Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-09-15
GOOSEBE1RRY
[Original.l
II don't believe that"


II will prove it to you, SIR.
@Bess," snapped the first speaker,
.are there any gooseberries in the
touse?"
"Were to have gooseberry pie for
dinner, father. Mother made one yes
terday."
call right" said the father. "You
can prove it at the table,
It is well known fact that certain
vegetables are poison to certain peo-
pie. Frank Andrews had told Mr..
Dutton that he could not eat gooseber-
ries without producing rash on his
body. Frank and Bessie Dutton were
devoted to each other, and her father,
who wished to dispose Of her hand to
suit himself, was annoyed at the stu
alton. During dinner he sat without
speaking, now and again casting dis
satisfied glances at his daughter and
her lover till the dessert was brought
on. Frank ate large piece Of goose
berry pie, and in less than half an
hour rash began to come out first on
his arm, then on his neck and face.
singular" said Mr.. Dutton thought
fully. 81 wouldn't have believed it."
ST am sorry, SIR" replied the young
man, "that can't as readily satisfy
you as to the truth Of all my state
ments. wish could prove Mr.. Cros-
by Cotton humbug. would gladly
suffer the discomfort of the rash to do
So"
Now, the man Mr.. Dutton had pick
ed out for his daughter was this same
Crosby Cotton, who had returned to
the east from the far west with for
tune. He was not refined man, and
Bessie Dutton detested him. Her ia
ther was not quite satisfied that Cot
ton was as rich as he pretended to be,
and this, with Bessie's repugnance,
had delayed him in forcing the match.
Cotton in order to inspire confidence
gave a dinner to a number Of his
friends, the buttons being present; also
their especial friend, Frank Andrews.
Mr.. and Mrs Dutton had always lived
very plainly and were people to be
easily impressed with little display.
When the dinner came off 1t appear
ed to Mr.. Dutton that the hosts great
wealth had been lavishly used to set q
splendid table. Frank Andrews, who
was more used to dinner parties, no
ticed that the chicken salad was made
Of veal, and fillet de sole was con-
cocted Of very ordinary fish called a
founder. But he made no comments,
nor could he very well do SO to his
friends, the buttons, because he was
not placed beside them at table.
It was evident that Mr.. Dutton was
very much impressed with the enter
tainment. The host sat at the head Of
the table, his red face glowing. On his
right sat Mr.. button, on his left Mrs.
Dutton, and next to her father sat Miss
Dutton, casting longing eyes at Frank,
who was placed at the other end Of
the table, but opposite. With the
soup was served q white wine, which
Andrews tasted and pronounced "Cali-
formal" then red wine, which he
slipped and pronounced also "Califor-
MAJ then sherry, which he slipped
and pronounced also California"
| Nevertheless he held his peace. He
cast occasional glances at the other
end Of the table and saw that the host
was rolling his wine under his tongue
and smacking his lips, at the same
time expatiating on its merits to Mr..
| Dutton.
''This chablis," he said, 81 imported
myself from Paris. The claret pro-
cured from the stock of a French con-
noisseur in wines who lived in Bor-
when his wines were sold and put
| $1,000 in hundred bottles The sher-
| ry I bought in Lisbon. But don't waste
| your taste on these. Wen have some
champagne presently, the celebrated
Champagne Rosa, which was made in
1850. bought it right out Of the eel
lar where it had lain fifty years."
4 Frank Andrews was beginning to
boil with indignation. It was perfectly
plain to him that the man was playing
on the inexperience in such matters OF
hts guest as we'll as his credulity and
was succeeding to his hearts content
for Mr.. Dutton was all smiles, thinking
INV tA1SO ~ VIVIAN NC W A4oAAy LIE
daughter to this nabob and live or
such meat and drink for the rest Of his
life.
Finally there was popping Of corks
I. followed by delicious gurgle, and
foaming champagne was in the glasses
The host held his glass by Its slender
stem between his thumb and foreln
ger, bowed to Mr.. Dutton, then to tn,
rest, and the nectar was quafeed
Frank Andrews tasted Of the wine ant
set his glass down with frown. In
deed the effort to capture the father O
Bessie Dutton by such cheap means
together with certain admiring look
Of the host to the young lady, hat
finally excited Andrews to the point o
explosion. But there was another rea
son why he did not like the cham
. payne.
Mr.. buttons cheeks were beginning
to get rosy, his tongue trifie thick
! while his lips were parted In a salts
Lied smile. Mrs. Dutton was compu
3 menttng the host on the sumptuout
9 nose ~ hio fnaof ns,ociallv tho vor1o1-