Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-10-06

Whenever Isabel WySp came upon
Gerald Gherkin's name in a newspaper
she would blush q little and hand he
paragraph over to her husband with a
tantalizing little smile that Henry in
terpreted as: "Just think, 1 might have
been Mrs. Gherkin.
Henry had never met Gherkin, for
IsabeTs acquaintance with him q
happened ages ~ago-before / met you,
Henry" So, Of course, it was absurd
for Henry to have any little feelings OF
jealousy against the nan and it was
always to refer to him as your old
friend, Pickle"
Whom do you think is in town-and
called me up on the 'phone?" asked
Isabel, mysteriously, one evening at
dinner.
Il never was a good guesser," said
Henry.
Isabel tried to look unconcerned
"Why-I never was so surprised in my
life-and at first l didn't recognize the
yoice-he's so anxious to meet you,
Henry"
who's Hep" interrupted Henry.
"Ge-Gerald Gherkin. You remem-
Der hearing me speak of him IsabePs
voice trailed off.
Pickles, eh?" Henry Iaughted. why
didn't you invite him up to dinner?"
II did," admitted Isabel. "Tomor-
row night. You'll like him. Henry.
Perhaps 1 ought not to have done it
You know it might be just a little m
barrassing. On the other hand, not to
invite him would have seemed so ILL
~hOspitable. He's an old friend from
home-even If once he was foolish
enough to-to-I felt so sorry for him
at the time and l am afraid he thought
1 was heartless-"
You did just right to invite him."
said Henry heartily. Il can afford to
be generous to the poor chap. l got
you, you Bnow!"
It's splendid of you, Henry, to be so
nice about it," Isabel murmured,
gratefully. And please don't imagine
I have ever had the least little tiny re-
Gret about turning him down even If he
Is handsome and-er fascinating and
because he has made a lot of money
and has become rather famous"
Henry's magnanimity toward his I'M
successful rival was all on the surface.
All the following day he tried to steel
himself for the ordeal and tried to fig
ure just how civil he would have to be
under the circumstances. This Pickle
man would probably be elegantly thin
and romantic looking and he would
gaze at Isabel with dark, melancholy
eyes. He would feel like physically
hurting his feelings and instead would
have to inquire solicitously: Wont
you have another piece of chicken?"
When Henry came home that even
ing 1sabels toilette CAV him another
jolt. Angels probably wore such fluffy
white gowns When they went to part
les. In a stiff silence they awaited the
arrival Of the guest.
He came.
Why will fat men always sit down in
the frailest chair in a room? Mr..
Gherkin said he never felt really at
home in a place until he had broken a
chair. AS Henry Wysp helped him to
his feet, roaring with laughter and
good nature, Henry had never felt
kinder toward a fellow man.
Nice little place you've got here"
said Mr.. Gherkin, when he was sub
stantially settled in a Morris chair with
which had been especially recon-
mended. Going to have one like it
myself pretty quick, so I'm sort Of sit
ting up and taking notice OF such
things. Yep! I've decided to take the
fatal step myself! He pried open his
watch at the back n passed it to
Isabel.
Isabel murmured some polite con-
gratulations and then looked at the pic
ture of the youngish woman in the
case. "She-she is very pretty" she
said with an effort.
she's sensible" corrected Mr..
|ACA Va ANlCc lCNSI Hedueu girl and a
bang up housek eeper. No nonsense
about her. Want you to meet her" Mr..
Gcrkin rambled along about the prac-
tical prize he nae won, until dinner
was announced,
When Henry Wysp urged some more
chicken upon his guest, there was Moth
ing forced about his cordiality. At the
salad course they were calling each
other "Wysp" and "Gherkin'' and swap
ping business experiences. Isabel sat
politely bored and as remote as Cape
Town, having given up trying TO find
any trace OF the Gerald Gherkin-the
slim, poetry-quoting young man-of
her first young lady days.
OF course, it vas very comforting to
her conscience to know that poor
Gerald had not allowed her to spoil his
life, but-she had often sincerely hoped
that he would sometime meet some
nice girl, etc. butt was much less
awkward, In a way, for him to act
just like n old friend from home, but
she vas glad Henry liked him so
much; oh, ii was infinitely better thar
IL he had just sat and glowered at him