Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-10-17
CHAPTER xxxv.
Mr.. and Mrs. Little Jimmie.

Mrs. Sammy Whitcomb had longed
for the sweet privilege of squaring
matters with Mrs. Jimmie Wellington.
Sneers and back-biting, shrugs and
shudders Of contempt were poor COM
pensation for the ever-vivid fact that
Mrs. Wellington had proved attractive
to her Sammy while Mrs. Yelling
tons Jimmie never looked at Mrs.
Whitcomb. Or II he did, his eyes had
been so blurred that he had seen two
of her-and avoided both.
Yesterday she had overheard Jim
mile vow sobriety. Today his shining
morning face showed that he had
kept his word She could hardly wait
to begin the Irritation which. she
trusted, would render Mrs. Wellington
helplessly furious for six long Reno
months.
The Divorce Drummer interposed
and held Jimmie prisoner for time,
but as soon as Mr. Baumann released
him, Mrs. Whitcomb apprehended
him. With a smile that beckoned and
with eyes that went out like far-cast
fishhooks, she drew Leviathan into
her net.
She reeled him in and he plounced
in the seat opposite. What she took
for bashfulness was reluctance. To
add the last charm to her success,
Mrs. Wellington arrived to see It,
Mrs. Whitcomb saw the lonely Ashton
rise and offer her the seat facing him.
Mrs. Wellington took II and sat down
with the back Of her head so close to
the back of Mr.. Wellington's head
that the feather in her hat tickled his
neck.
Jimmie Wellington had seen his
wife pass by. To his sober eyes she
was a fine sight as she moved up the
aisle. In his alcoholemancipated
mind the keen sense of wrong en-
dured that had driven him forth to
Reno began to lose its edge. His own
soul appealed from Jimmie drunk to
Jimmie sober The appellate Judge
began to reverse the lower courts de-
cision, point by point.
He felt a sudden recrudescence OF
jealousy as he heard Ashton's voice
unctuously, fiirtatiously offering his
wife hospitality He wanted to trounce
Ashton. But what right had he to
defend from gallantry the woman he
was about to forswear before the
world? Jimmie's soul was in turmoil,
and Mrs, Whitcomb's pretty face and
alluring smile only annoyed him.
She had made several gracious
speeches before he quite comprehend
ed any of them. Then he realized
that she was saying, I'm SO glad
you're going to stop at Reno, Mr.. Well
ington."
Thank you. So am l." he num-
bled, trying to look interested and
wishing that his wife's plume would
not tickle his neck.
Mrs. Whitcohb went on, leaning
closer: I'VE two poor mistreated
wretches must try to console one an
other, mustn't WEI"
"Yes,-yes,--we must" Wellington
nodded, with a sickly cheer.
Mrs. Whitcomb leaned little
closer. do you know that feel al
most related to you, Mr.. Wellington
"Related?" he echoed. "you?-to
me? How?"
my husband knew your wife SO
we'll"
Somehow a wave OF jealous rage
surged over him. and he growled:
Your husband Is scoundrel."
Mrs. Whitcomb's smile turned to
vinegar: "Oh, can't permit you to
SANDER the poor boy behind his back.
II was all your wife's fault"
Wellington amazed himself by his
own bravery when he heard himself
volleying back: And I can't permit
you to SANDER my wife behind her
back. 1t was all your husbands
fault"
Mrs. Jimmie overheard this behind
her back, and 1t strangely thrilled
her. She ignored Ashton's existence
and listened for Mrs. Whitcomb's next
retort. 1t consisted OF a simple, 10y
drawl: Il think I'll go to breakfast"
She seemed to pick up Ashton with
her eyes as she glided by. for, finding
himself unnoticed. he rose with q
careless: Il think I'll go to break.
fast" and followed Mrs. Whitcomb
The Wellingtons sat dos-a-dos for
some exciting seconds. and then on a
sudden impulse. Mrs. Jimmie rose,
knelt in the seat and spoke across the
back of IT:
ut was very nice OF you to defend
me, Jimmie-er-James."
Wellington almost dislocated sew
eral joints in rising quickly and whirl.
ing round at the cordiality OF her
tone. But his smile vanished at her
last word. He protested, feebly:
James sounds 90 like IA butler.