Holbrook argus., 1912-09-24
He Got a Chance

Dillmere has 8 tender heart and an lmpressionable mind. Not only does be sorrow over troubles visible, but being blessed with an imagination, be suffers over those concealed from or. dinary mortals. When 1t comes to reading, Dillmere, because of his tenn. perament, should select something soothing and mild. It was a malig- nant fate that led him into the snare of the book agent who was selling "The Worlds Greatest Crimes" at re duced rates and in an attractive cloth binding.
 When Dillmere reached home that night he found his wife waiting for him. She was pointing to the opened bundle of books much as one of a re- fined disposition might point at viper or a dynamite bomb.
 What on earth" she began at once, do you mean by buying that stuff, James Dillmere? Why, if caught Jimmy with a volume of crimes in his hand"
 You aren't going to-" said Dillmere "They are not for Jimmy's youthful intelligence. A mature mind can read without harm about deeds of vio lence-"
 That book agent must have been . good talker," said Mrs. Dillmere grimly. You'll have to keep those books on your closet shelf or Johnny and I don't see, anyhow. why on earth you should want to read such things when there are 90 many nice books-'
 'T'm tired of nice books" said Dill. mere recklesly. I've had a surfeit oi recipes for tatting and prescriptions packing box. My mind nesds stimu lating. Anyhow, 1t is a matter of edu cation. I am ashamed to be ignorant of what has happened in the world After dinner Dillmere retired into the fastness of an easy chair with his books and promptly was lost to his family.
 'H'm!" coughed Mrs. Dilimere al last in desperation. T looked at new coats for Johnny today"
 Silence.
 "H'm!" began she again. Grace telephoned that her uncle was dead wonder If he left anything? SheI always expected that he would"
 Silence. 'e "a
 Mrs. Dillmere looked at her fiisband His eyes were popping out of his head and he breathed deeply. "James." she proceeded in a conversational voice, "the bank failed today. Your father murdered your mother. fell down. stairs and broke my neck!"
 "Um!" answered James vacantly.
 Mrs. Diffmere rose and swept the book from his hands.
 af"Why don't you listen to me?" she demanded.
 f"Whew!" breathed her husband They were going some in the middls ages! If you didn't like a fellow you just put cold poison in his tea and if he wouldn't drink it you choked him till he did! Nobody seemed to mind wholesale slaughter if you had money enough to awe the populace! It must have been fierce!"
 That night Mrs. Dillmere woke ur to find her husband pacing the floor.
 Somehow" he said, q can't sleep. Are you sure the back basement win dows are locked? I thought I heard some one on the basement stairs 8 little while ago, don't see what is to prevent burglar from walking in al the open bedroom windows from the room. There! Did you hear that?"
 It's that book you were readins!" declared Mrs. Dillmere. GO to bed,"
 Dillmere persisted in reading the books. Occasionally when the hor TOTS grew too great for him to bear alone he related them to his wife after Johnny had gone to bed.
 q don't see how they earned a liv ing in those days" Dfllmere said one evening. After every fellow got through his daily stunt of poisoning a few relatives, beheading a whole vii. 1age, robbing cathedraIs and burning up castles he naturally would not have much energy left for the milder pur. suits of life''
 Mrs. Dillmere woke that night to find the lights turned on and Dillmere PClCAcu OA <b CHblI euQSdVOIlQk climb the wall.
 "James!" she shrieked.
 ''Hush!" said James impatiently. I'm escaping. If get to the top of this wall and drop into the moat be low Caesar Borgia and his minions cannot find me to make me drink the poison! They are burning up the bod. les of the people whose heads they have chopped oh, but I'll have to hurry"
 A little later. while he mopped the cold water from his person-for his wife's aim at his head with the tum. bier of water had not been good owing to her excitement-DilImere demand. ed: Whats the use of raising such a row? Wh-what did you try to drown