The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-10-01

GOOD USE OF
A ROLLING PIN
foriGinaLl

When the Epanlsh.American war
broke out Eugene Chamberlln. a lieu
tenant in the national guard, was Of
fered a captains commission In a vol
unteer regiment Chamberlin was as
steady as a rock. level headed, and his
| word was considered as good as his
bond. He had been engaged for two
| years to Jessica Reeves and at the
breaking out of the war had Just got
Affairs In ehape to be married. It
was considered wiser under the cir
| cumstances to defer the wedding till
his return-lf indeed a soldier may be
tain Chamberlin marched away and
1.-THE girl he left behind him" never
doubted that II he did return they
would become happy man and wife.
Captain Chamberlln just before the
close of the war was wounded and re-
NAMED in hospital till the surrender
at Santiago, when he went home with
his command. He had distinguished
himself at the 'front.' and his return
was looked forward to eagerly by his
flancee and his former associates. One
Of the latter, having fixed his wedding
day on the date Of Chamberlin's return
to give eclat to the occasion, invited
the returned hero to be his best man.
We have not heard 1t stated that a
mans trouble begins when his friend
marries; nevertheless 1t was so In
Chamberlin's case. AS best man he
was assigned to the brides FIRST brides
maid, Miss Helen Day, and every one
else In fact was astonished to see by
his marked devotion to Miss Day that
he had been suddenly captlvated by
her There was a GOODNESS between
Chamberlln aud his fancee for a week
after the wedding, when the break was
patched up, though 1t was not healed.
But a week later Jessica discovered
that her lover had suddenly become In
fatuated with a ballet dancer he had
seen on the stage. This affair broke
on the engagement.
From this time Chamberlln contln.
ued 70 fall In love with one pretty girl
after another. From being admired
and petted after his return from the
war he fell into contempt. The case
was one that excited great interest
from the fact that the delinquent had
before going to Cuba been considered
a model OF constancy. One day he
went to his old sweetheart and said:
"Jessica, love you and you alone,
but l seem to be subject to temporary
fancies for other girls. l am afraid
some OF them will marry me during
one Of my spells, and may be linked
with some designing creature who will
give me horrible life. You can save
me- Marry me, and win no longer be
liable to these infatuations."
Chamberlin pleaded so hard that
Jessica finally put him on probation for
three months. He served the term,
coming out unscathed, but during the
whole OF 1t was under the care of
bachelor friend, who on the slightest
sign of danger locked him up till II
had passed. Jesslca's Judgment and
heart had a struggle for mastery, and
the heart conquered. She and Cham
berlin were married. Every one pre-
dlcted that the bride would rue the day
that she consented to marry a man
subject to become enthralled at a mo-
ments notice with any pretty face,
and the result was In accordance with
their expectations. Captain Chamber
lin was improved only In this: He did
not fall In with 30 many women OF In
ferior grade, consequently his affairs
were of a more respectable class.
The poor wife suffered, but no more
than her husband, whose weakness
made his home miserable. Their lntl-
mate associates could always see the
signs Of a new love In Chamberlln's
breast In the cloud that rested on him
and his wife. One day while Mrs
Chamberlln was cooking In the
kitchen her husband. who had just en-
tered on new lnfatuatlon. Joined her
there They had been having high
words about the matter in the dining
room. When he came In she was roll
ing dough. A nervous tension that had
been long accommodating at last over
came the equilibrium Of her faculties.
and. raising the rolling pin. she
brought It down on her husbands
skull. Realizing what she had done,
she threw her arms about his neck and
burst Into passionate sobs.
my woundy' exclaimed the husband.
You hit me on the spot that Mauser
bullet struck"
"0h. heavens"
mo harm done, sweetheart" he said
eneouraglngly. but think I'd better
see a surgeon"
In an hour surgeon drove up to
the house, examined the wound-much
OF the swelling had dlsappeared-and
upon asking about the original was told
that bullet was supposed to have
fractured the skull. but the surgeons
considered Il slight break and had
not operated upon It.
Il can see evidence" said the sur.
geon. "of an lndentation which seems
to have been modified by this blow
given today" And with recommend.
a. n.