Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-12-12
! What a Boxing Mill Cost
lOriginal.l

me off for the evening. I've promised
my wife every night for a month to
stay at home and have exhausted every
excuse | can invent. You come in in a
hurry and say that Robbins, the man
we're trying to sell that property to, is
in town and we have chance to close
the deal before he goes out on the early
train tomorrow morning"
81 see," said Johnnie. "I'll help you
out, Billy"
That evening at the appointed hour
Johnnie Farnum rang the door bell,
was admitted and played his part we'll.
Billy Jennings feigned great disap-
pointment, but declared that business
is business" and he could not afford to
lose so profitable a trade. Just as he
was going out his wife looked so dis
appointed that for a moment he was
conscience stricken and had he not
gone so far in the matter. would have
backed out. AS 1t was, he kissed her
affectionately and promised that, bust
ness engagements excepted, he would
remain at home evenings in future-a
promise he had often made.
1t was after o'clock, while Mrs.
Jennings was sitting alone darning the
childrens clothing to save money for
her husband to spend at his club, that
there was another ring at the door bell.
and Billy's bachelor uncle, James Jep-
nings, was ushered in. His coming was
surprise, for he was in business I'm
Brazil and lived there most of the time.
where's Billy?" he asked.
Hes gone out on business"
That's unlucky. l only got in this
evening and go out on an early train
tomorrow morning. I'm going around
the world, and there are some impor-
tant matters I wish to settle before
going"
"It's too bad. Poor Billy will be so
disappointed"
"Can't we catch him anywhere by
telephOne"
Il don't know unless at one of the
hotels. He expected to see man by
the name Of Robbins. who, like you.
came in this evening and is going ou.
tomorrow morning"
He was shown the telephone and
called up the three hotels in the town
The clerks all knew Billy Jennings, but
he had not been to either house during
the evening. One Of them asked, "Have
you tried his clubY
This put an idea into the uncle's
head He asked the name of the club
and rang it up. Billy had been there
all the evening, but had just gone out.
leaving word for a friend that he was
going to boxing match between the
two lightweights Dugan and Carr. His
friend was to join him there. This
sufficed for the uncle, and he went
bsck to the forlorn wife, with whom
he sat till late hour.
At l O'Clock Billy's night key ratified
in the lock, and he tiptoed upstairs
He always did this to show consider
alton for his wife, whom he knew new
er went to sleep till he came home.
ooh. Billy" she said, you've had a
piece of bad luck But it's all right"
''HOW-Wnat!'
"Uncle Jim has been here He tele-
phoned to all the hotels hoping to find
you but you weren't at any Of them"
That's too bad. We took our man
TO the theater."
"Then Uncle Jim telephoned to the
club but they told him you weren't
there
"Humph.' grunted Billy looking Sc
rious Ibid he get any information
about me thereT'
"He said he got all the information
he required, and it would be impossible
to reach you
1.-THE dickens he did,
eyes, and he seemed a little put out.
He's on his way around the world and
is going to hunt lions in India. so he de-
termined to settle something on you
and your sister Del before going"
"Good gracious! / hope nothing oc-
Cured to change his mind"
"Oh, no. It's all right. He gave me
twenty bonds, which he says are worth
$50, OOO'
"Bully! Where are they?"
She pointed to the table where they
lay. He seized them and cried, First
mortgage 6 per cents, worth over 1907
Isn't it nice?"
He turned to the assignment on the
back, then looked up, surprised. "Why,
they are assigned to you"
Eyes. Uncle Jim said that so long as
you weren't here he'd have to give
them to me-"
THAT'S funny!' SOLDERING. '"Oh, well,
you can assign them to me-"
mo, / can't. He made me promise
not to give them or a cent Of the inter
est to you"
"Billy dropped into chair as though
he had been shot.
"Why, Billy, what's the matter?
We've got the money"
ooh, yes. Certainly"
"Only I'm to spend 1t on myself and
the children"
"Of course; that's just right"
II don't see how 1t could be any bet
ter"
"It couldn't. Did he leave any mes
sage for me?'
"He said to tell you that whenever
hereafter you made lightweight" en-
gagements (whatever that means) for