Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
ooosEBERRY.
IOriginaLl
at don't believe that"
81 will prove ii to you, sir"

"are there any gooseberries in the
house,
We're TO have gooseberry pie for
dinner. father. Mother made one yes
terday."
"All right" said the father. "Ycu
can prove il at the table"
1t is a well known fact that certain
vegetables are poison TO certain PEG
pie. Frank Andrews had told Mr..
Dutton that he could not eat gooseber-
ries without producing a rash on his
body. Frank and Bessie button 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 a rash began to come out first on
his arm, then on his neck and face.
singular" said Mr.. Dutton thought
fully. Il wouldn't have believed it."
II am sorry. SIR replied the young
man, that I can't as readily satisfy
ments | wish / could prove Mr.. Cros-
by Cotton a humbug. l 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 a for
tune. He was not n refined man, and
Bessie button 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 Il dinner to number Of his
friends. the buttons being present; also
their especial friend, Frank Andrews.
Mr.. and Mrs. DuttOn had always lived
very plainly and We're people 10 be
easily impressed with n little display.
When the dinner came off it appear
ed to Mr. Dutton that the hosts great
wealth had been lavishly used to set
splendid table. Frank Andrews, who
was more used TO dinner parties, no
ticed that the chicken salad was made
of veal, and n fillct de sole was con-
founder But he made no comments,
nor could he very we'll DO so to his
friends. the buttons, because he was
not placed beside them at table.
1t was evident that Mr.. Dutton was
very much impressed with the enter
tainment. The host sat mt the head of
the table. his red face glowing. On his
right sat Mr.. button. on his left Mrs.
button. and next to her father sat Miss
Dutton. casting longing eyes Mt Frank,
who was placed at the other end of
the table, but opposite. With the
soup was served Il white wine, which
Andrews tasted and pronounced Cali
formal" then red wine. which he
slipped and pronounced also "CalifOr-
MIA" then n sherry. which he slipped
and pronounced also "California."
Nevertheless he held his peace He
cast occasional Chances at the other
end of the table and saw that the host
was rolling his wine under his tongue
and smacking his lips. ut the same
time expatiating on its merits TO Mr.
DuttOn.
This chablis." he said, Il imported
myself from Paris. The claret | pro
cured from the stock Of n French con
nOiSseur in wines who lived in Eor-
deaux. Fortunately l was on hand
when his wines were sold and put
$1,000 in n hundred bottles. The sher-
~ | bought in Lisbon. But don't waste
your taste on these. Wen have some
champagne presently, the celebrated
Champagne Rosa. which was made in
1870. l bought it right out of the Gel
lar where ii had lain fifty years"
Frank Andrews was beginning to
boil with Indignation. 1t was perfectly
plain to him THAI the man was playing
on the ineNperience in such matters OF
his guest as well as his creduity and
was succeeding to his hearts content,
for Mr.. button was all smiles, thinking
how nice it would be to marry his
daughter to this nabob and live on
such meat and drink for the rest of his
life.
Finally there was popping of corks.
followed by a delicious gurgle. and
foaming champagne was in the glasses.
The host held his glass by its slender
stem between his thumb and fOrefin-
ger, bowed to Mr.. Dutton. then to the
rest. and the nectar was quaffed.
Frank Andrews tasted Of the wine and
set his glass down with a frOwn. Ia
deed the effort to capture the fathc" Of
Bessie button by such cheap means.
together with certain admiring looks
OF the host to the young lady. had
finally excited Andrews To the point of
explosion. But there was another rca-
son why he did not like the cham
payne.
Mr.. buttons cheeks We're beginning
TO get rosy, his tongue a trihe thick.
while his lips were parted in salts
fed smile. Mrs. Dutton was cOmpli-
menting the host on the sumptuous-
ness of his feast, especially the variety
OF his wines. Then when for a moment
the ripple of chat lulled something
happened. Frank Andrews was OBJ
served holding up his arm, which he
had barred to the elbow. and displaying
IL