Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Results of a Joke.
IOriginaI.l

duced to but one man, who stuck to
him. This was Albertus Whiteright.
Whiteright was an exemplary young
man with an exemplary young wife.
The Whiterights were members of st.
Andrews church, and Burt was al
ways on hand Sunday nights to show
strangers to seats and pass the plate.
Mrs. Whiteright before her marriage
had made it an indispensable condition
that the man she married should be a
good churchman, and as she conSid-
cred her church the only true church
Burt was obliged to be confirmed be-
fore he became her husband.
Shafto was quite intimate with the
Whiterights. counting Mrs. Whiteright
one of his closest friends, as we'll as
her husband. Frequently when Burt
was detained late at the office Tom
would keep his wife company. One
night Tom called at the Whiterights'
about 10 o'clock, and, though he re-
manned till 10, the husband did not re
turn.
You needn't look for Burt till 3
O'Clock in the morning" said Tom.
"Why not - asked the wife, looking
up surprised.
why, this is the night of the French
ball. Burt is undoubtedly there"
Now. every one who lives in New
York Knows that the French ball or
annual gathering given by the Cercle
Franchise is q masquerade composed of
elements and productive of antics rem
dering 1t an unfit place for one occupy
ing a high place in the chupch. Mrs.
Whiteright looked shocked and was
about to make an indignant reply
when she remembered Toms procliv
ity for Righteousness. She simply
looked grave and said nothing. Shat
to- seeing that the lady declined TO be
jollied on so serious Il subject, turned
it and began to talk of other matters.
Soon after he took his leave.
At in the morning Whiteright put
his night key into the lock and let him
self in softly. thinking that his wife
was asleep and not wishing to disturb
her. To his surprise, she was sitting
in the library.
''Why, my precious darling, what are
you doing up at this timer
''It is a wife's duty to bear her hus-
bands burdens with him. If you must
work so late. l decline to rest in
luxurious bed
ITS very lovely of you, but unneces-
sary.''
What was the nature of your work
tonight?"
"An error in the cash. 1 was obliged
to find IT or carry it over, which would
have made it all the worse"
by the bye, did you know that this
| is the night of the French ball?"
French ball?" Whiteright started.
"Yes."
"What do you know about the French
baIl?"
'I know that it is an improper ball
for my husband to attend"
Il? My dear, so you accuse me of
such a thing?"
II have been told that you were
there"
Whiteright caught at the back of a
chair for support.
who told you such a thing?"
Zone of your intimate friends"
"H-h-how d-did he known
THAT doesn't matter. Burt, 1 am
ashamed of you, man of your posi-
ton. And to think that you should
have so deceived me. l shall never
/ y
Mrs. Whiteright took out her hand
kerchief, wiped her eyes and, rising,
went upstairs There was weeping
and wailing and gnashing of teeth be-
tween the Whiterights not only that
night, but for nights and days to come.
| The next afternoon ShaftO saw
| Whiteright coming down the street and
had a joke ready for him. What was
his surprise to see Whiteright pass him
with his head in the air ShaftO hur-
ried after him.
What in the worlds the matter,
| Burt? Have you gone biind?'
Il have always supposed, replied the
other angrily, that you had the de-
| cency not to give a man away to his
own wife,
81 give you away to your wife? 1
never did any such thing"
You did it last night"
Last night? How?'
You informed my wife that l was
at the French ball"
"You at the French ball? Who would
believe that you would go to such a
| place? Certainly not 1. Now 1 remem-
| Der 1 did say something of the sort as
a joke"
Joke or no joke, was at the French
ball. / was masked, and no one would
have known it if it hadn't been for
your contemplate give away. Good
morning"
And with a snort Whiteright broke
away from Shafto and their friendship
came to n. termination.
The end is not yet. Mrs. Whiteright
who had conscience like a poker,
decided that her husband was not in a
spiritual condition to go to the COM
munion table. All her troubles were
! divided into two classes, the one for
her doctor, the other for her pastor.
This was for her pastor. She confided
| the whole affair to him. The pastor
invited the delinquent to his study,
and told him that the offense must
| go to the vestry. When Whiteright