The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-03
CARRYING A Joke TOO FAB.


further and puts his opinion Of 1Ir. Brown
IN profanely emphatic epigram. Mrs
hiram has never spoken 10 Jack since
the thing happened, though she has
known him all her life. Most. people who
/ nave heard the story admit that while
the situation was certainly amusing. the
humorous Mr.. Brown did carry the mat
ter little too far.
Mr. James Hiram and Miss Mabel Lit
tleheid were married the Other day in a
| central Illinois town where both OF them
were born' and have always lived Among
( the guests at their wedding was Mr.. John
I Brown, better known as Jack a youth
with deserved reputation as the village
cut up For good many years ali
the girls had called him "a regular
tease II the proper pressure had been
/ brought TO bear JACK would probably
! have admitted, with a secret glow Of
/ pride, that he is a devil OF a fellow"
/ "Jack" had a fair income and conse-
quently small incentive TO work. He spent
most Of his time ard ingenuity in getting
up practical jokes on his friends.
When the wedding Of his old friends,
/ James Hiram and Mabel Littlefeld, drew
near, Jack realized at once that was
/ the opportunity Of his life. There were
! people who declared that jack had
once been desperately in love with Mabel
I himself. At any rate, he determined TO
make her wedding memorable.
The ordinary tricks OF throwing rice
and old shoes and Of tying hooking mot
: toes on the baggage Of the bridal couple
were ali well enough in their way, but
Jack felt that something more was
/ due in this case if he was TO live UP TO
his reputation as an original genius. He
/ started out by having a painter cover the
| bridal trunks with a coat of white paint,
I on which background was inscribed the
/ touching sentiment: we are just as
( silly as we look" When the newly mar
! ried couple left their carriage at the rail-
/ road station IN their home town full
/ brass band, secretly subsidized By Jack,
marched out Of the bagga ge-roOn, where
/ they had been concealed, and started 10
/ play. ''Tum. tum de dun; tum tum de
1 DUN; tum, tum de dunn" blared the
| band, and the assembled crowd Of sta
ton losfers laughed uproariously as the
| bride blushed and the bridegroom grew
/ red and purple in the face.
That was the best part Of playing jokes
1 en James Hiram. He was so easily rat
| tied" AS matter of fact it was an IN
I solved mystery how such quiet and diff
| hdent man as Hiram ever managed TO
screw his courage UP TO the point Of pro-
| posing to Mabel Littiefeld. And when
| professional wits and wags played merry
| iests on him he became absolutely dumb.
In fear of what Jack" and his allies
had yet in store for them the bridal cou-
| pie got on the train. To their horror
] Jack took q seat close by and an
! nounced his intention OF going TO Chi
| cago with them. on the way up he took
/ occasion to ask embarrassing questions
Of the bride in a tone so loud that the
! whole car load of people was shortly fully
informed as to the fact that Mr.. and Mrs.
I Hiram had just been married, end that
they were going TO the Buffalo exposition
on their bridsy trip. But Jack" did not
/ spring his masterpiece until after the
train had reached the station in chi
cage.
As soon as the Union station was an
| nounced Jack left the car and hurried
forward to the front Of the train. Almost
| before the wheels had stopped turning he
had jumped down TO the platform and
was pushing through the crowd with an
evident purpose in hs ieye.
At each OF the great railroad stations
one of the societies organized for the
/ protection OF friendless women and chill
dren has a woman agent stationed. She
wears a badge announcing her authority,
and II is her work especially 70 look out
and care for young women who come TO
the city under circumstances which might
get them into trouble. Jack Brown, the
demon, dashed straight for this agent.
whom he saw standing quietly in the
background scanning closely the faces or
the passengers as they left the train.
She was a middle-aged woman, with
shrewd but kindly eye, plainly dressed
in black, and with q sympathetic ear
ready TO hear any hint that might help
her to help one of her sisters
To her Jack" Brown approached, and
with a manner which proved he would
have made a good character actor, he ad-
dressed her.
Il am a travelling man. My name IS
/ Hawkins. I just got of the Alton train
from the south There is q young girl on
that train who is being taken away from
home by man. She may have gone
willingly. but 1 doubt it. At any rate she
does not realize what she is doing. She
is the daughter of Judge Litteheld, OF
, one Of the best families in the
state. I happen to know her by sight
because - is on my route. / make
the town every two weeks. and I've
known Mabel Iittlefield for years. Com
ing up on the train I sat in the seat be
hind the couple. and I heard enough to
make me certain that she is being prac-
ticallv abducted. VIII you look after ii or
shall I call an oficer?"
The good woman who had listened 20
I this artful tale was moved to quick sym
pathy for the girl. With the best mo-
lives in the world she agreed TO look
after the poor young creature, and Jack
Brown. iuwardly gloating, pointed out the
l-tr.lS tlt-.-Llll5 Uf-+itLA ttAEl1 1e AAAEg IL
scended from the car.
There they are" he said. The girl
with the blue corn flowers IN her hat"
The agent OF the Wonlau's Protective
sue stepped forward and laid one hand
on the arm of the little bride
rs this Miss Mabel LitrleAeld?" she
asked
yes" said the bride. taken or her
guard and overcome Dy the force Of
habit THAT is" she stammered and
halted. and looked appeaungly at her
husband
.BIy dear girl. % went or the agent, do
you realize what sou are doing2'
By this time both bride and groom
were speeches. with astonishment.
what are you talking aboUt2 finally
broke out Nr. James Hiram. Are you
crazy? What do you mean by
u mean that this thing has gone quite
far enough. I think. my dear" said
the agent addressing the bride, who had
by this time begun 10 sob, Il think you
had better so with me. As for you,
o-r-
Then even the rnild-mannered james
Hiram got angry.
You 50 about your business" Re said.
you may think this is a good joke. but
81 is FAR froru e. You come with ne be
said. grasplng his wife BY The arm. and
ycu get out IF our way. pointing 20 the
agent what right have you 20 inter
fsre with my
~It VIII do you no good to hluster. sir.
said the woman calmly 7 VIII call 81
officer 70 look after you-"
She beckoned 20 ore % the police
men located az the staton. Who came AZ
once 20 her assistance. followed D.
crowd Of several huadred people. who
guickly gathered about the bewldered
tridel couple
What's the matter herss- asked the
policeman. with professional gT1fness