The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-17
A MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCE.


He was late for dinner, and he sud-
denly remembered. as he turned the cor
ner of the street in which he lived. that
they were to dine out that evening some
six miles away from their own fire.
side, and that his wife had especially
charged him to come home early
Let me see," he unused. lit will not do
to say that l was detained at the office
by unexpected business. There are times
when / wish that Helen was jealous OF
my typewriter instead of admiring her
pluck and independence And Miss Col
Inns could, and would. tell her. if she hap
pened down tomorrow, that l did not
have a caller or answer ring at the
telephone for two hours before closing
time No, that will not do, and if 1
tell her the truth. and the whole truth,
which is that 1 forgot all about it, she
will make me take course of Professor
Somebodyorother's System for Develop
ing the Memory. Hello. What's this?
What are you doing with my overccat.
sir?" shabby, furtive looking indi-
vidual had just come down the steps OF
| his house, wearing a coat three sizes too
wide and two sizes too short for him.
The individual addressed promptly took
to his heels, without reply. When, how
ever, Mr.. Subbubs had a firm grasp on
his collar, he whined, Il yaint dom any
| harm, mister. The lady give me tn
| coat anw two tickets to a course of lee
lures on tn Evils of Monopoly an she
says she hopes both of 'em will do me
good
"Humph, that certainly sounds like
Helen unused her husband. Still.
will just trouble you to return with me
while I investigate, my agile friend
Mrs Subbubs came down in answer to
| her husbands call, one side of her hair
deliberately curled and her matronly form
| arrayed in bath robe.
What on earth is the matter, Henry
| Subbubs?" she demanded. No, of course
| he didn't take that coat-did you think
| that I would stand by and let him carry
| it off? You haven't worn 1t for two years
| to my certain knowledge, and it is my
| belief that you have saved every gar
| ment you ever owned with the idea that
| you might want to go fishing some day
| and wear them, and then you wonder
that we have moths in this house"
"Oh, well, if you gave it to him, it is
| all right; didn't know but that he had
stolen it. and"
Stolen it. Why, Henry Subbubs. you
know that I am careful TO keep every
thing of value so carefully put away
| that nobody could ever find it. Why,
! L
| She was still talking when he slipped
| a dollar into the hands of the tramp and
| saw him vanish into the darkness of the
| night, with a grin.
When he followed her upstairs. his wife
promptly ordered him into his evening
| clothes which yawned ready for him on
| the bed.
Yes, but it Is too late now, dear. l
am awfully disappointed; you know how
| have been looking forward to this
| evening, but we must not keep our
friends waiting. Hadn't 1 better tele-
phone that you have headache, Or
There is plenty of time. dear" replied
| his wife, sweetly. Don't worry. L
| knew that unexpected business always
comes up when we are going out, so L
gave you the dinner hour an hour earlier
than it really is
We'll / am up against it this time for
sure" he sighed. why didn't / make
! Majors promise to telephone me that the
building next to my office was afire?"
Just then a scream from his wife hur-
ried him into the next room. She stood
with lock of hair wrapped about the
curling iron and smoking cheerily.
MY diamond earrings. where are
| they?'' she cried. "Oh, tell me that you
took them out and put them somewhere
| else for a joke, and II promise TO laugh
at every one of your jokes as long as
| livel"
your diamond earrings? Why, the last
| time l saw them you were wearing them.
| thought you always kept them in a
| chamois bag when you hadn't them In
your ears and carried the bag"
| II did, 1 didi' sobbed his wife, opening
| drawers and boxes and overturning their
| contents with one hand, while with the
| other she clutched the curling iron. But
I saw in the papers how Chicago wo-
| man who did that was robbed and II
| took them out and concealed them in the
| breast pocket of that overcoat / gave 10
the tramp, And to think that you
brought him back, and l never even re-
| membered them them
| After the worst Mysteries were over Mr..
| Subbubs, glancing at the clock, Invested
| himself of his gala attire. AS he de-
| posted it on the bed he said under his
| breath:
| We'll, those earrings cost two hundred
| and fifty dollars, and she'll make me buy
| her new pair within the year on the
| pies that her ears are cold without them.
! but don't have to go to that dinner. any
I how"'-Eliza Armstrong Bengough. in y
Y. Herald.