The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-12-06

HOW PROFESSOR HAMMOND i
MET HIS WIFE S
[Original.l.
sGsGs

II WAS lecture Jay III tle w oiuiu .
club. \ gentlemen We're
invited for the lecture-sat in the read
ing room by table passing the time
glancing over periodicals. Two ladies
entered and seated themselves in easy
chairs by window. The one was fat,
gray haired and self contained, the
other angular and with sharp eyes.
"Who is this Professor Hammond, LII
CIV, who is to lecture today?" asked the
elder
"All l can tell you is that he is a
Phi. d. of some German university;
that he studied for the ministry, but
prefers to lecture"
"Have you heard him?'
mo, but Clara Stewart has. She says
the lecture he is to give today OH The
Family is very touching"
"Humph If what hear is correct
he'd better lecture to himself on that
subject"
A lady of refined appearance strolled
into the room in time to hear the re-
mark Going to Il newspaper rack. she
took down Il file of papers and pro-
ceeded to look for some item. The la
dies at the window glanced at her and
lowered their tones, but, becoming in
terested in what they were saying,
soon forgot both her and the gentleman
at the table.
what have you heard?
The elderly lady leaned forward and
whispered something in her compan-
ions ear.
you don't mean it, Mrs. Gunby!"
"Fact."
what does the lecture committee
mean by inviting such a man to speak
to this club?"
His wife's almost broken hearted
about it,
And think of the poor Children
"Ill cut the lecture
81 wouldn't miss it for anything. l
like to see those human vampires and
hear them talk, knowing how corrupt
they are"
The lady looking through the news
papers stepped toward the conversa
| tionalists.
II beg your pardon, ladies'" she said,
'but if you are discussing Professor
Hamond, who is to lecture to us today,
you do him 4 great wrong"
do you know him?" asked Mrs.
Gunby. drawing down the corners Of
her mouth ominously.
| Only through a course of lectures he
has published. The man who wrote
them must be pure at heart"
I'VE are perfectly willing" said Mrs.
Gunby, that you should have your
opinion, and we propose to have ours"
She punched the floor with her para
sol handle with such vehemence that
the gentleman at the table looked up.
Pardon me, ladies'" he said. Not
being a member of your club. per-
ceive 1t is proper that | should retire
while you are engaged in personal re-
marks, but before going l would like
to say that l am personally acquainted
with Professor Hamond. and so far
from neglecting his family he has no
family. He is a bachelor"
Mrs. Gunby and her companion arose
from their seats and, with very red
faces, stalked out of the room, leaving
the gentleman and the other lady to-
gether.
Permit me to thank you," he said,
for defending one Of my sex who,
whatever his shortcomings, has no
blame for maltreating an imaginary
family. Is such criticism allowable in
your clubhouse?'
Certainly not. l shall report it. Will
you give me your name that l may re-
fer to you in the matter?''
II beg that in this instance YOU will
not do SO. 1t would be very unpleasant
for me-
IL see. Such gossip is beneath your
interference and you are wise not to
permit yourself to be mixed up in it.
We haven't another such woman as
Mrs. Gunby in the club. How she got
in can't imagine"
why, professor" exclaimed the
president of the club, hurrying in, 81
didn't know you had arrived. Let us
go to the auditorium"
First, l must beg an introduction
to this lady whom l have met cas.l-
ally
Certainly. Miss Lee. Professor
Hamond. Miss Lee is one Of our
board OF governors"
Miss Lee stood looking at Professor
Hamond in establishment, a slight blush
rising to her cheeks-a blush she dix.
not need to make her beautiful.
There was clapping of hands as the
president escorted the lecturer to the
rostrum. A fat woman in one of the
front rows made a commotion in try.
ing to get out from an interior seat
and waddled through the aisle toward
the door,
Whats the matter with Mrs. Gun
by?' asked one Of the ladies in the
audience of another Her face is red
as a turkey cock"
At this point the lecturer began his
address, charming his hearers with the
beauty Of his ideas, the tact that guild
ed their expression and the heart there
was within them. The defense of Pro