Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
Scandal in High Life.
[Original.l

making patent medicine and ended q
director of half dozen banks, not be-
Ing able to use her eyes has an English
maid who, while dressing her mistress
hair, is expected to inform her OF tho
social news-in other words, the gossip
of the day. This was the record for
one day last week.
"Oh, ma am, there's been such scan
DIAL! All society is talkin' about it,"
''Well, begin at the beginning. L al
ways like to hear the trifies about these
affairs. If not, 1 don't half enjoy the
scandal itself"
Yes, MN. I'll begin at the begin
ming. 1t was only few days ago that
young Mrs. Bonner-'er who been I'M
der five and twenty-'as 'er second
'usband-the first not bein' dead neither
stepped into Sherry's for Il bite OF
luncheon. She'd eaten a lobster a la
Newburg and had ordered "A cream
merangue when a gentleman come in
and took a seat at table near by.
Suddenly their eyes met. Who should
husband, dressed in the height of Lon
never since the divorce-with button
Mere in his coat and loOkin' for all the
world 'ansomer than overland when
he went abroad he was said to be the
'ansomest man in New York. You
know, ma'am, Mr.. Bonner is 'signifi-
cant lookin' man, with no great money
neither, and heverybody wondered
when Mr.. Robinson's wife give up her
husband for such person.
"'You don't look a day older said
Mr.. Robinson, than you did three
years ago when my heart was lacerat-
ed at givin' you up.
Don't II said his wife. NO moro
do you. Albert. You was always my
fancy for looks"
Come, come" interrupted the listen
err You can't put in the talk of Ia
dies and gentlemen. Get on with the
story"
Eyes, MN. Well, as l was sayin'
MIN, the compliments began to fly be-
tween 'em, besides some explanations
as admit come out when they was a
separation, and they sat at the table for
'arf the afternoon. Mr.. Robinson or
dered a bottle of champagne, KNOWN
and they drank to the Apply days when
they was a-courtin' and before the lady
got to t1irtin' first with one and after
ward with another till she got down
to Bonner. Then Robinson said as 'oW
ED draw the line at Bonner, and there
was Il quarrel as wasn't made up.
"'You used to be fond of curacao to
wind up with, dear-I beg pardon, Mrs.
BonneF'-says Mr.. Robinson. Won't
you ave one?
1.-The very thing says Mrs. Bonner.
low you always did know my taste.
There l was just goin' to call you by
the old pet Birdie
''This is the 'appiest moment l ave
'ad in three years. says Mr.. Robinson.
"I'm 'fraid made mistake, Albert.
You was Il model husband, and l tried
you very ard. Bonner can't 'elp me
with my costumes as you could. 'E
'asn't the hartistic eye you ave
.They clasped 'ands under the table,
and Mrs. Bonner's eyes was wet"
That's right, Simmons" remarked
Mrs. Vanderdecker. ''Stick to what they
did, not what they said. You spoil the
story with their talk"
We'll. MN, Mrs. Bonner arsked i'm
low long e was goin' to be in America,
and e said as 'ow e was goin' to sail
| back in two days, as e 'ad an invita-
| ton to visit a noble lord at is country
'ouse, and it wouldn't do for i'm to be
away at the time as is social position
in Lunnon depended upon is bein'
there Then Mrs. Bonner cried" LIN
Simmons said the mistress, II be-
lieve you're making this all up"
"No'm, 1 hain't. l got it from Mrs.
Bonner's maid, who's a friend OF
mine"
Good graciousr' exclaimed Mrs.
Vanderdecker. "How servants do re-
peat things!'
'eThen Mr.. Robinson arsked is wife to
get a divorce and marry i'm, and she
said she would, but when they come to
think as low she'd ave to live year
in Dakota she couldn't bring herself
to take the trouble, specially as she'd
never been a day out of New York So
ciety in 'er life. Wasn't it cruel, MN,
that the poor things 'ad to be separated
just because the laws so delayin'?
''Mr. Robinson, e called a close car
riage, and the two went drivin' through
the park with the winder shades pulled
down. Wasn't it awful, MN?
''That evenin' when Mr.. Bonner went
'ome for dinner is wife wasn't there,
and when she did come she was very
much fustered. 'E knew by her looks
she'd been doin' something wrong. and
e spoke to 'er 'arsh like. She, bein'
tired of i'm and ratified over 'avin' to
part with 'er 'usband-I mean her real
'usband-on account of i'm, picked up
silver plattA- from the buffet and
threw it at i'm. Then there was trou-
bic in the family and no mistake"
(Which family?" asked Mrs. Wander
decker.
Both of 'em."
''Well?'
'"Thats the end of the story so far as
/ got it from the servants all. but
what's come out in the paper this
mornin' tells 'ow it ended"
| ssRood