El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-25
IBy Paul and Victor Morsuerite.)

OOD D LIZ CULTS 1AAO &c e-o
= again soon. We have been so
glad to see you. Be sure to
give our kindest regards to your dear
wife and your sweet little daughter,
and please give our love to your
mother"
With these ords Mr.. and Mrs. Gull
hermin saw their friend. Mr.. GORDON,
to the garden gate.
NJ. GORDON, whose hair was already
quite gray, pushed the hanging Virginia
creepers aside and stopped down not
first time he passed through the low
garden gate.
AS soon as he was outside. the ex-
preston in the faces OF his host and
hostess changed abruptly. the smile
disappeared and the eyes lost their
luster.
"Good Lord. what an awful chatter
boxI I thought he was never going to
leave. How fortunate he did not bring
his wife along. She is the worst goose
1 know
member how she tried to catch our
goldfishes with her hatpin the last
timer
Regular parvenues. these Corbons!"
Il beg your PARDON" suddenly ex-
claimed voice Il forgot my UNI
brelia"
Mr.. GORDON had come back. Trying
in vain to hide their embarrassment
under a snlie. the couple began TO look
for it An old gentleman, who, sitting
On bench in the garden, had been
waiting for their coming back from the
gate, Offered his assistance
'Oh, here it is" said Mr.. Corbon and
took the umbrella which his wife made
him take along, cautioning him not to
forget ii anywhere. The Guilhermins
again asked him not TO forget to give
their regards to his people, but they
were careful this time not to close the
gate until they had seen Mr. GORDON
disappear around the next corner
am sure he must have heard what
We said," spoke Mrs. Guilhermin
Do you-think SOP her husband re-
piled in annoyance
"A person is always sure to hear
what he is not supposed to hear" said
old Mr.. Vissieres. II heard every word
very plainly in the summer house"
Then he must be furious" said Mrs
Guilhermin- How often we talk like
that thoughtlessly but it was an awful
long visit and Mr.. Gordon is very tire
some OF course that does not make it
any better" And inSa rather excited
voice she said to her husband: why
I'VE never DO think of such things
said the old gentleman gently, "as you
viii find out for yourselves, il you
ever forget your umbrella yourself,
though 1 do not advise you to try
They looked at him. For years they
had been friends of vissieres. He " as
such a gentle, lovable old man, pleas
ant in his ways and liberal in his views
They were very fond of him although
hox 81 f1ol
little peculiariIIes
The tone in which Mr.. vissierer had
spoken made them feel embarrassed
and reminded them of a half forgotten
incident of long ago. After one of his
visits they had spoken ont their minds
about him and suddenly they had heard
his voice.
Il beg your pardon, but I have for
gotten my umbrella"
For months they had feared that Mr. |
Vissieres had heard what they had
said about him, for he came less often |
now, but after a while they had |
thought no more of it. But today his |
peculiar tone, recalled the incident to |
their minds At last, after rather |
awkward silence, Mr. Guildherm,n |
asked:
why do you say that? Have you
perhaps often forgotten your umbrel-
Mr.. vissieres smiled rather sadly and
replied: Yes, quite often At first |
quite Internationally. but later I did |
1t on purpose, until the day when 1
did not have courage enough to go |
back. for it in a house where had /
left it"
How interesting" exclaimed Mrs
DO tell US ali about it,.
With pleasure. Many years ago I /
very often visited a family, where all
the members seemed to be very fond /
Of me. They always received me with
open arms, took my hat and cane, gave
ne the most comfortable chair and al
ways asked me to stay for dinner, and
thought, like a fool, that they loved
ne for my own sake. Then, one day, 1
came back to get my umbrella which
had left just inside the door, and
heard the man say: Perhaps the old
crank will leave us a little of his
money And his wife said with
augh: Not he. the old skinflint's How
Inn 1 to describe how I felt when l
heard this. So. these people, whom 1
lad thought so kind and warm hearted,
jared really only for my money. When
hey shook my hand, and forced me
Town into the most comfortable chair
1t the fireside they were thinking only
If my money, while was only a crank,
Sk1n1llnt
How mean of them" exclaimed Mr..
with considerable show of
ceiling. why. Anyone who knows
-ou-"
Mr.. Vissieres smiled with his beauti-
III sad smile. "I must then suppose
hat most Of my friends did not know
ne, for ali, in whose house I forgot
ny umbrella on purpose, began to
make fun of me as soon as my back
vas turned"
F" Poor devil remember one of them
aging, and his wife chimed In, Did
Tou notice his embarrassment when
re began to speak Of extravagant and
apricious women And those were |
5ood. sincere friends. I can still see
he mans sincere face and the wife's
harming smile.
The Gu1dhermins exchanged chances.
Since then" Mr.. Vissieres continued, !
was seized with an overwhelming [
esire to find out what my friends real {
Y thought Of me. 1 listened at doors, ]
neaked up behind portieres, and near
Y always I heard how the people who
reated me with the most politeness
nd cOrdiality tore me into shreds be-