Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-01

lady of my house took wings fer New
Yerk-a little spree of her own, you
understand And. for Billy Fernmore
/ kept out of mischief for time fairly
we'll. After waiting days, lamblike. for
her return, restlessness'-and here
Fernmere's shameless affeetation OF
the neglected husband became so IRE
sistibly funny that it provoked pro
longed laughter from his listeners.
even broom showing his yellow snags
and stretching his mouth TO the fullest
extent of the law as he Joined In the
general chorus gave way
to recklessness, and in desperation
invited a half dozen of the oldest and
most distinguished widowers in town
to dine with me at the hotel, where
they were informed they were to be
henored by the presence of beyy of
the seasons prettiest debutantes. My
of old innocentsr' Fernmore threw
himself back in his chair and reared
at the recollection.
"Billy's a wonder when he's wound
upr' Medford's whispered aside to
the lady on his right met with a SIM
pie nod of the head; for, despite Miss
Clegg's well feigned interest in Mr..
other occasions there was no pretense
cf enjoyment of his society.
"Among those present-to use the
correct phrase" said Billy. after hav-
ing refreshed himself with sufficient
champagne 10 proceed, were two re-
| tired merchants. venerable logician,
doddering Sahker and half blind
college professor OF course | had to
make some excuse for Mrs. Fernmores
absence. For the life of me | cannot
now remember what yarn L told them
| but they were too anxious to be pre-
scented to the gay young women moi
| to swallow it-whOle. The old boys
fairly swamped the girls with their
senile attentions. 1t was a lively sup
per party-my word. And they went
home unanimously declaring that the
debutantes of the present day dis
| counted. at least in dash and go. the
charmers of fifty years ago.
| Amidst the confusion of peals OF
| merriment which greeted the genia
raconteur Miss Gable, TO whom the
story did not especially appeal, whis
| pered in awed tones:
| "Gfayden. who on earth is tina
queer. spectacular looking man witt
your father"
| "Oh, that's Droom-iSn't he 4 eharac
| Hos with ha
since was child. In those days hi:
looks used to Brighten me almost t.
death. | fancy he's had a sad life
| lent you know"
There is something positively aw
| fUl in his face" returned the girl, n:
her eyes faltered and dropped TO he
| plate on unexpectedly meeting thos,
of the subject of her remark
| Sinh came from Medford. ant
| then. Come. Billy-whats the point
or the moral. as they say in novels?'
| "Fernm0re is Il rattling good cha!
| at heart" Graydon was saying t.
Jare, but can't stand that Med
Yes. yes; go on. Mr.. Fernmore.
broke in several voices in eager ex
pectancy.
The morale" Billy's eyes wer
twinkling. The joke, rather, is o.
me. When Mrs. Fernmore reache
home l thought it wise to say nothin
about the affair, but | had completed
underestimate the perSiStency o
these rejuvenated venerables. The
We're not satisfied-wanted to know
more about the girls, and the next da
in deep but joyous simplicity half
dozen old men asked their marie
daughters and close friends at tn
clubs what family of Brown certai
debutante belonged to, who was tn
father of Miss Jones and how Ion
had the family of Miss Robinson live
in the city, together with lot of anna.
ing questions. And failing to deriv
even the remotest satisfaction froI
the social register, the woman men
bers of their families besieged my il
nocent wife with more or less shocke
inquiries as to an entertainment {
mine at which their aged relation
We're present. Well, the game was VI
l owned up-confessed to the cir
being actresses and begged for mercy
And l forgave him." supplements
Mrs. Fernmore smilingly. Boys wi
be boys"
"WhewT whistled Billy. in concll
sion. ut was no end of a lark!
would not have missed it for til
world; but the old chaps will neve
never forgive me-"
AS the gentleman finished. Bansem,
was looking at broom with ANUS
ment. The old clerk was shaking b
head in manner that signified di
approval.
"Hews that for doings in swaggt
society, eh. broom? If any one bl
Billy Fernmore had done that he woul
have been ostraeiZed forever. NothiI
like millions
Il don't believe true aristocra
would do that" interrupted Droo
half angrily.
These are the aristocrats-mont
aristocrats; the others have lost IL
name-forgotten. Come, let's go oy,
yonder. We can talk there"
Bansemer called for the bill and sc
tied it; then, slowly rising. ostent
tiously waved bis adieus to the alco,
and deserted the scene for Chaplin