The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-12-03
ANllllllSlllllNG1lANAllAllA1NAINllIlllel
Mr.. Blum Is Invited
By LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Literary Press

hurry to save US. l want the situation
to strike in on my aunt and Mr. Blum.
The more it strikes in the better for
us. Now, can't you see something's"
He apparently did see something
He also put his arm around it and
kissed it.
Mr.. Blum would be delighted to go
sailing. 1t was thing he had an
ticipated for thirty long years. To
bound over the foamy wave, to sniff
the salty breeze, to listen to the tur-
MOL of the waters-yes, yes, yes! Mrs.
Denham at first refused to go. She
knew that people had been drowned in
water. 1t was not until Mr.. Blum
brought in the romance of the thing,
and until Miss Ethel limited that some
thing might happen, that she gave
reluctant consent to act as chaperon.
On the third morning after the plot
tiers had plotted the wind was due east,
with promise of Strengthening. The
trio set out gayly, but upon reaching
the waterside Mrs. Denham suggested
picnic on solid ground, and Mr.. Blum
favored getting a livery rig for a
drive over highways.
ever. After the first five minutes Mrs.
Denham said there was nothing about
sailing to scare a babe, and Mr.. Blum
laughed and rubbed his hands and said
life on the ocean wave for him. La
ter on, when Miss Ethel begged him
for marine song from his repertoire,
he sang MY Grandfather's Clock"
Mrs. Denham got quite girly over the
situation and declared that she should
go sailing every day.
At the psychological moment the
boat, which had been sailing to and
fro across an almost landlocked bay,
was headed for the open sound and
the tumbling waves.
In five minutes Mrs. Denham was
down and out. In ten, after many
| sickly grins and timid suggestions,
Mr.. Blum said he would give all three
rings on his left hand to be ashore.
A moment later he added all four on
his right hand. Then the craft
preached to and began to wallow in
the trough of the sea, and Mr.. Blum
was soaked with the flying spray
until he shouted to Mrs. Denham
that she was fool ever to have pro-
posed such a trip, and he turned to
the girl to say that If he lost his life
his brother Sam would see that she
spent the rest of her days in a dun
geon deep.
Mr.. Blum was no gentleman. He
swore before ladies' Mr. Blum was
selfish. When he saw a motorboat
making out to them he stood up and
waved his hand and shouted:
me-meI"
The motor seemed to have a hard
time getting alongside, and two or
three times the young man at the
wheel appeared to be on the point of
abandoning the rescue. Mrs. Denham
stretched out her arms and sobbhd
and appealed. Mr.. Blum raised his
offer to $5O0-$200 in cash and the rest
at sixty days.
Miss Ethel worked her way to the
bow of the boat and made ready to
cast a rope. 1t was finally cast and
caught and made fast, and the smaller
craft was towed back to safety.
Mrs. Denham stepped ashore to de-
mand an abject apology of Mr.. Blum.
Mr.. Blum stepped ashore to say that
he was of for town and hadn't time
to make it. Miss Ethel stepped
ashore to call her aunt's attention to
the hero who had saved all, and Mr..
Earl Manning stepped ashore to say
that he was happy and so forth, but
had done only his duty as he had
seen it.
| And how did it end? The gossips
say that the end won't come until
Thanksgiving, and meanwhile there
will be no occasion for jealousy on
the part of the hero, and Mr.. Blum
will not have to- part with his seven
diamond rings.