The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-08-25
Guarding
the VuLuabLes


she had always done business That
was'the reason when she received the
note and the mortgage she did not in
stantly put them into her safety de-
posit box
When she was preparing to leave
the house for the first time she hid
the papers successfully behind sofa.
under pillow. under a rug. under the
dresser scarf and behind the picture
OF Sir Galahad in the library. Then
when she was block away she re-
turned hastily. because 1t had just
occurred to her that the house might
burn down during her absence and
then whore would she be in respect
to those precious papers?
She discarded the small mesh bag
she was carrying and got out her big
gest leather shopping bag. although It
was decidedly inconvenient to take
to an afternoon tea. However. she
could carry the papers in 1t. The bag.
being big and square. bumped into
everybody and got her disliked. She
nearly wept that evening ~ she
begged her husband to take care of
the papers for her.
II will mott" he told her You sim
ply must learn to look after your own
business affairs. SO you might as well
make up your mind to 1t, Why ON
earth are you carting jewelry around
in that bag. too?" He asked It in the
tone that a man uses when the fool
ish peculiarities of the feminine halt
Of the world are utterly. absolutely
beyond him.
Because it's the safest place for my
rings and things!" retorted his wife,
Every woman does IT."
His demeanor still disclosing skepti
cism. she went on: IF you leave
things at home and the new servants
don't turn burglars. then tho bogus
gas inspectors and the sham telephone
men will get them! I've read about
all those tricks!"
You'll lose the whole AFFAIR."" Do
clared her husband.
Il certainly won't when the bag il
slipped right over my army like this"
said Mrs. Blake. loftily Il shall go to
the bank just as soon as I can. and
you are perfectly horrid to make me
carry this bag to the theater tonight
The papers won't tuck inside Of my
D waist and there's positively nothing
, else l can do with them!"
: Frequently that evening the ban
. slipped from her lap and each time
9 she almost had Mysteries. thinking
5 she had lost 1t. After Blake had
! bumped his head the third time while
D fishing out the bag from beneath the
r row Of seats in front ne put 1t in his
chair and sat on 1t. But he made her
carry 1t home
Something happened every day for
three days to prevent Mrs. Blake's go
ing to the bank. She ate. slept and
visited in company with her leather
shopping bag and she positively began
to grow thin from her continuous and
. strenuous efforts to keep a watchful
eye on 1t.
An afternoon progressive bridge
. party nearly finished her, because she
insisted on hanging the bag over her
! chair back. and each time she moved
,. she forgot 1t. Missing 1t, she would
imagine that she had lost It comine
to the party and would have to be re-
vived with fans and kind words till IL
was discovered. She was a nervoua
wreck when the afternoon was over
: and had in addition the consciousness
: that all her partners disliked her In
! tensely because she had SO lowered
their scores by her wild. distracted
playing.
I '1'll go to the bank tomorrow II II
j is the afternoon party that I have to
i miss!" she declared
j Then she 'lgged the fatal bag to .
\ club directors meeting, to luncheon.
\ where 1t fell to the floor and was
j nearly eaten up by the hostess pet
dog before 1t was discovered. and on
j q shopping trip.
She hung to the bag with an energy
J that gave rise to the idea In the
minds OF casual observers that 10
II must be filed with dynamite or dia,
monds.
n Thank goodness" she muttered a.
she neared her home. I've got these
It awful papers safely through a whole
week and the first thing tomorrow
II morning sees them in the safety de-
post box. and then maybe | can draw
!: a long breath, What's that door
open for?"
r She ran up the steps and through
k the swinging door 1t was most I'M
"a usual The house appeared tranquil.
ID however Laying down her bag. she
pulled of her gloves and coat and
10 then, being still uneasy. mounted to
"a the second floor. The second door
also was calm.
NJ ITS the queerest thing" she said "a
"a she started downstairs and headed for
the kitchen to see II the cook had 70
"A Aurnad Il being the cooks daY out