Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-10-21
i111nlins'
Ihough tfulness
By F. 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 blue print to
know that something was up. His
conscience was as clear as the atmos-
phere at 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 venturad. 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 few
moments, Timmins with a conscience
as easy as the Pythagorian theorem.
and yet knowing that something might
drop with 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.
II started to get tickets for the the
alter for next Wednesday night" he
said, by way of trying to get a spark,
'but 1 thought I'd wait until l saw
you"
do you know what day this is?"
put in Mrs. Timmins, sharply, also ir-
relevantly.
Still Timmins wasn't on. He thought
moment, wondering what the catch
was. Lets see," he says. Its Mon
day, of course, but then don't s'pose
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 II 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
II don't believe you remembered It
at ALL" came back Mrs. Timmins, al
though her tone showed that she was
loosening UP wee teensy bit. "I'll
venture to say that you would never
have mentioned 1t if / hadn't brought
the subject up"
81 wouldn't, eh? Oh, no! suppose
not! haven't been talking about it
down at the Office to the boys, or any
thing. I've got 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 it
for granted that the date didn't mean
anything to me more than Arbor day."
Mrs. Timmins still looked some un-
convinced, and Timmins added this
one: What die do with your-with
that package l sent out this after
noon? Give it away? Huh! Didn't
get any package! Well, that's a nice
deal! And l told EN- 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 it is. You'll
find out"
He went to the door leisurely, but
is soon as he was out of the hallway
up to their fiat he broke into a wild
lape. Just about hundred seconds
later he had a jeweler friend of his
on the 'phone-at the jewelers. club,
because the stores were all closed.
you'll have to rush out 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 want? You'll have to use
your own judgment. You'll send 'em
out inside of an hour, will you? All
right. Now hustle"
"They sent that package to the
wrong address," Timmins announced
to his wife when he got back to the
dat, "but it'll be out in little while.
No, won't tell you what it is. Hum?
Why, of course, 1 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
to square himself.
| a Georo;, Geniue