The herald., 1912-10-24
MIR. WHAT'S
HlS-NAME
By KATHLEEN J. MCURDY

Miss Wilkins. spinster. commonly
called old maid. though she was not
yet thirty. lived in Il fiat. On the OPP
pOsite side of the hall was another
fat in which lived a couple who inter
ested Miss Wilkins. There is nothing
remarkable in this inasmuch as old
maids are usually supposed to be in
terested in their neighbors' affairs.
Whether or no this is the case, Miss
wilkins, who by the bye was very OBJ
servant, noticed that Mrs. What's-her
name, across the hall, always wore a
sOrrowful countenanCe.
The next thing Miss wilkins noticed
was that Whenever she was lying
awake between midnight and or 4
O'Clock she would hear a fOOtStep com
ing up the stairs, and on reaching the
story on which she lived the sound
would end in the closing Of a door
There being but one other fat on the
floor besides Miss wilkins, the door
was undoubtedly closed by one of that
other fats inmates.
An idea struck Miss wilkins right
between the eyes. Mr.. What's his
name, her neighbor. was the cause OF
his wife's melancholy. 1t was he who
came home so late. What wonder that
the lady was miserable with such a
husband. Was he dissipated? An
other idea popped into Miss wilkins
head. Mr.. What's his name must make
his living by gambling. She had once
known a woman whose husband was a
gambler, and the wife was always the
picture Of misery. The problem was
solved
That it was solved correctly was
proved by the fact that no one was
stirring in the neighbOring fat in the
morning till IL o'clock. Then a waiter
from a restaurant brought a tray Gov
cred with napkin. knocked at the
Whats-their-n door and handed
in what Miss wilkins was sure was the
husbands breakfast. The reason she
was sure it was the mans breakfast
was because she had often seen the
tray sitting on the floor beside the
opposite door for a waiter to remove,
and there was but one coffee cup and
one plate. Undoubtedly Mrs. What's
her-name got her own breakfast at a
proper hour.
Miss wilkins gave music lessons
and an hour when she was sure to be
occupied with pupil was between 1O
and in the afternoon. She watched
for Mr.. What's -his-name to so out, but
never saw him, consequently she sur
missed that he left home during the
hours that she was always engaged.
One 1st of May Mr.. and Mrs. What's
their-names moved out Of the fat op
posite Miss wilkins. The lady attend
ed to the moving. Mr.. What's-his-name
not appearing while it was in progress
Indeed, il was done in the afternoon
Miss wilkins inferred that since he
was up all night at cards or whirlins
a roulette machine he must have his
sleep in the morning and have his pool
wife to do the moving. Anyway, Miss
wilkins never saw the husband. but
a mental picture Of him that she con
jured up remained in her mind. II
resembled Mephistopheles.
That was the end of the What's
their-names for Miss wilkins.
Three years later the spinster got 9
husband of her own. The moment she
saw him all that antagonism to meT
| ,x,h; tx-ith hnr ct chS
had passed twenty-fve-in other words
since ii began to look as IL she haG
been left out of the matrimonial king
dom-vanished. There was something
so benevolent. so noble, so winning IN
his face that she fell before him like
grain before a scythe.
The gentleman's name was Smiley
Miss wilkins said it should be Smiling
since his beautiful face always wore
a smile and that smile was his mos
lovely feature He seemed very mucf
pleased that Miss wilkins was pleased
with him. for he was a widower look
| ing for wife. Having every reason t.
suppose that he would be accepted by
Miss wilkins. he proposed, and the!
were married.
Mr. Smiley was very regular in hi:
habits and very domestic. He was {
magazine editor and his hours at hi:
office were the same as those Of othel
persons. though sometimes he brough
manuscripts home and spent the even
ing reading them. But he always ex
cused himself so pleasantly for thus
depriving his wife Of his company tha
she forgave him.
One Sunday afternoon while strollin;
they passed an apartment house.
'I once occupied fat in there" sale
Miss wilkins.
Indeed. When was that?"
"Four years ago. We occupied tn
second story west fat A couple livet
opposite whom I shall never forget
The man was o gambler. and his wifi,
was the most unhappy creature eve
met"
How did you know that the mai
was a gamblerT
"Why. he was out all night and la.
abed till noon. Besides his wife show
ed by her expression that he was some
thing dreadful"
Mr.. Smiley turned and looked in hi
wife's face with every appearance o
surprise
when did the couple move out?" b