The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-01-31
nj Copyright the Coz
ODE Deluge
by DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS ~
HI
by DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS

siience before rhe said; Il VIII 20
where you wish" And she said II In a
tone that makes me Vince AS L recall
a.
I called my partners address up
through the tube. Again that frtghtiGI
silence. then she was iryins To choke
hack the scbs A few words ! caught.
They have broken my will-thcy have
=. broken my Will"
NY partner lived in n big. gray-stone
house that stood apart and COMMANDED
q noble view OF the Hudson ana the
Palisades. II Was. Ia the main. IA.
production of n French chateau ana
such changes as the architect had inaue
IN his model were not positively dlshs
urinV though amusing. There should
have been trees and shrubbery about d..
but--"As Mrs. II. says, Joe had eN-
plained TO me- whats the use ~ sink-
linz n lot OF cash Ia house people
can't seer So there was not "a bGsn,
not n flower. Inside-one day bai
took me on tour OF the ART shops.
"I've got dozen corners ana other
big bare spots TO fll." said he. Mrs.
q. hates 10 give up money. hagg'Cs over
every article. I'm going to put the Joo
through m business style. i soon uls-
covered that I had been brought along
90 admire his business style, MOI 10
suggcst. After two hours. In when nc
ufatunry, paintings. vases ana rugs,
he said. This In too SLOW" We pointed
his stick TO n crowded corner OF the
ehop. How much for that bunch oil
stufY?" he demanded. The proprietor
rave him n figure. "l'l close. saiu
Joe. IL you'll give fifteen OF for casn.
The proprietor agreed. Now were
Acne saId Toe to me. Let's 40 down
town. and maybe ! can pick up what
I've droppcd.
You can Imagine that interior. But
Hor't picture u as notably worse than
the interior OF the average New YORK
palace. IL was. n anything. better thnh
those houses where people who deceive
themselves about their lack OF taste
have taken great pains To prevent any
one else from being deceived. one
could hardly move In Joe's biz room Tor
the litter OF giidei and tapestried tur-
niture. and their crowded Walls hade
the eyes ache.
The apuearance OF the man who
opened thr door for Anita and me sig-
gested that our ring had reused him
from n bed where he had deposited
himself without botheTing to take or
his clothes. At the sound or my voice
ball appeared out al his private sinok-
ting room, at the far end az the hall
He started forward. then. seeing how i
MAS accompanied. stopped with mouth
Altar. He had on ragged smoking
Jacket. n pair OF shspcIess old Romeo
Siippers. Ills ordinary business waist
coat and trousers. He was wearing
neither tie nor collar. and "A short black
pipe was between his fingers. We had
EVIDENTLY caught the household stripped
n "lugs' and sunk in the down-at-tne-
heel sIoyeniincss which IL called com
fort. Toe was crimson with confusion.
and using his free hand To stroke al
lernately. his shiny bald head and hts
heavy brown uustache. He got him
palf together sufficiently. after few
psconds. Co disappear into his den.
when he came out lain. pipe and rag
Ccd Jacket were gone. ana ne rushed
Tor us "a "a gorgeous velvet jacket Win
dark red facinys. and n SNOWY pair OF
shippers.
IN his own home he always addressed
every man M Mister. just ms Mrs. IS"
always called him Mister Ball" and
he called isrrs "Missus Bali before
Acompany" Come right into the front
perior. Biliy turn on the electric lights"
Anita Ind been standing with lser
head down. fhe now looked round
with Shame aud terror ~ those ex-
presslye biuc-gray eyes Of hers; her
delicate nostrils were quiyerinS. ] has
tened 60 Introduce bali to her. Her Inn
pulse tO ny passed. her lifelong train
Ing In doing the conventional thing as
serted itscif she lowered her head
again, muIuGring In tnaudible nc
acknowledgement ar Joc's greeting.
your wife H. at home" said !. II
one was AT home ~ the evening. the
other was also. and both were always
there unless they were at some thentcr
except ou Sunday night, when they
dIned a. ShcrTy's. because many fash
ionable pcopic did II. They had -"
friends aud few acquaintance. In their
many friends. but had lost them when
they moved away from Brooklyn and
went TO live. like uneasy. out-of-pl0cc
visitors. tn their grand house. pretend
INK 20 he what they luuEcd to he.
longing 60 bc what they pretended TO
be. and as Discontinued as they de-
served
''Oh. yea Mrs MS nj home" Joe an
sssrcd n guess size and AlNa were
about "a go to bod" AlVa WAS their
one child. She had been Chrls,eucd
Malvlun. after Juc'S mother: but when
the Balls "biossOincd Out they re-
named her Alvu, which they somehow
got the Impression WAS smarter"
AZ Joc's laundering confession that
tho females of the family were Ga no
condition to receive Anita said To- me
fn low voice, Let us so"
pretended not To hear. "Rout on
out" said I &C. Joe. Then take my
electric aud bring the nearest rarsof.
There's going tn be a wedding right
here And I looked round the long
salon, with everything Grapcd for the
summer departure. Joe Whiskcd the
cover OF one chair. his man took off
another. 'i'li have "a" women folks
down Ia two minutes" lac cried. Then
20 the man. Get n move or you. Billy
STIR 'en up IN the kitchen. DO the best
you can about supprr--Iud put "a lot uf
champaign" on the tee. That's the main
e. ~ wedding
Anita had seated herself liStlcssly In
one OF the uncovered chairs. The wrap
slipped back from her shoulders and
how proud I was of her, Joe guzed.
took advantage ~ her not looking W.
20 slap ne on the back ana 20 Jerk his
head ia enthusiasts approval Then
he. too. disappeared.
A walt followed. during which we
could hear. through the silence. excited
undertnucs from the upper floors. The
words were iudistiHCt uutll JOc's heavy
voice sent down 10 us Jn angry mo
damn nonsense 1 toll you. Allies got
60 come too. She's not such Il fool rs
you think Had example -bosh!"
Anita started up. "OE-please--
please" Ehr cried. Take Inc away
nnywhcrcl This - dreadful"
10 was. indeed. dreadful. lf I could