Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-25
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
A WALLETS
BLUNDER.
rOrigInaLl


in bachelor quarters. Miss Allendale
was considering number of men from
among whom TO choose husband; L
was concentrating my attention upon
Miss Allendale with u view TO secur-
ing her for wife.
Miss Allendale knew all points of ETH
quette as she knew her letters and was
extremely fastidiOus as TO the bearing
of her friends. l once saw 4 man who
did not know that it is Il lady's privi-
lege to offer her hand to Il gentleman
extend his own TO Miss Allendale. She
was dreadfully shocked.
/ had everything in my favor with
Miss Allendale-so l was Informed by
n mutual friend-and felt reasonably
sure of an engagement before she went
| to Newport for the summer. But one
thing | knew-if / ever made mis-
take in etiquette, laughed too loud, said
the wrong thing at the wrong time-in
short in any way indicated that l was
not to the manner born-I would lose
the prize.
4 note came inviting me to dinner
en- famille. l understood by this that
there were to be no other guests and l
would have the evening TO myself.
Indeed. considering the situation be
tween us. felt sure that would have
an opportunity to declare myself.
As fate would have it, on the even
ing of the dinner 1 was suddenly indis-
posed. My valet, Pierre, Il treasure and
on whom / had relied implicitly in car
rying messages. had been taken seri-
ously i'll the day before. and l had sent
him to a hospital. l sent out for
messenger to take my regrets to Miss
AIlendale, and one Dennis O'Rourke
appeared. 1t would never do to send
note except by my own valet, so told
Dennis to go into a back room, where
he would find one of Pierre's suits OF
livery, and put il on. He did so, and
when he returned l was charmed that
it fitted him so nicely.
Take this note to Miss Allendale," |
said, land when you return bring me
my dinner
Before 1 could conclude the sentence
friend entered, and when i turned
from welcoming him Dennis was gone.
"Confound that fellow" l said an
griIy Il intended to tell him to bring
me a dinner from Delmonico's.- and he's
gone without Instructions
ing sumptuOus dinner.
Where did you get it?' I asked.
where did 1 get it? Sure. where We
stint me for it,
What dc you meant
1.-THE lady. Miss Ailendale. I stint in
yer note an said ye'd loike TO have me
bring back the dinner. as We We're suf-
ferin' an couldn't go out
4
then. seizing the heaviest piece OF china
on the tray before me. hurled it III
Dennis O'Rourke. Unfortunately il
grazcd his soft head. cutting it, and.
striking the hard wall. broke into
pieces.
What could do to repair the blum
der? For awhile raved, then tried TO
think AbsentIy taking UP a plate. l
noticed that it was Il make which
could not be duplicated in America.
Here was more trouble. If | could get
a new piece to match the broken one.
1 could return the dishes without it be-
ing noticed. As it was, 1 could not re-
turn it at all.
Hoping against hope. / wrote Il note
explai2ing the whole affair and, as |
had no other messenger, was forced to
send it by Dennis. When he returned,
he bore no'reply whatever. Then l
knew the game was up.
"Whom did you see, Dennis?" 1 asked.
"The futman, sir. He TUX the note
on a shinin' waiter. 1 waited, thinkin'
there was somethin' TO sind, an when
he KEN back he says, 'Sthep this way
follyed him, an lie TUX me to the
drawin' room, an way off at the other
ind sat a beautiful lady. The futman
stands loike sojer at attintion at the
door. an 1 axes him what / shud be
dom. Thin he jerks his thumb ut the |
lady an goes TO her.
"'Are ye Mr.. Yer Bleek's man?" she I
axes.
''Yis, MINI says.
What's the matter with yer fore
head
~ got that fur me stupidity
From Mr.. Van Bleek?
"'Yis, miss. an deserved it,
"'What did he do it WITH
IVAN av the dishes. The fact is,
miss, he SHE'D it so quick 1 couldn't see
which wan nv 'em he TUX
THAT will do. Ye may CO.
1.-The answer to Mr.. Yer Bleek's
note?
There is no reply
''Thin, sor. hopin' to do somethin' to
be even wild me mistake. says:
at wud, l e a favor. miss, if ye wud
sind bit av a note, since 1 was so I'M
fortunate as to go wrong wild me first
1t might save me some trou-
BILE Mr.. Van Bleek is turrible when
he's reused, an he might shy the rest
av the dishes at me, bein' hard in me
head, an smashin' all yer illigent Chi
ney.'
James, she said to the sintinel ut
the door, let him wait in the hall
well. sor, goes wild the lackey, an
in few minutes this note comes from
the lady. an : was told to go to DR..