The bee., 1908-06-18
A SAD, SAD
STORY
Sympathetic Mrs. Massey Wepi
CopIousIY.

les, huu JOnn, ThtJnnB MS NAH
Of the evening paper, and refusing TO
look up. Yes, | read Il"
Then what's It about?" she de-
handed. giving him n look which was
also Of a demanding nature; what's
II about, them,
But as for John, he scowled all over
his physiognomy and preserved the
silence Of stones and as they sit
there. he pretending to be absorbed in
his paper and she trying to break
down this pretense by the silent power
Of. concentrated glare. let me tell
you a little more about the time, the
place and the persons OF the drama.
Time, then: The present.
Hour: Eight pm.
Place: The Maeseys' sitting room.
coy and homelike. green-shaded lamp
on the table, stuffed bird on the man
teLpiece and all the linen worked by
hand; on one aide of the table sits
Mrs Massey, bright. plump and com
Portable; ACROSS the table sits John,
slippered, fedsiand pampered TO the
mines, credit man of a hardware firm
downtown, short both OF stature and
of temper, choleric, peppery and OF an
irritable cast of countenance when
crossed Yes such we're Mr.. and
Mrs Massey as they sat there in their
sitting room, he rafting his paper and
pretending to rehd,it, and she setting
him with her eye over. the top Of her
paper with an appropriate look Of
Indignation on, her comfortable face.
whats, Il about. iheR2' she repeat
ed: ,.'iJohn, what's Il aboutT
-Never = mindlr snapped John.
"Never. YOU mind what It's about
Can't you see am reading7"
but do mind" said Mrs.
Massey speaking with a spirit that
can only be found in a woman who
loves her bit Of talk and who has had
no better company all day long than
q stuffed bird on the mantelpiece.
But / do mfnd!" she repeated. 80
you see you might just as well tell
me first as last"
Thus trapped into the pit of his
own digging. John groaned in his spir-
Il and laid his paper down. Whereupon
Mrs. Masseys contentment became
too great for words and she mutely
looked at the phenomenon Of John
The Trapped Man with a look that
said, 20, this Is very gratIfylng"
TITS this piece in the paper" she
said aloud. at last 1T made me cry
What do you want to cry for7''
said John, with an alarming gesture
Of impotence. It's nothing TO do
with you, is it7"
John" abe said with a fearful air
OF pride. Il was always that way.
remember when l was little girl and
used 10 recite 'Hesperides, was all
right till ] came TO that verse:
%, father. hear the sound of bells;
o. say, what can Il be7
But father answered never a word,
A frozen corpse was he.'"
AYE, dearir she said with a com
PORTABLE tremolo. John, l wish you'd
Just read this piece, Read 1t out. It's
the saddest .piece!" ctt4-.
%Chicagos February 2S,' - began
john. with 8. mean look. s.,.. ~. a..
aye, dear Aye, dear~ said Jane,
dsbbing her eyes with her handker'
What's The matter npw3" demanded
John fra
Boo" said Jane.
There's nothing sad in that, il
there? Chicago. February Is"
"Boo-ool" said Jane. AYE, dearl
Aye. dear!"
IT'S so sad" she said, wiping her
eyes and speaking in a faint, content
ed voice. .eGo on, John. Go on"
When William Nelson, con
tinued John. -'s-.--e.--Ar-.--riyTT
"G-r.rr-r!" she gasped
IA sad.faced man"
Poor thingsl Poor thingsl" she
said, with a comfortable and fearful
melancholy, '
-"'%As arraigned before Justice
Pennington this morning"
She made a great TODD with heI
handkerchief and peacefully gasped
for air.
"-for terrorizing the neighborhood
the Judge said; "YOu don't seem to be
such a terror this morning"
Jzne sobbed away "a though hel
swelling heart would break.
Judge he said. I might have beer
a terror last night; but this morning
! amt even a duslm of apprehen
nionl'"
John thereupon looked up In AFFECT
ed surprise, HIS mean look at Its eli
max.
why. l don't see anything in that
he said.
''You dOn'tF" she cried.
why. no; its funny. That's what =
Isl
Funny" she cried.
yes; FUNNY Downright funny an'
there you sat cutting up a. if"
Read II again" she exclaimed, sad
denly, sitting up straight and, speak
ing in Depulcbral tones. Read
again."