him. She despised married f1irts, and
was carrying on three open f1irta tons,
to say nothing Of a mysterious one. at
the mere thought of which she trem-
bled. In short. she was a poor, wor-
ried little woman, who was walking IN
slippery places.
A week before she had attended a.
fancy dress masked ball given at the
Ambidextrous. Mrs. Rhodes was robed
as the Morning Star, and paired off with
the man in the moon. She believed her
partner to be a certain Percy Ladbroke,
whom she counted among her admirers.
They became quietly confidential, and
Mrs Rhodes rather let the cat out of
the bag with regard to her financial
scrapes. The man In the moon was
sympathetic He had a straight tip
from Threadneedle street-should he put
a bit on for herr Mrs. Rhodes hesitat-
ed for variety of reasons, one being
that she had no spare cash to lose, and
was already OUT of her depth.
"PH tell you what I shall do" said
the man in the moon: ''I shall have
fiutter myself, and I'll buy few shares
for you, too. If il turns out badly I'll
get it back for YOU some other time.
But IT'S too good to miss; you must be
in it."
This arrangement sounded very com
Portable and Mrs. Rhodes assented.
Her first shock. was received next day
when she learned that the man in the
moon was not by any means Percy Lad
broke, as that young gentleman was
away in the country. The next shock
was polite letter of congrs tulation
from the man in the moon. inclosing a
note for e250 The dabble in Angelcos
had succeeded beyond her expectations
Tt was a curious position for a mar
Red woman. What was she to do? A
man she did not know, for he had not
even signed his name, probably thinking
she already knew it, had sent her a
round sum Of money. He might be mad,
but who would believe the story? Would
any sane person, especially a mere hus-
band, believe that a stranger would hand
her a share of a speculation in which
she had not staked a farthing?
On the other hand, she gave a sigh, not
knowing who he was, she could not re-
turn It. The fact combined with the
pile Of bills and her husbands irTita-
ton on financial subjects, decided her,
and she cashed the note, and utilized Il
to stop the mouths Of her hungriest
creditors. But It seemed as # she was
doomed to face the unexpected. It hap
pened that night that for a wonder,
she and her husband dlned tete-a-tete.
II have had lucky speculation in An
gehcos," he said, quietly, when the SCI
wants had let the room.
You don't look as If you had" she
said. cracking a nut.
And I hoped to give you pleasant
surprise" he added, so I drove around
TO some Of your people this afternoon to
pay your bills"
She went white, and nearly pinched a
finger instead of a nut.
II was rather surprised TO learn that
you yourself had been around this morn
ing and paid them money on account
There was an uncomfortable silence
while his wife restrained desire to use
unladylike language on the subject o.
Angelicos and pleasant surprises gener-
ally
''THst was very kind Of you" she said
at last
May 7 ask where the money came
from2" he asked.
Il never knew anybody to tax so
much about money as you DO" she sails,
evasively. Suppose you try another sub
iect2"
You have been telling me for several
DAYS that You are hard Up" he cont m
ned in the same dry voice. = should
really Ike 10 know hsw you contrfved
to pay away the best part II couple
Of hundred in cash when you are with
ont funds2"
II bad a little autter IN Angefoos.
too she said easily
"Who put YOU on r. TT" r. asked.
sharply. There were not dozen Tnen
ia London who knew anything about
H."
IL net somebody ~ q dance. and
and somehow il leaked out thai was
rather hard VI. an5-ar5 be said Red