Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-06-21

tormentor. But as soon as he con.
fronted the doddering and blinking
topper, he was helpless. Drunken men
have always been treated with great
tenderness in America, and when Wei.
lington. seeing Lathroy's white hair,
exclaimed with rapture: "Why, hello,
Pop! here's Pop!" the most that Lath.
rop could do was to tear loose those
fat, cropping hands, slap them like
school teacher, and push the man
away.
But that one shove upset Mr.. We'll
lington and sent him topping down
upon the pit of the Englishman's stom-
ach.
For Wedgewood, it was suddenly as
If all the air had been removed from
the world. He gulped like a fish
drowning for lack of water. He was
long while getting breath enough for
words, but his first words were wild
demands that Mr.. Wellington remove
himself forthwith.
Wellington accepted the Punishment
with the sorrowful eyes Of dying
deer, and tottered away wagging his
fat head and wailing:
I'm a broken-hearted man, and no.
body gives a." At this point he ca.
,romed over into Ira Lathrop's berth
and was welcomed with savage roar:
What the DEVILS the matter with
your"
I'm a broken.hearted man, that's
all"
ooh, is that all," Lathrop snapped.
vanishing behind his newspaper. The
desperately melancholy seeker for a
word of human kindness bleared at
the blurred newspaper wall a while,
then waded into new attempt at ac-
quaintance. Laying his hand on Latf-
rop's knee, he stammered: "Ess'
cuzhe me, Mr.-Mr--"
From behind the newspaper came
stingy answer: "Lathrop's my name
If you want to know"
PLEASED to meet you, Mr.. Lothrop.'
"Lathrop!"
"Lathrop! My names Wellington.
LII Jimmie Wellington. Ever hear OF
me?"
He waited with the genial smile OF
a famous man; the smile froze at
Lathrop's curt, Don't think So"
He tried again: Ever hear Of
well-known Chicago belle. Mrs. Jim
mic Wellington"
Eyes. I've heard Of her!" There
was an ominous grin in the tone.
Wellington waved his hand with
modest pride. well, I'm Jimmie"
Serves you right"
This Jolt was SO discourteous that
Wellington decided to protest: "Mis.
ter Latham!"
"Lathrop!"
The name came out with whip.
snap. He tried to echo it, "La-throp!"
81 don't like that Throp. That's a
kind of a seasick name, isn't it," Find.
ing the newspaper still intervening be-
tween him and his prey, he calmly
tore it down the middle and pushed
through it like moon coming through
a cloud. But a man can't change his
name by marrying. can he? That's
the worst of 1t. A woman can. Think
of heartless cobra di capello in wom-
ans form wearing my fair name-and
wearing it out. Mr.. La-throp, did you
ever put your trust in false-hearted
woman?"
"Never put my trust in anybody"
Didn't you ever love woman?"
"No!"
well. then, didn't you ever marry
woman?"
mot one. I've had the measles and
the humps, but I've never had matri-
mony."
"Oh. lucky man." beamed yelling.
ton. Hang on to your luck"
Il intend to-" said Lathrop, II was
born single and like it,
ooh. how l envy you! You see.
Mrs. Wellington-she's queen among
women, mind you-a queen among
women, but she has the 'stravagance
of "a"
Lathrop had endured all he could
endure, even from privileged charac-
ter like little Jimmy Wellington. He
rose to take refuge in tine smoking.
room. But the very vigor of this de-
parture only served to help Yelling
ton to his feet, for he seized Lathrop's
coat and hung on, through the door,
down the little corridor, always ex'
planning:
Mrs. Wellington is queen among
. women, mind you. but can't stand
her temper any longer"
| He had hardly squeezed into tho
smoking-room when the porter and an
usher almost invisible under the bag.