Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-09-26

Whom did you expect?"
Mrs. Fosdick popped her head out
Ike Jill in the box. oh, it's you,
Arthur. Kiss me good morning"
He glanced round stealthily and
obeyed instructions: Il guess it's
safe-my darling"
did you sleep, dovie?" she yawned.
mot wink. They took off the
Portland car at Granger and had
to sleep in one of the chairs in the
observation room"
Mrs. Tosdick shook her head at him
in mournful sympathy, and asked:
what state are we In now?"
"a dreadful state-Nevada."
"Just what are we In Nevada"
'Tm a bigamist. and you've never
been married at ALL"
"Oh, these awful divorce laws!" she
moaned, then left the general for the
particular: won't you come in and
hook me up?"
Fosdick looked shocked: II don't
dare compromise you"
"Will you take breakfast with me-
In the dining-car?" she pleaded.
do we dare?"
"We might call it luncheon" she
suggested.
lie seized the chance: "All right.
I'll go ahead and order, and you stroll
In and I'll offer you the seat opposite
me-"
But can't you hook me up?"
He was adamant: mot till we get
to California. Do you think / want to
compromise my own wife? Shh!
Somebody's coming!" And he darted
eff to the vestibule just as Mrs. Jim
mie Wellington issued from number
ten with hair askew, eyes only half
open, and waist only half shut at the
back. She made a quick squirt to
the women's room, found 1t locked,
stamped her foot, swore under her
breath, and leaned against the wall Of
the, car to wait.
About the same time, the man who
was still her husband according to
the law, rolled out OF berth number
two. There was an amazing clarity
to his vision. He lurched as he made
his way to the mems room, but 1t was
plainly the trains swerve and not an
inner lurch that twisted the fortnight
Of his progress.
He squeezed into the mems room
like a whole crowd at once, and sang
out, Good morning, ALL" with a Won
derful heartiness. Then he paused
over wash basin, rubbed his hands
g.cefully and proclaimed, like another
Chantecler advertising new day:
"WeIl-rm sober again!"
Three cheers for YOU" said his
rival in radiance. bridegroom Lathrop.
"How does it feel" demanded Ash
ton, smiling so broadly that he en-
countered the lather on his brush.
While he. sputtered Wellington was
Tipping water over his hot head and
incidentally over Ashton.
II feel" he chortied, Il feel like the
first little robin redbreast'o of the mer-
ry springtime. Tweet! Tweet!"
When the excitement over his re-
demption had somewhat Gained. ASH.
ton reopened the old topic OF con-
versation:
!. well, see they had another scrap
last night"
"They-who?" said Ira, through his
flying toothbrush.
The Mallorys. Once more he oc-
cupied number three and she number
seven"
well, well, can't understand these
modern marriages." said Little jim
mie, with side glance at Ira. Ira
suddenly remembered the plight OF
the Mallorys and was tempted to de-
fend them, but he saw the young lieu
tenant himself Just entering the
Mushroom. This was more than Well
ington saw, for he went on talking
from behind towel:
well, If were bridegroom and
had bride like that, 1t would take
more than quarrel to send me to
another BERTH"
The others made gestures which he
could not see. His enlightenment
came when Mallory snapped the towel
from his hands and glared into his
face with all the righteous wrath OF a
man hearing his domestic affairs pub
licly discussed.
Were you abiding to me, Mr..
Wellington" he demanded, hotly.
Little Jimmie almost persisted with
apoplexy: "You, your" he mumbled.
why, of course not. You're not the
only bridegroom on the train"
Mallory tossed him the towel again:
"You meant Mr.. Lathrop then?'
me! Not much!" roared the In
dignant Lathrop.
Mallory returned to Wellington with
a fercer: Whom, them"
He was in dangerous mood, ana
Ashton came to the recue: "Oh, don't
mind Wellington. He's not sober
yet"
This inspired suggestion came like
life-buoy to the hard-pressed Well
ington. He seized it and spoke thick
ly: Don't mind me-pm not shober
yet"
We'll, it's good thing you're not"
was Mallory's final growl as he began
his own toilet.
The porter's bell began to ring furi-
ously, with a touch they had already
come to recognize as the English
mans. The porter had learned to rec
ogniZa n tnn md he aIwova took