The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-02-01

NilSEE El& VISA. -AtLt4 size S~-+A u +t4 ~
tone that makes ms ~iaee IS rssa
tx
oalled my partners address "
through the Tube. Again that trlShttGl
silence. then al1e was tryiHS 10 choke
back the soos. \ fsw words caught
THEY have broken my Whitney nave
broken my viii.
My partner lived in 3 big. sray-stone
aouse that stood apart ana commanded
8 noble View of the Hudson and the
Palisades. 1t was. in the main. g re
production of q French chateau. ana
such changes as the architect had mace
s.. ais model were not positively dlstS-
uring. though amusing. There should
have been trees and shrubbery about it,
out-As Mrs. Is. says" Joe had eN-
piained to me. what's the use of slnk-
ing 4 lot of cast in a house people
can't seq" So there was not a bush,
cot a flower. Inside-One day Sail
took me on a tour OF the art shops.
~I've got a dozen corners and other
big bare spots to ILL.," said he. Mrs,
B. hates to give Ut money, haggies over
every article. I'm going 10 put the Joo
through in business style. L soon dls-
covered that l had been brought along
80 admire his business style not TO
suggest After two hours. in which ne
Bought in small lots several tons OF
~Gtatuary, paintings, vases ana rugs,
he said. This is too slow" He pointed
his stick to a crowded corner OF the
shop. How much for that bunch OF
stuffe9' he demanded. The proprietor
gave him a figure. I'll close, salu
Zoe. IF you'll give fifteen of for cash.
The proprietor agreed. Now We're
Gone said Joe to me. Lets go down
town, and maybe l can pick up what
I've dropped.
You can imagine that interior. But
Cont picture it as notably worse than
the interior of the average New York
ssaiace. 1t was, if anything, better imam
chose houses where people who deceive
themselves about their lack OF taste
Gave taken great pains to prevent any
one else from being deceived. One
could hardly o in Joe's big room for
che litter OF gilde6 INC tapestrled fur
aieure, and their crowded walls made
slle eyes c
The appearance OF the man who
opened the door for Anita and me sug-
gested that our ring had reused him
from a bed where ne had deposited
himself without bothering to take oil
sats clothes. AT the sound OF my voice,
Ball appeared out of his private smok
ting room, at the far end OF the man.
He started forward; then, seeing how L
was accompanied, stopped with mouth
ajar. He had on a ragged smoking
Sacket, a pair of shapeless old Romeo
slippers, his ordinary business waist
coat and %rousers. He was wearing
ONklilSl llG IOl COlltA, dllU u S1lOiS ieS
eipe was between his fingers. We had
evidently caught the household stripped
Of Jugs and sunk in the down-at-the-
heel s~lovenliness which is called conn
Sort. Joe was crimson with confusion,
end using his free hand to stroke al
sSernately, his shiny BALD head and his
Aeavy brown mustache. He got him
6eif together sufficiently, after a few
seconds, to disappear into his den.
When he came out again. pipe and rag
.Ged Jacket were gone, and he rushed
COR us in a gorgeous velvet Jacket with
dArk red facings. and a snowy pair OF
clippers.
IN his w HON he always addressed
every man as Mister, just as Mrs. b"
always called him Mister Ball" and
he called her "Missus Bali before
parlor. Billy turn on the electric lights"
Anita had been standing with her
head down. She now looked round
with shame and terror in those ex-
spressive blue-gray eyes Of hers; her
delicate nostrils were quivering. 1 has
pulse to fly passed: her lifelong train
ing in doing the conventional thing as
.osrted itself. She lowered her head
.exain, murmuring in inaudible &c
acknowledgement Of Joe's greeting:
your wife is at home?" said I. If
one was at home in the evening, the
sosher was also. and both We're always
'Ghere. unless they We're at some theater
except on Sunday night. when they
.dlned at Sherry's. because many fash
sionable people did it: They had no
friends and few acquaintances. In their
'humbler n happy days they had
many friends. but had lost them when
they moved away from Brooklyn and
went to live. like uneasy, out-of-place
visitors, in their grand house, pretend
1N~,~ 10 l~ r1,@ <l@1y $500 ~ -
longing to be what they pretended to
Ire, and as disconnected as they de-
aerved.
OH, yes Mrs. B.'s at home" Joe an
swered. II guess she and Alva were
about to go to bed" Alva was their
Maivfna. after Joe's mother; but when
che Balls 'blosscmea out" they re-
named her Alva, which they somehow
got the impression was smarter"
AT Joe's laundering confession that
Che female of the family were in no
condition to receive Anita said to me
I'm a low voice: Let US 60"
I pretended not to hear. Trout EN-
cut said / TO Joe. Then take my
electric and bring the nearest parson.
There's going to be a w~edding-right
saere." And looked round the long
GUNNER departure. Joe whisked the
cover off one chair, his man took off
another. I'll have the women folks
Down in two minutes he cried. Then
SO the NAM: Get a move on you, Billy.
Stir EN- up in the Kitchen DO the best
. can about supper-and put a lot of
champagne on the ice. That's the main
20 at a wedding"
Anita had seated herself listlessly in
fvne of the chairs. The wrap
slipped back from her shoulders and
how proud 1 was of her! Joe gazed,
Cook advantage Of her not looking up
80 slap me on the back and to jerk his
head in enthusiastic approval. Then
he. too. disappeared.
A wait followed, during which we
could hear, through the silence, excited
'andertones from the upper floors. The
words We're indistinct until Joe's heavy
voice sent down to us an angry NO
DANA nonsense, 1 tell You. Allies got
Co too. She's not such a fool as
goa think. Fad e1~amp!e-bosh!"
Anita started up. "Oh-please-
~,please!" she cried. Take me away
anywhereI This is dreadful"
1t was, fldeed, dreadful. If l could
Sare lad my way 1T just that mo-
s7ent, it would nave cone hard With
airs. B." and 'Allie"-and heavy
voiced Joe, too, But hid my feel