Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-26
The Argus Daily Short Story
Thinking of Something Else-By Maud Halowell.
Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated Literary

Whatever you do. Sue" said DR..
John Murray's wife, half laughing
half angry. don't you ever marry an
abSentminded man. \ man that is al
ways thinking of something else like
that big husband of mine. may be Won
terfully good ut his profession, be-
cause that's what he's always think
ing about but he is surely a domestic
trial ut tines
Mrs. Murray laughed. her i'll nature
having eyaportted completely under
the heat of 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 eay!y ut the recollection, do
you remember when had that touch
Of rheumatic fever? One night when
| WAS burning with thirst | woke John.
| and said to him. John, if 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 the uEInteipiece aud came back
| 70 me- holding out an empty vase.
| wanted Il drink of water that much
that hung on 10 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 brimming full of good cold wa
| ter. 81 But. il YOU will believe it, Sue
| he just stood there looking at me. and
| before | could say Il word that man
| drank every drop of that water him
self with ME glariE holes through
him declare. it makes me angry to
| this day
| Mrs Murray ran to the foot of the
| stairs and called out: Hurry up, now,
John. Sue and | are both waiting.
You will md 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 to
| talk. They exhausted their store of
new gossip after awhile and began to
| fdSet. Goodness" said Mrs. Murray
mt last. looking at her watch. that
| man must have done something fool
ish! 1t can't be taking him all this
time to dreSsl"
| DIR. John had done nothing foolish.
/ He had done something rather wise.
Il He was sound asleep in bed.
Il 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
it natural for me to keep right on and
get into bed? OF course it was"
NO. 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-
kled DIR. 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. | do believe" said Dr.
John. There's his compound of phos
pho
"A wife wants something besides
your old phosphates and other Ill smell
ing things" said Mrs. Murray. "Dici
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 II
his evening clothes, being correctly at
tired even to the tie, but the tout en-
semble was somewhat married by thu
sad fact that he had a patent leather
| pump on one foot and bright russo
shoe on the other.
Sue bushed. and then she, flushed
and then she grew angry as the litter
: and smiles ran around the room whel