Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-10

OeQlCateu 10 jim tenuieJOl:
Hello. Jimmy Pendleton
And Mrs, Jimmy too,
Here's 10 your holse warming!
Pray bid us weIcoms-do-
For we are the merry
House warmers
The merry house warmers sud-,
stilled into q CHASTITY silence All ms
jovial laughter died from their merry
eyes and their patent leather toes turn.
ed as If in flight. for there on the stairs
was a tall, stately young woman,
gowned in pink, with flashing black
eyes and a very pale face. In one out.
stretched hand she held a gresmins
revolver pointed straight at Billy Lem
mick's left ear.
stop, or I'll have to freg she said
feebly.
The nine stared at the shaking re-
volver with fascinated eyes. There
was every reason TO believe that IL
might go or without intent on the part
of the scared young woman. Frank
Case was the first to find his voice.
Mr.. Pendleton expected U.s." he
vouchsafed sheepishly.
Her eyebrows went up. 'Mr. PEN
dleton?'
HE said the second house from the
! station. We were invited TO house.
warming. He has recently removed to
Villa Heights from the city. Isn't
isn't this his house?'
"Ohr' The revolver was swiftly low
cred. and the nine shufled their toes
relievedly. The pink gown came down
several steps and looked at them with
a gracious smile. You have made
mistake, gentlemen" she said pleas
antly. 'Mr. Pendleton's house is the
| next one TO this. the third house.
! am afraid he did not count In the old
fashioned cottage on the corner Of the
street when he gave you directions"
Il hope you will pardon our intru-
sion. I've don't know how to apollo
! gize. 1t was an idiotic thing to do any
way unless We were positive about the
house" said Frank Case with a dark
frown at Billy Lemmick, who had been
the leader of this invasion.
The nine merry house warmers apollo
gized singly and In chorus when the
girl interrupted them with a pretty
gesture.
please don't apologize II you only
knew how nice il seems to hear voices
in this house. MY husband and NOV
ed In here a few weeks ago from the
west, and as we are strangers we have
been thrown entirely upon our own re-
sources, and its horribly lonely. SO the
sound of lusty singing startled ne
pleasantly at first, for l am Mrs.
Jimmy, too-Mrs. Jimmy Cornell-and
here comes my husband" She came
down the remaining stairs into the hall
just as the front door opened quickly
and tall young man entered.
Mrs. Jimmy Cornell came forward
and told her husband oil about it, and
there were several moments OF hearty
laughter at the expense OF the house
warmers. as they called themselves.
Then Mr. Cornell suddenly ceased his
laughter
I'm sorry, gentlemen. but I'm
afraid you're doomed to disappoint-
ment tonight. after all When went
out half an hour ago Pendleton and
his wife were coming along. hurrying
to catch a train into town. Seems
that Mrs. Pendleton's father had been
taken suddenly Ill and they had been
sent for ! remember now that they
said something about expecting
friends. but that they had left word
with the maid to explain the situa-
ton"
I'VE will try again another night and
be pretty sure that we get TIE right
house." said Frank Case as he led his
party toward the door.
Mrs. Cornell and her husband e1-
changed u glance, and then the latter
spoke and arrested their departure
Gentlemen. if youH excuse the I'M
conventionality Of the invitation. as
we are comparatively strangers to you.
Mrs. Cornell and | would enjoy hav-
ing you spend the remainder OF the
evening with us and give us house
warming
The nine accepted without an in
stant's hesitation. and at Billy Lem
mick's request the host and hostess
stood on the stairs while the nine lined
up again and roared the doggerel song
that Oakley had composed for Jimmy
Pendleton's benefit. only they substi
tutcd the name Of their new acquaint-
ances for that of PcndletOns.
,
they fairly ran 20 the station to catch
the last train FOR town and. missing IT,
cheerfu!ly spent the night I'm the sta
, ton the nine house warmers agreed
that If Jimmy Pendlcton aud his wife
, were not the best folks IN the world
they would have accorded that place to
Jimmy Cornell and his pretty wife
The result Of this mistake was that
the lonely Cornells found "A number Of
no, and agreeable friclis. and the
nine bachelors discovered another hos
pitable door open 10 them in villa
Heights
In after years. when the nine were
, married and went 10 live III stuccOed
T, and red tiled houses At Villa Heights.
they formed baseball cub. and. Of
course they were called the House
Warmers.
Sept. 10 IN American