Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-02
CHAPTER XVII.
Last Cal, for ereakfast,

Last Call for Breakfast.
It was still Iowa when Mallory
awoke. Into his last momentaof heavy
sleep intruded voice like q town
crier's voice, crying:
Lass call for breakfuss IN the Rim.
ing Rar," and then, again louder.
LASS call for breakfuss In Rinin.
rar," and. finally and family, Lass.
call breakfuss ri'rar."
Mallory pushed up his window
shade. The day was broad on rolling
prairies like pillows established in the
green soil. He peeked through his
curtains. Most of the other passen'
gers were up and about, their beds
hidden and beddings slowed away be-
hind the bellying veneer Of the upper
works of the car. All the berths were
made up except his own and number
two, In the corner, where Little Jim.
mic Wellington's nose still played q
bagpipe monody, and one other berth.
which he recognized as Marjorie's.
His belated sleep and hers had
spared them both the stares and
laughing chatter of the passengers.
But this bridal couples two berths,
standing like towers among the seats,
had provided conversation for every.
body. had already united the casual
group of strangers into an organized
gossip-bee.
Mallory got into his shoes and az
much of his clothes as was necessary
for the dash to the washroom. and
took on his arm the rest Of his ward
robe. Just as he issued from his
lonely chamber, Marjorie appeared
from hers, much disheveled and
heavy-eyed. The bride and groom ex'
changed glances of mutual terror. and
hurried in opposite directions.
The spickest and spannest OF lieu
tenants soon realized that he was re-
duced to wearing yesterdays linen as
we'll as yesterdays beard. This was
intolerable. A brave man can endure
heartbreaks, loss of love, honor and
place, but q neat man cannot abide
the traces of time in his toilet. Lieu
tenant Mallory had seen rough serv'
ice in camp and on long hikes. when
he gloried in mud and disorder, and
he was to see campaigns in the Phil
ipptnes, when he should not take on
his shoes or his uniform for three
days at a time. But that was the
field, and this car was a drawing
room.
In this crisis in his affairs, Little
Jimmie Wellington waddled into the
mems room, fioundering about with
every lurch Of the train, like cannon
loose in the hold Of ship. He fun
bled with the handles on basin. and
made crazy toilet. trying to find
some abatement of his fever by filling
q glass at the ice-water tank and
emptying 1t over his head.
These drastic measures restored
him to some sort Of coherency, and
Mallory appealed to him for help In
the matter of linen. Wellington eff
fusively offered him everything he
had, and Mallory selected from hia
store half dozen collars. any one Of
which would have gone round his
neck nearly twice.
Wellington also profered his safety
razor, and made him a present OF .
virgin wafer of steel for his very own.
With this assistance, Mallory was
enabled to make himself fairly pre-
sentable. When he returned to his
seat, the three curtained rooms had
been whisked away by the porter,
There was no place now to hide from
the passengers.
He sat down facing the feminine
end of the car, watching for Marjorie.
The passengers were watching fol
her. too, hoping to learn what un
heard-of incident could have pro
voked the quarrel that separated a
bride and groom at this time. of all
times.
To the general bewilderment, when
Marjorie appeared, Mallory and she
ruahed together and clasned hands