The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-11-30
e! e!
iHISLITTLE JOKE /
-! -

nc SIl VIII tue nat ludL udu Il
huge cabbage rose on it permitted
frown to gather on her brow. "Al-
. ways" she said, slowly and distinct
ly, ~ have thought that | disliked
people who play practical jokes and
now | know it is even worse. They
arouse deadly hatred in me-"
You talk like cheap melo-
drama" remarked the girl with the
angelic eyes.
'Melodrama nothing!" remarked
the gil with the cabbage rose. Its
a tragedy, nothing less! / suppose
Bert Randall thought he was justi-
fed because l had been boasting that
l was too sharp to be taken in by
any ordinary sell-and then he never
did like the minister anyway! If
only l could lay my hands on him
a minute to find out"
I've often wondered which of the
two you liked the better" inter-
rupted the girl with the angelic eyes.
'Did the joke help you to find out?"
Don't be silly!" said the girl with
the cabbage rose.
Il was called TO the telephone yes
terday," she went on, "and d curt
voice announced that the speaker was
newspaper reporter who desired to
verify notice his paper had received
to the effect that my engagement to
the Rev. Mr.. Fairman was just an
nounced. l nearly choked in my
hurry to assure him there must be a
mistake, that it wasn't so at all, and
for godness' sake not 10 print any
such dreadful thing. He was very
nice and said if the announcement
was premature the paper had no de-
sire to print it.
Il broke in to explain that it
wasn't premature and then he broke
in to inquire in an injured voice why
IL it was SO / objected to the publica-
tion. Then / had to explain in Ge-
tail that 1t wasn't premature because
II wasn't so at all and wasn't going
TO be 50.
He said that sometimes one could
not tell and that he really could not
understand why such a notice came
in If there wasn't some truth in it.
So there We stood and quarreled
about it, l was getting madder and
madder at the universe in general
at the reporter for his persistence, at
the Rev. Mr.. Fairman for ever exist
ing on the same earth with me and, a.,
most of ALL at whoever had sent in
such dreadful announcement!
Just when ! was almost crying
there was break in the even, polite
tone at the other end of the wire and
like fash of lightning it burst upon
me that no one but Bert Randall had
that particular little quaver when he
was trying not TO laugh.
You think you're mighty clever,
Bert Randall. don't your" / asked,
with hysterical calm. But he wouldn't
give in. He said he really couldn't
understand me. SO l said neither
could l understand him. Then
hung up the receiver.
II wanted TO cry and / wanted to
laugh-because it was so cleyerly
done. Don't you think Bert is dread
fully bright?"
"Oh, horribly" cheerfully agreed
the girl with the angelic eyes.
We'll, in a couple OF hours the
phone rang again and this time the
voice announced calmly that the
speaker was the Rev. Mr.. Fairman
and he wished to inquire about some-
thing rather odd. / just flared at
out at that. / thought Bert was
going rather too far. ] knew IL was
Bert because Mr.. Fairman never
called me up on the phone but once
in his life and th7t time II was about
the bazaar.
Il determined TO give Bert little
excitement, so / answered in J sweet,
smooth voice and said | supposed II
was in regard to our engagement. /
asked IL he knew the papers were TO
print the announcement the next day.
Bert played his part TO perfection.
He seemed politely troubled and mur-
INJURED that he had not been aware
OF the fact ] called him dearest and
rallied him about his forgetfulness.
That confused him so he couldn't say
q word. Then piled IL OF