Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-15

Peter had served twenty years ar
the club and knew how to send such
telephone messages very well, but he
was head waiter. and his responsible
ties were multifarious. Being especial
| ly crowded tonight. he transferred the
order to a greenhorn who had worn
the clubs button but a few days.
| This was the message sent to the doc
| tors wife:
! CDR. Bemerton is here at the club in
| consultation with two other doctors.
! He won't be home till late, num-"
IAN right" came the response. Tell
the doctor not to hurry and that j
think Welsh rabbit or a stuffed crab
will do him good"
Then the greenhorn goes to the three
doctors I'm consultation and says to DR..
Bemerton:
"Docther. Mrs. Bamerthon says yer
not to hurry. and she thinks a stuffed
crab or a rabbit II do We good
Bemerton, who was raising his glass
to his lips. stopped it on the way.
"Who phoned herr"
81 did. sor. Peter told me to. He
was busy"
"And did you tell her was at the
clubT'
"Shure, sor. Where else would tell
her?"
Nichols and ellison leaned back In
their leather covered chairs and roared.
'"That'n do" said Bemerton to the
waiter, who went of puzzled.
"Well, boys" said Bemerton, 'T'm In
for it." And he told the story Of how
he had started in for a return to court
ing days, accusing them of breaking in
upon his and his wife's happiness.
"You must do something mighty
NICE" said ellison, ''to get out of this
muddle. My wife would never forgive
me for a thing Ike that"
"What can doT' asked Bemerton.
"Give her a sealslzin," suggested
Nichols.
"She has one. Besides. that would
require time. I've got to face her to-
night when 1 go home"
'9rhe only thing you can do" said
ellison, chat can be done tonight Is to
telephone to a flower shop and have
them send you hne mess of flowers
to take home with you"
Bemerton was not favorably impress
ed with the plan. He said that he had
wedding day as It came round and the
customary gift, his wife reminding
him Of it a month after It had passed.
To take her flowers now seemed like
giving her taffy. However, at that
hour it was the only thing he could
do; so, calling up flower shop. he di-
rected the proprietor to send the hand
soonest basket of flowers he could
make up Then he threw of care and,
with his frienes, spent a delightful
evening, married only by a telephone
message from DIR. Gilson's better half
to know if he was at the club and one
from a patient of DR.. Nichols asking
If the medicine he had ordered had
better be taken at II o'clock or a quar-
ter past IL.
But all good times must come to an
end, and the trio at last separated.
At the door of the club Bemerton's
two friends admonished him to do a
lot of petting when he got home, con-
Tossing himself brute and relying on
the floral gift to set matters right.
Bemerton didn't say anything. He
knew his wife and that she was not
one to be coddled.
When the doctor opened his front
door he found the lights turned down
and the silence Of oblivion. Excellent!
Perhaps his wife was asleep. He
would not have to face her till morn
ing: Taking off his shoes and leaving
the flowers in the hall, he crept up
stairs.
THAT you, dear?" came voice from
his wife'S bedroom. Had a good
time? Hope you didn't eat anything
to upset your stomach"
"Only stuffed crab. as you suggested.
You're not angry with me, are you,
dear2"
"Angry! Why should 1 be? was
well pleased when learned you were
at the club instead of being with sick
people. Only you might as well have
told me where you were going. 1t |
would have been relief to me-"
by Jove, what a sensible woman
you are! Both ellison and Nichols /
said their wives would be furious.
They suggested that I bring you a
ten dollar basket of flowers to pacify 4
you-ha, har
'Flowersi Don't you bring me flow /
ers when Billy needs a new overcoat 1
and Jennie hasn't a decent dress to /
her name If you had spent SO for |
such worthless things I'd have sent |
them right back tomorrow to the shop |
you got them from"
Mrs. Bemerton didn't see her hus- /
band or his expression when she said
this, and it is well she did not.
''Tn just go down and fix the fur.
mace before turning in," he called. Its
going to be a cold night"
Mrs. Bemerton heard coal shoveled
into the furnace, but she did not hear
a beautiful ten dollar basket Of flowers
thrown In at the same time.
The next morning DIR. Bemerton
made his first call at the flower shop.
where he paid for the penitential gift