Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-09-18

cleaned at the jewelers.. The time for
renovating his chronemeter came
around lately, and Smollett left 1t with
jeweler in the shopping district.
Stocks We're rather shaky about that
time, and he had to be ut his desk early
and late to watch matters. lie could
not find time to go around after his
timepiece, and its absence was always
bothering him, for he had to depend
upon church clocks, a French mantel
clock that was never known to be right
half a day at n time or his wife's chate-
laine and was always missing cars and
being late Mt appointments.
So dear Lydia, with the best of inten-
tons, found the jewelers. ticket and
went herself after the watch, saying
nothing to Smollett about it. When she
presented the ticket to the jeweler, he
looked at 1T and then at her.
"This is gentleman's watch, miss"
Lydia blushed prettily. ooh, yes; it's
my husbands" she said.
He brought it from the safe and said,
II think it's all right, ma'am." He
snapped the case and opened the back
of the watch to look ut the works. AS
he did so a tiny lock of hair slipped out
upon the showcase.
The jeweler glanced at it and then
at Lydia. Her hair is golden brown.
The lock which had dropped out of the
watch was yellow!
The jeweler was wise man; he was
| married himself. He glanced slyly at
Lydia. Her eyes We're flashing, and n
red spot burned in either cheek. She
had seen the lock of hair, but he, out of
the goodness of his heart, tried to shield
| the victim. He closed the watch with
to pack the timepiece in box.
"You have forgotten something" said
Lydia in hard voice.
| II beg pardon
"You have forgotten something" she
repeated, pointing to the yellow lock,
| which he had sought to hide with his
coat sleeve.
ooh, that" said this blessed Ananias.
| II guess you're wrong ma'am. That's
| o bit Of hair customer of mine want
ed me to put in a locket for him
81 saw it drop" said Lydia, with a
calmness that quelled the jewelers.
| glib tongue. "Put 1t back in the
watch"
He obeyed. She paid the bill and
swept regally from the store. That Is
why Smollett, going home that hight
after particularly vexing day and
longing to forget business for a few
hours iii the society of his charming
little wife, found in her place an ice
berg.
She did not meet him in the hall as
usual. The maid opened the door.
| When he went up to her room, she had
locked herself in and would not an
swer. At dinner she came down late
and brought into the room with her an
atmosphere that positively gave Smol-
lett chill, turned the buffers nose
blue and cooled the coffee In the urn.
| Smollett was puzzled, but made no
comment. With women, as in bust
ness, Smollett's was waiting game.
He always went on the theory that if
he waited long enough the other fellow
would show his hand. So after dinner
he retired to the library with his paper.
His theory was again proved correct.
She soon appeared, but u glance at her
face assured him that there was little
change in the weather. He wished he
had ordered james to light fire In the
crate. She stood beside the table and
placed u box upon it.
'There is your watch"
"Oh, thank you, my dear" said the
unsuspicious Smollett. I'D never have
found time to 90 around for It."
!. She made no comment, but watched
him take 1t out, snap 1t on to his watch
chain and slip 1t into Its accustomed
place in the left breast pocket Of his
vest.
You beast! You br-r-utew she cried
traglcally, and as the hurricane of
tears burst she ran from the room and
shut herself in her own apartments
again.
Poor Smollett was thunderstruck
lie tried in a sneaking way-for the
servants were greatly in evidence-tc
gain audience with his wife, but she
would not open her door. and he spent
the night on the couch in the library
and went down the next morning in Il
most bewildered state of mind and an
empty state of stomach.
Lydia's actions so worried him that
he could not keep his mind on his bust.
ness He was irritable and generally
fractious, and the redheaded young
man suffered accordingly About noon
Charlie Paget, IN old friend and good
lawyer, came In. Charles eyes twin.
kled but his manner was solemn.
"See here. Abranl," he said, whats
this hear about your
What Is # that I've sold c., b.
and Q. shortf That yarns stale.
snapped Smollett.
No, Sir; something more serious than
that"
what is it?' in dawning wonder al
the lawyers solemnlty
ut is-er-somethlng regarding your
private life. I know 1t isn't any bust
ness of mine" Charlie fastened to say
with depreclatory wave of his hand
or wouldn't be had not known you
so long. But as personal friend
Personal fiddlesticks" exclaimed
Smollett GROSSLY. "What are you get
ting att"
why, this trouble with your wife,
snld Charlie, with the air of funeral
mute. "Abram. I never thought 1t OF
you. ! never would have suspected
that you, Abram Smollett, were a gay
deceiver; that you We're living double
life"
Double nothing! What do YOU
menn?' yelled Smollett, his ugly face
turning deep brick red.
"Hush, Abram!" said The lawyer sol