The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-01-11
AS IT HAPPENED. ;"
A STORY OF A
NEWSPAPER ITEM.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


himself to sip his coffee.
N-no,' answered his wife. with a hes
itatins assumption of equal languor;
nothing but war rumors and-and adj
vertisemcnts.'
Poor reading for the intellcctuaIs."
remarked the man. Literature today is
as shamcfully neglected as the parish
pump The critics have all become mil
itary experts. Instead of CRADLES SYN
onyms' and Somebody on Style they are
studying war tactics and, to be in fash
ion, their personal appearance. l posi-
lively envy the successful general and
the prominent politician nowadays"
And Mr.. Hollebonc, who was a solic-
itor and-no title of incongruity is sug-
geStcd-a poet in a small way of bust
ness, chucklcd softly over his gay CON
ceit.
Ills wife raShly juISed this merry mo-
ment to be the psych ogical one for the
diversion she contemplated.
Il have letter or two to write, Eus-
tace," she said, rising and CHANGING at the
door.
Leave me the paper" said Hollebone.
and then. with the air of one who grants
privilege; Il think I'll stay Mt home to-
night and read in your company instead
of going round to 'the club. fancy a
half bottle of the old port by my own
treSide tonight. Don't be too long with
the correspondence Mr.. Hollpbonc nj
ways purchased this port in half bottle.
He was not allowed to drink more and
never drank less.
At any other time his partner would
have mildly acknowledged the compli-
ment, but upon this occasion she gave no
reply, for there was that in the journal
which she held in her hand that She
would have hidden from all eyes. Ii is
notnri0usly difficult business to keen
the interesting paragraph EpDm the notice
az the Interested, as many a wight once
high in the esteem Of his neiThborS has
tohnd out TO bis undofIg. The eult Of
daily Journal has dealt out much harm
to the highly respected and much good
to the mainly undesirable.
Had tact been an ingredient Of Mrs.
HoHebone's queerly mixed nature she
would have surrendered the sheet with
good grace and prayed her prayer 10 for
tune, who is ever on the side of those
who risk something. be it cash or honor.
Instead she cIAsped it tighter
do you want it aIl?" she Intercepted
weakly.
Why" asked the man, and to him his
query sounded reasonable enough.
The woman hestated "Thefe is an
advertisement, she began. 81 want to
answer it"
"-lll right" said the man. PLENTY of
will 4, -
Il wish to write tonight" she per-
sisted
Mr.. Hollebonc looked up and not he
ing stage poet Immediately saw that
something was wrong somewhere.
Then tear the thing out DEAR and
give me the rest" he said sweetly, maxi
ing no exception to the rule that marital
endearmcnts and the beginning of suspi-
cion 20 hand in hand.
The woman proceeded to neatly snip
out the paragraph.
As the door closed behind her Mr.. Hol-
lebone turned to the place that it had
once occupied. Tim" he unused. "A
stray item of war news. How peculiar,
Let us turn to the other side of the
sheet-'Thc Foreign Secretary on the Sit
uation.' Well, she can hardly be so in
terested in the missing details of that no.
bleman's speech. No; it must be the
war news, and she said it was an adver-
tisement and it is not. Oh, fe, fie, Now,
if | were an inquisitvc person would
put on my hat and stroll down to the
club merely to ascertain the nature of
the contents of that missing paragraph.
After all, man is a much ovcrrated ami
NAL; his virtues are for the most part
negativc-and they keep excellent port
at the club in half bottles"
"Dearic." said Mr.. IIollebone to his
wife ten minutes later, 81 think I must
90 round to the club this evening after
all. Can | post your letters?"
His wife gave him an order for two
tons of coal upon a postcard. 81 have
not finished the others yet. Martha will
run out with them"
"Goodby, dear: shall be back about
IL. You don't mind me leaving you"
"No, Eustaee. How ridiculous. Good
by"
But not until the street door banged
did the paragraph and half finished let
ter emerge from the blOtting pad
Evening Standard, sir"
"Thanks." said Mr.. Hollebone. "Ah.
here it is! List of Officers Invalided
Home per Steamship Windsor Castle
Captain Rudolf Morbngton, Fourth New
Zealand mounted infantry. wounded, Sc
we're" My God. Ruddy Morbington.
So he went to New Zealand? Why the
devil didn't he stay there? Steamer due
to arrive on the 18th. | must do some
thing. | suppose. She is sure to &C and
have a look at him He was dangerous
enough when alive and well; he'll be the
deuce now he's sick and wounded"
Nothing in the paper this morning,
Eustace?" said Mrs. Hollebone at break
fast the next morning.
Her husband took the journal. and his
eye travelled smartly up and down the
columns, resting presently at para
graph.
Nothing but the same war news and
different advertisements" he agreed aft
er pause, and, putting down the sheet,
he placed his elbow upon it and leaned
forward. Paris is very nice just now
dear" he began.
''Rather unsettled" said his wife hest
tatingly.
''Well, it always is, you know" re-
marked the man.. II don't suppose it
will ever marry the rest of France and
settle down, though it has been rake
enough to be a good husband"
"They don't like the English across the
channel just now," she objected.
"The Parisians are, it is true, losing
the respect they once possessed for Eng
lishmen with money" replied her hus-