The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-09-06


Jack Bell, a leading light in the news
paper world and the writer of some
of the c~Ieverest bits ever published in
the Call, but Notwithstanding his en-.
vironment, he had no love for the Bo.
hemian life and his ~pleasantest hours
were those spent In his own coy fat
with his charming wife and two young
sters.
Theirs had been a love match, pure
and simple and five years had passed
without a ripple to disturb the sereni-
ty of their married life. In the win
tiers they had lived in town-as a rule
they spent part Of the summer with
Mrs. Bells relatives in Pennsylvania.
The year of which l write, however,
the publisher of the Call had given
Jack a big assignment which would
mean a couple of weeks in the Shen-
andoah Valley and with the golden
harvest and a wealth of material for
magazine work In view he had gaily
HE'D to the southern states.
20, no, Genevieve, its quite impossi-
BILE. have a fine photograph Of you
and Beth and Meg riding a prancing
animal through the Shenandoah-Im
going on horseback, you know-bet-
ter go to your mothers and take the
youngsters with you and have a good,
quiet, restful time. I'll be back in a
fortnight"
OF course that settled the matter,
if Jack was going on horseback Mrs.
Jack couldn't so, but his footsteps
hadn't died away when womanlike she
began to plan to get even"
Well" she said to herself, Il will
go to mothers and I'll stay and stay
and stay, and give him a chance to get
good and lonesome, that's what I'll
do to him."
The Shenandoah trip was pleasant
and fruitful, but it didn't consume all
Of the time Bell had allotted for it,
and there were two days of the fort
night left when he got back home.
"Ill surprise Genevieve," he thought,
III get the house aired, and have some
papering done before l let her know
I'm home"
He found enough to keep him busy
for four days and last of all sent for a
cleaning m to come over and put
on the finishing touches-then when
everything was in readiness, he tele-
graphed Genevieve-"Had a through
ticket to Buffalo, am home now, when
will meet you. Jack"
To his amazement, the telegram
brought forth no eager reply from
Kentshire and in an agony of fear lest
some one might be i'll he called Mrs.
Jack on the long distance.
Yes, this is Genevieve, is that you,
Harry?'
"Harry-well, / should say not, who
the devil is Harry?"
We'll, you are very rude, whoever
you are, l guess you've got the wrong
number"
mo, | haven't; | want to speak to
Mrs. Jack Bell"
We'll, this is Mrs. Bell, who are
you?"
why, it's me, dear, Jack; but | say,
who is Harry?'
"Oh, is that you, Jack, well, for good
ness sakes, didn't know your voice"
"Oh, you didn't. l say, who were
you expecting to hear FROM"
Who was what? l can't hear very
well, dear, there's something wrong
with the line"
Il say, WHO IS HARRY"
Oh. Harry? Oh, he is-don't cut me
off. Central-well, upon my word, did
you ever hear any thing like that
racket? I can't hear a word you say,
Jack, better call me up tomorrow"
What Jack Bell didn't say to that
phone and later to the operator,
wouldn't be worth repeating.
Harry, Harry, I'd like to know who
in-well it's the Baltimore for me, /
guess, for a few days longer" And
the Baltimore 1t was with pool at the
press club for many nights, in fact,
so many that he was contemplating a
trip to Kentshire when a letter from
Genevieve arrived.
Dear Jack:-I know you are get
ting along famously, and we are hav-
ing a lovely time. Sis is home and we
are going out a great deal. Mother
Is going to New York next week for a
month and I've promised to stay here
till she gets back, you don't mind, do
you dear? It's SO easy for you to get
your meals at that nice little place at
the corner. Harry is here, too. Be
careful not to leave the windows oren
when you go down town in the morn
ing. | don't want the rain to ruin the
carpets. Bye, bye, be a good boy.
A~fectionately, Genevieve."
Another month, another month,
Ell" and the man who hated the cor
ner restaurant, hated the club room
and was beginning to hate every thing
else, groaned aloud, Another month?
Well, by gum, she can stay two
months. and l won't ask her to come
home. and l won't go down there.
either. Now, Mrs. John Henry Bell,
If you are SO doggoned fond Of the