The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1905-06-02
" ATSON'S WELCOME.

ing The new HAT WAS In Il state OF
complete readiness There were sew
,ral varieties Of breakfast foods In the
pantry and flowers were on the dining
table Young Mrs WatsOns mother
and sisters had given the finishing
touches So many times over that they
mad lost count
1t was the absolute perfection of the
new Hat that gave Phillips his idea
'hc more he thought about II HE more
strongly did Il appeal to him Tie took
ticrrick into his confidence herrick
vas enthusiastic from the start Both
We're intimate friends OF Watson. aud
naturally they wished 10 make his
home coming an event.
BY judlcious Inquiries made Of Mrs
Natsuu's younger sister Phillips
earned that The happy couple would
he home about II O'Clock On Tues.
tag evening lie GUESSED that the
family would give Il hull finishing
ouch lO the apartments late that day
hut estimated tina, by nine o'clock II
would be- ready Tor Herrick and him,
self To du their part
So. shortly before nine O'Clock on the
Urnlng in question, they presented
themselves at the street and number
indicated ON Wat1un's wedding cards.
III whole building vas dark which
lugured Well for the success OF th"li
undertaking iIerrick had been doubt,
iuI about getting IN, but Phillips the
pptlmlst assured him that there Was
always window hy which one could
inter Ia this case II proved to be
sItcnrn window. opening on the porch
phllIps manipulated his knife with the
3klll Of a practired burglar aud adj.
United that he had seriously thought
II this calling a. On alternative -pru'
4, ilrd he did not meet his expectations
uu the board Of trade
The Hat IN which they found them
rrNr, had most yunN lnCingly home
ike an Phillips lighted the gas "a
an The rooms and The Two men agreed
ma there Was none ut the stiffness
ina raw ueWuesa usually apparent la
apartments ~ the recently Ned But
hey had uitlr Uuc for admiration
rnuup- reminded Herrluk that Two
nuur- ws7 all too short tor the worn
they had planned
The arrangement VI various plaCardS
"a the walls expressive " the bliss ut
hr married state occupied but ie"
minutes Then the real work OF the
euiur began The dining table was
moved into the bathroom, the chairs
icing placed un top Of II The bras
bed was carefully SET up In tho parlui
aud a number Of Kitchen utensiis were
1ruught In To Keep II company Other
,Nchanpcs equally original and strIh
ing were effected The perspiratluh
rolled down the faces Of the two con
sp,ruturs bN this time. ANY selt-re
-pr,ting dra> man would protest II re-.
| luirrd 10 de- an equal amount OF worn
in the same brief period
So absorbed wrr" they IN their prep
tratuu= that they did not hear foot
step. on the stars Their first warn
ug was the grating OF a hey ia the
/ lurk
Phillips caught Ierrick by the arm
ana irrhed him into the hall closet
since he was caught he prepared him
self To enjoy his friends surprise
There was an Inslaut's silence then
little shrek John voice said
burglars have been here" The voice
did not sound like Mrs Walsuns
Don't bee SHY susan" said another
voice. which certainly did not resemble
| hat VI = husband Of Two weeks stand
uug
There was sound Ot the scratching
IT matches then a strange apoplecti,
suOumg as II fury had made some one
incapable uf articulGte speech
There's some mistake whispered
Phillips In his friends ear Phillips
has his faults, but lack Of courage Id
not one ui them As he stepped out
and faced the irate huusehOlder5 Her
rich irt as II he We're witnessing the
charge Of the light brigade At the
sudden appearance Of this bold bur
ear the woman tainted while the
bald headed man said Murder" IN d
aOarse whisper and collapsed against
the door
There mas been mistake, said
Phillips. addressing himself with great
courtesy to the bald headed man
There is 40 cause Tor alarm II IS
only d little Joke
Joke, joke" roared the bald
headed man, gaining courdg. from
philips humility
Then Phillips explained He took
them into the parlur and showed them
the plaCards which said We're Just
married aud Amt We happy" He
pointed Uut that nothing Was missing
from The apartment, though everything |
was upset lie protested his willing
ness to make everything right The |
woman finally admitted that as the |
Hat above was rented by newly mar.
ried couple who were expected that |
evening his story had a touch al plaus'
ibiiity
But never we're people more desti |
tute oil humor than the occupants Of |
that nat They declined TO see any |
thing humorous In the situation While !
Phillips and HerTiCk worked like gal !
ley slaves. restoring order they frown |
iugly "bossed the job" When at last |
everything Wac back In palce, the only |
thanks they received from the bald |
headed man was fresh threat tu have |
them arrested for housebreaiIing.
Watson WAS at the Office next morn. |
ing In great splrits.
We got home last night" he told |
Phillips, and our little HAT is dandy |
Say, ! want you TO set day when |
yuu'll come up to dinner"
phillips said he was awfully busy |
but he would try To find time to come /,
a few weeks later He said IL withou, |
enthusiasm, howeyer.-ChiCago Daily |