Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-05-21
Thinking of
Something Else:
By MAUD HALLowELL
copyrighted. 1909. by Associated .
Literary Press.
By MAUD HALLOwELL

"S vic. udlI lauSntuR.
haif angry. don't you ever marry an
ai'sentminded man. man that Is al
ways thinking OF something else like
that big husband OF mine. may be won
ueriully good mt his profession. he
cause that's what he's always think
lug about. but he Is surely domestic
trial at times
Mrs. Murray laughed. her III nature
having evaporateds completely under
the heat or her little outburst Her
visitor, Susan Harland, laughed with
her. FOR Dr. Murray's wonderful feats
IN his fits of abstraction were famous.
why. Sue" continued Mrs. Murray.
laughing gayly ut the recollection. do
you remember when had that touch
OF rheumatic fever? One night when
1 was burning with thirst 1 woke John
ana said to him. John. IL you don't
get me drink of water quick don't
know that I'll live till morning.
He got up. sort of dazed. walked
over TO the mantelpiece and came back
10 me holding out an empty vase. L
wanted drink of water that much
that hung on to my patience until
he WAS wide awake and knew what /
was talking about. Then he went to
the refrigerator and came back with a
glass trimming full of good cold wa
ter. But, III you will believe Il. Sue.
he just stood there looking at me. and
before could say word that man
drank every drop OF that water him
self with me glaring holes through
him. declare. II makes me angry to
this day.
Mrs. Murray ran to the foot Of the
stairs and called out: Hurry up, now.
John, Sue aud l are both waiting.
You will find your evening clothes laid
out for you in the bedroom. and there
isn't any time TO lose"
Miss Sue and Mrs. John sat down tn
talk. They exhausted their store of
new gossip after awhile and began to
hdGet. Goodness" said Mrs. Murray
at last looking at her watch, that
man must have done something fool
ish. 1t can't be taking him all this
time to dress,'
DR.. John had done nothing foolish.
He had done something rather wise.
He was sound asleep In bed.
Miss Sue overheard some very active
and excited conversation carried on
exclusively by Mrs. Murray. At last
the deep bass of her husband resound-
ed. MY dear" said DR.. John. don't
you know anything about the wonder
fully powerful control that habit has
over all the species OF the animal king
dom? When began to undress wasn't
II natural for me to keep right on and
get into bed? or course 1t was"
mo. Sue: don't you ever marry an
absentminded man." said Mrs. Murray
impressively when they drove away at
last. with DR.. John safely opposite
them.
AS long as he isn't too absentmind-
ed to attend the wedding. Sue" chuc-
killed. DR.. John, you take him, provided
his name is Dick Kendall"
Sue was glad that the darkness hid
her bushes.
Dick is going to do something great
In chemistry. I do believe" said DIR.
John. There's his compound of phos-
pho
"A wife wants something besides
your old phosphates and other III smell
Ing things" said Mrs. Murray. "Dick
Kendall Is as bad as you are. He's
Just as likely as not to come to the
dance tonight with his old laboratory
coat on"
Dick Kendall did not fulfill Mrs.
Murray's dark prophecy literally. but
he did so In effect 1t is true that he
was soberly and blamelessly clad I'm
his evening clothes. being cor. ectiy at
tired even to the tie. but the tout en-
sembie was somewhat marrad by the
sad fact that he had a patent leather
pump on one foot and q bright russell
shoe on the other.
Sue blushed, and then she flushed.
and then she grew angry as the filters
and smiles ran around the room when
unconscious Dick hurried forward to
meet her.
She was not young woman given
to exaggerate tribes. but she was not
stole philosopher either. No doubt IL
Is n small thing to have ones evening
pleasure married bit. but 1t seems un-
duly important at the time.
Luckless Dick was doomed to fur
Their disgrace. He had barely repaired
the disaster OF the shoes by sending a
messenger pOsthaste to his home for
the other pump when something worse !
During a waltz. when Miss Sue was !
his partner. somebody brushed against |
Dick. There was a sharp cracking of |
broken glass. and the next instant the |
couple was wreathed In beautiful vio-
let smoke that gradually filled the
room.
Nobody had leisure or desire to OBJ
serve the beauty OF its color though.
IT was so instantly suffocating that
there was mad, wild rush for doors
and French windows.
The accident filled Sues cup. and Il
Drimmed over-only little. but too
much. In her anger she stamped her
foot and cried: "Dick Kendall. your
apparently extends
only to me and not to your profession.
IL is plain that you care more for
chemistry than for me. and 1t would
be thousand pities to disturb your
DEVOTION"
She stripped the ring from her finger.
and he took 1t In bewildered silence.
Sefore he could reply she hac turned
her Dack and the next momen. was
up the corridor with Dicks
et aversion. Charles Maule. whom
verybody called the model Maui"
D apt description of his mental eouin-
uent.
Miss Sues words had been inferred
n the hearing OF many persons. Next
ha I