New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-03
Mr.. JUSTIFIED BUTTS IN
And Prevents the PerCivaIs
from Having a Good Time.
TRIED TO SAVE THEIR BOY
But Jack Didn't Need Saving,
and Mrs. Percival Never Was
So Mad in Her Life.

day. IL CHANGED. was the one on which the
Percivals-especial friends of the Justweds
had engaged room at the same subur-
ban boarding house.
When the dread announcement was made
every mother in the house gathered her
children around her and fed to her room,
much as a clucking hen gathers her chicks
under her wings at the approach of rain.
The DISTINGUISHING without chicks-felt
more or less out OF II. And the best they
could do to claim a really personal In
rerest I'm the sensational news was to SYM
psthize with the aforesaid mothers. That
h. until Mr.. J. recalled that the Percivals
were coming the end OF the week with
their little son and heir. Then, indeed. did
be Join nightly in the clatter.
Measlesl
That one dread word had changed Mrs.
Suburbanite's peaceful abode Of commute
ers, who left the cares and the heat OF
the city behind them each evening. into a
house where the spectre of famine, dis
ease and pestilence and battle, murder
and sudden death seemed to Turk in the
shadows and peer out around corners at
every little lad and lassie with a panic
stricken mamma.
Little Willie Green-who usually kept the
entire second floor awake at night-ha1
,em. The doctor had just left-without TAX
ing any Of the cute little red spots on Will
Hes face along with him. Measles? Yes,
madam, not a doubt OF it,
Instantly every mamma was for packing
CD and going back to the city.
But not the papas-who knew how hot
Il was in town from working tsere each
day and, in addition, found the tennis. cro-
ouet and smoke-fests on the veranda high
!y dverting.
Now, don't get excited, Mary" they
said, every last one OF them TO his respec-
tive Mary THE doc says II We'll be care
ful the kids needn't catch 'en. Besides
they've got TO have em some time, haven
they-every kid does-so why not now and
get 1t over within"
Mrs. Suburbanite was well nigh distract
ed. She saw her well filed house empVlng
of its guests and her summer profits bid
ding her fond farewell She g)ared at
little Wilie's mother and scowled at his
pa for bringing such things upon her
But she beamed upon the doctor when ne
sssured each anxious mamma that her in
div.dual little Willie had either already
caught 'ern from the original little measle
kid or escaped them, and that change OF
residence would now make but little differ
erce-since the quarantine lines were now
strictly drawn about that dread room on
the second floor.
..The Percivals must be told OF this!
said Mr.. Justwed, decisively. They
wouldn't think of coming out with measles
IN the house $3.50
.Tf none Of the other children develop
them within ten days 1t will be all right
for them 10 bring Jack" Mrs. JustWeo
suggested.
'Doctor SAYS every one is doing lot oil
worrying about nothing" remarked MIS-
Suburbanite, who. in passing on her ROUNDS
of calming the storm, had caught just
enough Of the conversation to understand
,ts theme. THE other children rarely
plaved with Willie, and I'm quite sure none
of them have caught EN- Seems TO me
that e,
And she FASTENED to reply to Mrs. simp
linss anxious query from the other END o.
the veranda.
.rWelly' exclaimed Mr.. J. well, III p'
tggered! That woman intends TO let th'
Percivals lead their darling little boy riga
tn-into the jaws of deathl It's criminal
And II you think I'll be party TO an &c
of that sort Mrs. Justwed you're Ver!
much mistaken. Why ] could never LOT
give myself-much less expect the PerclVai
10 forgive me-if did III phone theh
right away ,
Il agree with you perfectly hoihel'
sssanted Mrs. J. But don't you thint
you'd better go q little bit $40" aOou
otber people's affairs? The Percivals, yo'
know, have the last room available IN I'M
house. and IL they fail to take 1t they viii
H., NNr1v Cn summer.
doctor saws. too. that he doesn't thinl
there will be any real danger unless tresl
cases break out in the next ten days"
But Mr. J. was obdurate. lie sa" III
uuty-and set about to do It'll
Perci,,al himself answered tho phone
Mrs. Percival and little Jack were on
walking. lie was scared green" Instant!
and thanked Mr.. j. profusely for his warn
ing. Certainly he wouldn't come out
Why he'd no more think Of bringing Jaci
into such place than Of flying to th'
moon! And would Mr.. J. please nouf!
Mrs. suburbanite Immediately that the!
would not take the room?
Mr.. Justwed would and did!
"Oh. very we'll" snapped Mrs. Sub
rrbanite. II intended telling them abou,
the measles tO-InOrrow, Of course and now
7 can Ter that couple that came this
rnorniug-withOut children. thank goodness
have the room They'll come out right
away. + think, hereafter, I'll refuse &c
take boarders with children-and on sec
ond thought. boarders who take an inter
. est in other peoples Children
With which parting shot she turned on
her heel and waddled away TO try and
parsuade the alarmed Mrs. Tompkin:
that the doctor knew what he was talking
about But she stopped en- route Ions
enough 20 phone the couple without chill
dren that the room-the very last one she
had-was at their ser ice. And from her
pleased expression it was quite evident
that the speaker at the other end OF the
wire had promised 10 mail check as a
deposit as soon as he hung up the re-
ceiveT.
We'll" declared Mr.. j.. in self-satis-
fed tone. as he joined Mrs. j. on the
yeranda, 1--WE settled that! Percival was
more than grateful 20 me for warning
him. Said he couldn't be dragged out here
with a yoke Of oxen under the circum-
stances He seemed 10 take it real hard
that Mrs. Suburbanite herself hadn't told
him. He knew his wife would never be
able 20 show her appreciation.
But she did-and within precisely If
teen minutes.
For Mrs. Justwed was called 70 the
phone AT the expiration Of that length
of time. And she didn't emerge from the
booth for at least another quarter of an
hour.
Mr.. J. strolled up and down the porch