The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-05-09
Keister's Little Joke

IN Stohes to dine with linn at his
house in the suburbs Nicol had Just
arrived in town on n weeks
business trip and had surprised Keis-
ter by breaking into his Office unan-
nounced and shifting him vigorously
on the back to testify to his delight
at once more meeting the friend of
his bachelor days. Keister's first i'm
pulse was to hurl the inkstand at his
visitor, but when he saw who it was
he contented himself with pommel-
ing him around the room to show his
| Joy. Then he forced him into a chair
and beamed on him. >.- >.'
Married and done for. l hear"
said Nicoll.
"Three children, to boot" said
Keister, with conscious pride. "About
the smoothest little bunch you ever
but, then, you shall see them and
| judge for yourself. You must come
and stay with me while you are here.
No: excuses don't go. I'll tell you
what; I'll ask Billy Stokes to dinner,
and If we don't have cozy old pow
WOW over old times tonight! Sure!
Billy's on earth. No, he isn't mar
ried. but the chances are good in
about another month. Same old Bill
ly; not hairs difference. You
haven't changed bit. either. Look
as natural as ever. What do you
think of me? OF course we all have
our troubles and they don't make us
any younger, but they tell me I hold
my own pretty well. You ought to
have married, Nick: but then I guess
you're too young yet to settle down.
Nothing like it, though. No, it won't
interfere with your business at all
1t may sound as if it was far out,
but the train gets you down there in
20 minutes. and you don't have to
worry about getting a seat"
"Well, if I do go down with you,
you'll be putting up some Job or an.
other on me-" said Nicoll.
"Not much. I've quit all that and
sobered down. I'll call Stokes up
right away. Say, but I'm sorry that
I can't drop everything and 60 out
with you right now, but it Just hap
pens that you've caught me when I've
got my hands full of lot of business
that must be attended to. See those
papers stacked up there? Well, we'll
make up for it tonight. anyway.
Well if you've got business yourself
it don't so much matter. You can
! get through by half-past four. can't
you? Very well. then. You come
here at that time and you'll find Billy
, and me here waiting for you. Don't
make it any later. and we can catch
the 4:45. Bring your satchel with
you with enough things for a week.
Well. good by,old fellow, for the
| present. I'll give you a time. all
, right"
As soon as Nicoll had gone Keister
, went to the telephone and called up
Stokes. Stokes had been one of the
bachelor trio in the old days, and he
promptly accepted the invitation and
said he would call at the office at q
. little before four o'clock unless he
fell dead with heart disease. Then
Keister attacked his papers and was
busy with them until lunch time. II
occurred to him then that it was hts
duty to let Mrs. Keister know some
thing about the intended dinner par
ty, and in the same instant he won.
dered what kind of Job" he could
put up" on his old friend. That was
Keister's weakness. In the old days
he had been famous for his practical
jokes, and it gratified him to think
that Nicoll recollected IL. This should
have filed him with shame, however,
for they had been very dreary prac-
tical jokes. and still were dreary.
, Suddenly he began to chuckle. An
. idea had come to him. He walked
over to the telephone and called up
. his house.
! "Oh, it's you, Polly" be said. when
: his wife answered. "See here; I've
and he'll stay with us for awhile.
Why. you know. Nicoll. N-i-o-o-l-l.
Did you get it? BERTHE Nicoll. who
, used to train with Billy Stokes and
, me-and, by the way, I've asked Billy
down, too. I'm not giggling. l don't
giggle. Say, Polly :. Well, I'll tell
you If you'll wait minute. No, you
needn't go to any particular trouble
, only I'd like to have things nice, OF
course. No. Billy won't stay.
Why. this is what l wanted to say:
I'm going to tell Nick that you have
been called away, and when we come
you put on one of the girls dresses
and aprons and play maid. .. Why
for a joke. of course. :. No. I don't
suppose you do; it's hard sometimes
to make you see anything. No, you
do that, Polly, just to please me
Wen let things develop themselves,
and Wen have whole lot of fun
out of it. You tell the kids not to
call you mamma or give the thing
away, and I'll put Billy next"
That was the substance of the con-
versation. 1t happens. unfortunate
ly, that Mrs. keister really thinks
her husband funny at times. and she
weakly consented to the deception.
) When Stokes came around Keister
gleefully informed him of the joke
! that he was going to play on Nicoll,
tut Stokes somehow fIfftd % BEE rhe
/, point of the thing. Keister was rath-
. er annoyed about it, but he said he
: would carry 1t out, anyway. "Oi
course, ! don't know exactly what
turn the situation will take" he said
|"but It will be . funny situation and
snybody hutCA shunp could ~ fuz
7 sut. Of ~ IN est yeH yM' IA. -
; ~Jvst ~ yea say." ssiA Stoksa