New Ulm review., 1908-12-02
Doing Her Duty.

i ICopyr1&ht, 19OS, by American fCeSS AS0O-
ciation.]
/ I know a great deal is said about
talebearers. am proud Of being one
of those women who tell people If they
are being treated badly. It hear one
person talking behind another persons
back don't scruple to tell the person
talked about that he or she is being
i maligned l think they ought to know
! it.
Last autumn took my daughter
abroad and left her at school at Gene
va. Then i started for Berlin. got
i into an empty compartment and wait
/ ed till the train started. Presently an
oldish gentleman got in with young
ish lady They was very affectionate
!. lat least the oldish gentleman appear
j ed to dote on his young wife, who
seemed to be watching for some one.
Then youngish man with black whis-
kers got in, took seat directly oppo-
site the wife, and she breathed easier
The door was shut by the guard, and
the train steamed away.
i It didn't take me long to find out
that that young feller and that young
wife were fooling the oldish husband.
The old one never turned his head that
they didn't look into each others eyes
lovingly. By and by he got up from
his seat, came to the window where l
i was and sat down directly opposite
me, at the same time taking a news
paper out of his pocket. 1 never saw
such fool in my life. If these old
men will marry young wives, why on
earth do they leave them In tempta-
i tion, I'd like to know? The poor old
husband never took his eyes off his
!. paper, and the couple at the other side
of the compartment never stopped
flirting.
!. I sat straight up and tried to frown
/ 'em down. They didn't seem to care
}, much for me. but once the young
hussy, when her lover put his hand on
hers, drew hers away, cast a glance at
me and whispered something to the
young man. After that they both lean
} ed back for awhile and stopped their
foolin'. But it wasn't long before they
was at it again, both leanin forward,
one of his knees covered by her skirts,
and she didn't know that knew that
they was holdin' hands under it too.
j couldn't stand it any longer The
husband was benevolent looking
man, and L sympathized with him
from the bottom of my heart BY and
by he put down his paper and looked
out the winder. | began by maxim
some remarks about the weather and
the beauty of the country He seemed
inclined to talk with me because he
hadn't any one else to talk with
purposely directed his gaze to the view
to be seen from the other window so
that he'd see what was goin' on, but
the miserable things heard me and
leaned back against the cushions.
There was nothin' for me to do but
tell him. BY this I'd be doin' him
service and her, too, for I guessed
there hadn't been anything real crimi-
nal between 'em, and If the affair was
nipped in the bud there wouldn't be-
Jest as I was maxim up my mind how
to put him on to the thing without of
tense the train Whlzzed into tunnel
, The compartment was black as ink for
awhile; then we shot out into bright
daylight. The old fool of a husband
was settin' with his head thrown back
and his eyes shet. The lovers was set
tin back from each other, and a flush
was on the young woman's cheeks
!. But what was that on the black whisk-
) ers Of the young man? Powder
! powder from off her face l saw it
and knew that the whippersnapper
| had been takin' kiss.
), At that moment the husband opened
i his eyes. Would you believe it? He
: looked at the couple unconcernedly and
J then resumed his paper.
What's that" l whispered to him.
) 'son that young mans beard?''
He looked at me kind o. surprised,
; then at the young man, then back at
me. II don't see anything he said
| Don't you see the powder on his
!, beard?''
Powder? No.
: "Well, declare! Where's your eyes
! That young mans got powder on his
beard and his coat collar, and it could
have only come from your wife's face
The old man looked again at the pow
. der, then at me, then back at the cou-
: pie. Then, looking at the young man,
he said fercely:
! You kissed her, STRIP
What business is that of yours ~
retorted the other In harsh voice.
: ''She is no longer yours. She is mine.'
Yours, sir!"
"Yes, mine''
"Since when?''
AT high noon today"
BY what authority?''
IA certificate of marriage
thought they were going to kill each
other, when the young woman, blush
ing red all the time, burst into a laugh
Z "Oh, father she said, you are always
: SO droll! What are you up to now?'
oh, my goodness gracious! He was
her father! Whata blunder!
Se, JcI1 -,