The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-02-10

asked walker. NOW I notice that in
company Howelby is well received and
treated with consideration. After he
goes away they poke unmerciful fun
at him. l wonder what they say about
me after l go away. / wonder If it's
possible that they speak of me as q
noisy idiot or something like that?
l wonder if I've been a bore for years
and didn't know it? How would 1
know it unless some one came right out
told me point blank? But you don't
find many people as candid as all that.
There'd be no chance of my finding it
out unless-well-unless some one
comic valentine. Come to think of it,
Mrs. Walker has reproved me sevessi
times for breaking in while some one
else was talking. 1 wonder if She.
But no, it was some one who hates me.
I'll keep quiet and find out"
Walker met many acquaintance that
day, and every one of them was under
suspicion. Walker even made signif-
cant remarks, such as "Well, 1 suppose
I'm a noisy chump," or II dare say !
talk too much" and then watched each
face to see if he could detect the guilty
flush, but he couldn't. However, he
was rather sadly impressed by the fact
that ne one of his friends contradicted
him when he said these disparaging
things about himself. 1t was evident
that whoever SEN the valentine had
done so with at least a measure of JUS
tiffcation. If Walker had stopped to
consider he would have known that it
is never considered polite to contradict
a man when he is saying mean things
about himself. But he was not in a
mood for fair consideration of any,
thing. He had discovered his true char
acter, and he held himself in contempt.
Fortunately he had his pride and self
respect remaining, and he decided upon
reform.
For we days he didn't speak except
when he was compelled to do so, and
then he talked in monosyllables. Mrs.
Walker was frightened and began to
fear that he was going into a decline.
On the morning of the 10th, as he was
waiting at the corner for a trolley car,
a barber with black ringlets came out
of the shop next to the drug store and
said: "How are you, Mr.. Walker-how !!
do you do, sir? Say, 1 got something
here that belongs to you. 1 guess it
was sent to mt by mistake, or at least
l judge so as far as 7 can make out, be- |
cause your names here, but it came
addressed to me all right. 1 put it in
my pocket and l says to myself: Now
the first time 1 see Mr.. Walker passin' |
by the shop here I'll give this to him,
and probably he'll know what it means; !
but l was sure it wasn't for me, because
L haven't bought any meat from Krascb
since 1 had a little trouble with him
about a round steak that my little girl
there and got one morning. !
told krasch in so many words that I'd
never deal with him again in no way,
shape, n or form, because 1 al
low no man to send me such meat.
My moneys as good as any other mans
money, and"
Walker might have heard a great deal
more if the car had not come along.
In :he envelope which had been hand
to him by the barber he found an
itemized bill from Krasch, the butcher.
How did this bill happen to reach the
barber? Evidently it got into the
wrong envelope. Then what? He saw
it all in a flash. That valentine was in
for the talky barber, who had
quarreled with Krasch.
Il don't talk too much. after ALL"
thought Walker, with a feeling of in
relief. "Pshaw! / knew it all the
time."-Chicago Daily Record.