Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-10
DAILY SHORT STORY
Her Private Box.
IOriginal.1


probable and eventually an actual one.
Lester, when he built his new house,
which at the time contained every mod
ern improvement, left an opening be-
tween the closet of a room occupied for
his study and one for his wife's recep-
ton room. the space being closed by a
thin panel In the closet and one in the
room. When one of the panels was re-
moved any conversation in the adjoin-
ing room could be readily heard. y
pin hole also enabled one to look from
the closet to the reception room. Both
alike, so that the device would not be
readily noticed.
One evening a gentleman was an
nounced whose acquaintance Mrs. Les
ter had recently made, but who was
unknown to her husband. She begged
Mr. Lester to come into her reception
room and make the mans acquaintance.
Lester declared that he had some writ
ing to do and would remain in his
study But no sooner were the couple
comfortably seated than he touched
the spring removing the panel. 1t flew
back with a jerk. Lester put his eye
to the peephole and saw his wife and
her visitor chatting on commonplace
subjects and apparently unsuspicious
that they were watched. Lester wish
ed only to try his eavesdrOpping ap
paratus and soon replaced the panel,
taking care that 1t should not fly back
noisily. Everything was now ready for
a spying upon Mrs. Lester and Eugene
Powell, a man whom Lester suspected
as soon as he should make another call.
One evening he was sitting in his
study, his wife being with him, when
Powelrs card was brought In. Mrs.
Lester went into the reception room.
Lester remained in the study. No soon
er were the couple seated than he went
TO his closet and slid back the panel.
Powell and Mrs. Lester were chatting
on familiar subjects. Lester watched
them for a time. then closed the panel,
convinced that his suspicious had been
unfounded.
A few evenings later Mrs. Kate
Strong, n widow. an intimate friend Of
Mrs. Lester. called to spend the evening
with the Testers. Mrs. Lester COM
planned of a headache and begged her
husband to go down and entertain the
guest for awhile until she felt better.
when she would go down herself.
The two chatted for awhile on orCll-
nary topics. Then Mrs. Strong took up
book of foreign photographs to look
them over. She was sitting on a sofa,
and Lester went and sat beside her.
They turned over large number OF
pictures. discussing their different fea-
lures, Lester. who had collected them.
making brief remarks on the subject of
each.
This" he said, lis ST. PauTs cathe-
dral In London. 1t was built by Sir
Christopher Wren. This is the Tower
Of London, and here you see Tower hill,
where so many political magnatcs were
executed. That one is the Place de Ia
Concorde, in Paris, also once used as a
place OF execution. During the reign
OF terror the guillotine was set up
there. and blood flowed from II like
water. The Arc de Triomphe was built
by Napoleon l. TO commemorate his
victories. The battle field of Waterloo
you remember the superb description
Byron wrote of it:''
NO. Can't you give itT''
Lester was proud of his elocution and
repeated dozen or more stanZas from
"Childe Harold" in which the descrip-
ton is given beginning
There was a sound Of revelry by night
when Belgium's capital had gathered
there
Her beauty and her chlvalry and bright
the lamps shone DER fair women and
brave men.
He had barely finished when a serv-
ant entered with word from Mrs. Les
ter to Mrs. Strong asking to be ex
CuSed, as she had a violent headache
and must go to bed, but hoping that
Mrs. Strong would make herself at
home and that Mr.. Lester would sue
coed in entertaining her. Mrs. Strong,
however, now it was understood that
Mrs. Lester would not appear, took
her leave, thanking Mr.. Lester for the
entertaining hour he had afforded her.
Lester went up to his wife's room.
He found her in dressing gown
preparatory to going to bed. He con-
doled with her upon her headache,
| though he saw no evidence of any in
disposition. Indeed she was standing
before a mirror fixing her hair for the
| night and looked very well.
Norman" she said, why don't you
get up some lectures with stereopticon
views? You would be a great sue
cess"
"Do you think SOP he asked, greatly
| hattered.
Eyes. You could tell about the pic
| lures beautifully. This is st. Paul's,
built by Sir Christopher Wren. This is
| the Tower Of London, and here you see
Tower hill, where so many political
magnates were executed. That one is
| the -
"For heavens sakew exclaimed the
astonished husband. The wife pro-
| ceeded:
There was a sound of revelry by night
when Belgium's capital had gathered
there
oV,tx a