The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-04-07

j
self by process of sophistry.
"But I have got over it." he ex-
planned, and l 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 so long ago."
I reminded him, when it would have
pleased you
Yes" he agreed, still looking some
what squeamish; you are right, of
course, to a limited extent I'll not
deny that. And it would affect me
that way now only that I'm so abso-
lutely certain about her loving me-"
ct is rather selfish of you, this point
Of VIEW l reminded him caustically.
'But don't you see," he objected,
what a good joke it will be?"
philip Sturgis," l demanded saw
agely, haven't your COMPOUNDED 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. Practical joking has
never gained you one friend. 1t has
made you many enemies and has cool
ed the feelings of more than one friend
toward you"
But" he insisted, with the air of a
man who is unconvinced, this is
harmless
ut is not harmless" l rejoined cit
Is the most cruel attempt at joke
have ever known of your perpetrating.
and it makes me very angry with you
to think that you should propose max
ing your wife, whom you ought to
love above all others in the world, the
victim of it,
Philip Sturgis and l went our ways
with no words on our lips l knew
that his proposed action was nothing
short Of shameful, though he obsti-
nately refused to admit, even to him
self, as l 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 rule. make a confdant of
his wife and get her advice. This was
my course of action. l 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
I 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.
l told her the simple story of Philip
Sturgis' despicable plot and found her
quite as indignant as l had been. If
this had not been the case l should
have been greatly surprised. And, once
enlisted in the cause, Edith remains
forever it's faithful adherent l was
not little elated, then, when 1 saw
that her quick and active feminine
brain was at work to devise 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 and l 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 l 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,
perfect dear. Particulars later.
PHILIP.
Beatrice rose to the occasion. She
looked at my wife, and there was in
dignation in her eyes.
ga perfect dear!" she shifted, with
IuC SdIuc DOlSC vi uSdO LudI udO
mired on the golf links. Her self as
sertiveness was again coming to the
fore Yes, l will do as you suggest,
Mrs. Blakely," she announced, with
determination.
Think" l urged her, chow 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 wifes manner
about her.
We had all the next day to make our
preparations, and very thoroughly we
made them, the three of us chuckl1ng
meanwhile at the prospect of success
our curative little plot promised. We
had not expected Philip to return be-
fore 6 o'clock. but at 4:30 Beatrice,
glancing from the window. uttered a
little shrek of diSmay to see his tall,