The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-01-21

shamefared and uncomfortable. Then,
manlike, he attempted 10 justify him
self by d process Of sophistry.
But have got over it," he ex-
planned, "and | want Beatrice to get
over it too. 1t will be for her good in
the long run. Besides, it makes me
feel uncomfortable to know that she
is always watching me in that way"
There was time not 50 long ago"
l reminded him, when it would have
pleased you"
Yes" he agreed, still looking some
what squeamish; ''yya are right. Of
course, to a limited extent I'll not
deny that And il wyUld affect me
that way now only that I'm SO abso-
lutely certain about her loving me-"
at is rather selfish Of YOU this point
Of view" / "emindcd him causticallv.
But don't you sec" he objected,
what a good joke it viii be-"
Philip Sturgis," | demanded say
agely, haven't your colfound,d prac-
teal jokes, as you call them made
you enough enemies already: The
fellows at the club have all been hop
ing your marriage would cure you Of
that silly habit. Practi al Joking has
never gained you one friend. II has
made you many enemies ard has cool
ed the feelings of more than one friend
toward you"
But he insisted. with the air Of
man who is unconviuced, this is
harmless"
1T Is not harmless" | reiuinad. 1T
is the most cruel ATTEMPT ut a BIKE
have ever known Of your pcrpatr3tir =.
and it makes me very an ~ with y,u
to think that you should propose MAJ
ing your wife, whom ylu ought to
love above all others in the weird. tll,
victim of It."
Philip Sturgis and | woGt our ways
with no words on our lips | knew
that his proposed action was nothing
short of shameful, though he obsti-
nately refused to admit, even to him
self, as ! could see, what he must have
known IN the bottom of his heart all
the time,
When a man is in a dilemma he
will, as Il rule, make a confdant of
his wife and get her advice This was
my course of action. | have not lived
with Edith for going ON to four years
without learning that her qualities Of
perception. as regards affairs in which
the workings of the human heart are
involved, are inestimably superior to
mine. | was convinced of that when
| was led to propose. There is as
much difference between her and me
on those things as there is between
the sun and the moon.
| told her the simple story of Philip
Sturgis' despicable plot and found her
quite as indignant as | had been. If
this had not been the case | should
have been greatly surprised. And, once
enlisted in the cause, Edith remains
forever its faithful adherent. was
not little elated, then, when | saw
that her quick and active feminine
brain was at work to devise a plan Of
fitting punishment for the man who
could, in the name of practical joking.
so basely treat his young and loving
wife
AS the direct result of my confer
ence with Edith she ami / walked
across the street to the modest resi-
dence of the Sturgises the next day
Immediately after Philip had boarded
the in town trolley. Mrs Sturgis an
swered our ring and pleasantly invited
us to come in. We came. we talked.
and we conquered.
After exposing the full sum of her
husbands villainy we had a hard time
of it to bring Beatrice to treat him as
he deserved, and | do not think now
that the punishment was at all com
menSurate with the magnitude of the
offenSe.
Even before we had left the tele-
gram came. 1t read
Beatrice:
Have gone to Salem to see Felice, a
perfect dear. Particulars later.
PHILIP.
Beatrice rose to the occasion. She
looked at my wife, and there was in
dignation in her eyes.
"a perfect dear!" she shifted, with
the same poise Of head that | had ad
mired on the golf links. Her self as
sertiveness was again coming to the
fore yes, | will do as you suggest.
Mrs. Blakely," she announced, with
determination.
Think" l urged her, how much
worse you would feel If you had not
been warned in advance about this tel
egram and enlightened by US as to the
meaning of its contents"
81 will cure him of practical joking
now and forever" she answered vigor-
ously, with much Of my wife's manner
about her.
We had all the next day to make our
preparations. and very thoroughly we
made them, the three of us chuckling
meanwhile at the prospect of success
our curative little plot promised. We
had not expected Philip TO return be
fore o'clock, but at 4:30 Beatrice
glancing from the window, uttered a
little shrek Of dismay to see his tall,
tweed clad figure swing easily from
the trolley at the corner.
A hasty run we had of 1t, screening