Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-12-08
TIrnmins'
Thoughtfulness
By r. c. K.
By r. c. K.

Timmins had finished his soup, and
looked around from behind his even
ing paper, that he had propped up
against the sugar bowl to see If the
good wife had prepared anything out
of the ordinary for the next course.
Mrs. Timmins was looking at him
! curiously.
After seeing that queer look of hers,
Timmins didn't need a blue print to
know that something was up. His
conscience was as clear as the atmos-
phere at a summer resort on bright
June day, and yet he knew that he
must be about to get his.
"You look worried about some
thing" he ventured, whats did
ding?"
Nothing! Nothing at ALI" she de-
clared in tone that confirmed his
suspicious that there was something
up.
They ate along in silence for a few
moments, Timmins with conscience
as easy as the Pythagorian theorem,
and yet knowing that something might
drop with a sharp report like the
crack of doom at any moment.
He tried to crank up and get the
conversation started along some line
that would brighten things up.
Il started to get tickets for the the
alter for next Wednesday night" he
said, by way of trying to get spark,
but | thought I'd wait until saw
you"
DO you know what day this is?"
put in Mrs, Timmins, sharply, also IT.
releYantly.
Still Timmins wasn't on. He thought
a moment, wondering what the catch
was. Lets see," he says. ITS Mon
day, of course, but then don't s'Dose
that's what you mean. Well, I'll bite.
What's the answer"
Mrs. Timmins shook her head and
! dejectedly muttered something about
"and after only four years"
But her remark was enough to bring
Timmins in out of the fog.
"Huh!" he laughed, with an attempt
at mirth. 81 guess ! pretty near made
you believe I'd forgot about it, Ell?
oughtn't to joke with you that way"
He was laughing little grunts OF
| laughs as he went on. but don't you
worry, old girl" he said, about little
Willie forgetting. 1t was too big day
to be forgotten in any hurry"
Il don't believe you remembered 1t
at ALL" came back Mrs. Timmins, al
though her tone showed that she was
loosening up a wee teensy bit. I'll
venture to say that you would never
have mentioned 1t If l hadn't brought
the subject up"
ct wouldn't, Ell? Oh. no! l suppose
not! / haven't been talking about II
down at the Office to the boys, or any
thing. I've got a little Copley print
of myself letting the day pass without
saying anything about it. Just be-
cause decided to keep quiet this eve
ming until after dinner was over and
see If you remembered, you take 1t
for granted that the date didn't mean
anything to me more than .Arbor day
Mrs. Timmins still looked some I'M
convinced, and Timmins added this
one: What die do with your-with
that package l sent out this after.
noon? Give 1t away? Huh! Didn't
get any package! Well. that's nice
dealt And l told 'em to be prompt.
Well, I'll run up to the drug store and
call up and see what's caused the de-
lay. Oh, never mind what 1t is. You'll
| find out"
He went to the door ieisurely, but
as soon as he was out of the hallway
UP to their fiat he broke into a wild
lope. Just about hundred seconds
later he had jeweler friend of his
on the 'phone-at the jewelers. club,
because the stores were all closed.
You'll have to rush out a circlet of
pearls right away. All in the safe!
Then you'll have to open the safe. No,
can't wait until morning. can't
wait an hour? HUH How do you
know what l want? You'll have to use
your own judgment. You'll send EN-
out inside of an hour, will you? ALI
right. Now hustle"
"They sent that package to the
wrong address," Timmins announced
to his wife when he got back to the
fiat, "but it'll be out in little while.
No, won't tell you what 1t is. Hum?
Why, of course, / forgive you"
The next day when he went in to
pay for the pearl pin, he found that
he owed the man $42. He would have
spent about SIS if he had gone in a
day or two before and bought some
thing. But then he didn't complain,
for sometimes it's worth $42 to a man