The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-06
eREENLEE SURPRISES HIS WIFE.

Earl Greeniee had gone about for sew
eral days. bowed down with the weight
Of a great secret. His vigilant little wife
had exhausted her bountiful store Of
eEpedients in trying TO discover the mys-
terry Cajolery, threats, wheeling, ex-
postulatiOn, argument all the Intricate
wiles employed b. skflIful women TO get
at the inner thoughts of her lord and
master were brought into play without
avail She even resorted to the trick %
holding q mirror before his face as he
was enjoying an afternoon snoOze, in the
hope that he would talk in his sleep.
Finally she became desperate and to
molhfy her GTeenlee intimated that he
was planning joyous surprise for her
He let fan the mint that he had been on
the right side Of stocks IN a recent deal,
and WHEY was going to reap the ben
eft. Beyond this he would not utter
q word. Mrs. Greenlee devoted her days
to hard thinking and she plotted far into
the night, but Greenlee kept his Sc
cret.
Last Saturday morning as he was leav-
ing the fashionable house where he and
his wife have apartments Greenlee an
nounced with a grand flourish that his
surprise was ripe. Without going into
any details be would simply suggest that
anyone who was interested might have
his or her curiosity satisfied by securing
q position at the front windows at or
about ? o'clock that afternoon. Then he
FASTENED away, despite the almost angry
protests OF WHEY" that he certainly
should tell her in advance Of the 9TH
ers. But Greenlee was Obdurate. The
surprise is for you, dearie," he said. and
] want it to be complete. l shall look
for you at the front window upstairs
about 2 o'clock. and when you see what
it is you will forgive ne for not telling
you and spelling it ali"
As soon as he had departed all the wo-
men IN the house Immediately went into
executive session for the four-hundredth
time since they had first noticed symp-
toms Of Greenlee's secret. All of the old
straw was vigorously threshed over; but
they were finally forced to give up the
problem, just as they had done before.
Then Mrs. Greenlee went upstairs and in
dulged in a spiteful little cry all by her
lonesome. After this she oathed her
eyes, put on her best clothes, eradicated
the tear stains with plentiful dabs OF
powder and hunted up the other women
10 see if any of them had evolved q
working idea, but they were still cropping
in the dark.
Meanwhile the day wore on and
o'clock was approaching. The residents
of the house lined up at the windows af-
ter much sparring for the best positions.
Of 2 and five pairs of eyes searched the
avenue up and down. but there was no
trace of Earl Greenlee and his mon
strous surprise" Occasionally some
one would go TO the street door and peer
through the maze Of vehicles and indi-
viduals thronging the avenue. and it
was even suggested that opera glasses
might be used to advantage. Then the
clock struck the hour Of 8.
NO, ,,.-fHf 4
ing to her feet, IT had an engagement
with the church committee q which I am
chairman at o'clock. 1t VIII never do to
miss it, and I'm going, surprise or no
surprise. I have already waited an hour
for Mr.. Greenlee, and now he can wait
an hour for me. Tie my face veil,
please; I'm in a dreadful hurry. Dear
met I was never late in my life before,
and it's all on account of Fart GreenIee
and his exasperating mystery"
Ten minutes later she was whirling
down the avenue in a cab she had hailed
at the corner, biIsily engaged in framin g
a suitable excuse for her hardness, when
the cab slowed up. what is the mat
ter, cabman? l told you to drive rapidly.
You mast not stop until we reach the
church.
Had to stop. ma'am; there's somethin'
dom ahead Of US here, and my horse is
skeart."
Mrs. Greenlee opened the cab door and
peered out Then she stepped out. Just
ahead OF them, careening from one side
of the avenue to the other, butting side
walks and lampposts, madly charging
the curbing, roaring, kissing and snort
ing, was an automobile. Finally the IN
ruly machine gave one triumphant lunge,
vainIy tried to climb up the solid stone
wall Of a clubhouse and fell back, broken
and helpless. a mass Of twisted steel and
pungent gasoline.
Then the wreck OF a man pried himself
loose from the smoking debris and flop
ped down on the edge of the sidewalk,
where he swore softly and scraped the
oil from what remained Of his garments.
Dear mel I wonder if the man is
badly hurt?' said Mrs Greenlee, as she
adjusted her heliOtrope toaue and walked
over to where ne was sitting. The man
looked up. Smudges of dust and oil,
streaks Of gasoline, traces of blood ana
shreds of clothing adorned his counte-
nance.
''AIerciful heavens-EarI GreenleeP'
screamed his WIFE throwing her hands in
to the air and threatening to collapse.
That's all right, dearie, I'm not hurt 3"
Then he slowly and painfully arose and
surveyed the wreckage beside him. Il
ordered this automobile three weeks go
meant to give it TO you-guess 1 have
not had time to learn it yet, but l in
tended to surprise you"
well, We'll" said little Mrs. Greenlee.
painting with excitement and wringing
her hands; well, you've certainly sur
priSed me. Yes, you've been even more
successful than that-you've shocked me.
Now, get right into this cab and let me
hurry you home before any Of our
friends see you"
The church committee fretted and stew
ed and conjectured, but the able chairman
did not come. The other residents OF the
Greenlee house kept ceaseless vigil at the
front windows, but they were disap-
pointed. for his wife sneaked him in the
back way.-Edward T. Younger, IN Chi
so Record-Herald.