Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-10-08

tosdick looked shocked: II don't
dare compromise you"
evil you take breakfast with me-
in the dining-car?" she pleaded.
do we dare?"
1--WE might call it luncheon" she
suggested.
He seized the chance: "All right.
I'll 20 ahead and order, and you stroll
in and I'll offer you the seat opposite
me-"
But can't you hook me up?"
He was adamant: mot till we get
to California. Do you think I want to
compromise my own wife? Shh!
Somebody's coming!" And he darted
of to the vestibule just as Mrs. JIM
mic Wellington issued from number
ten with hair askew, eyes only half
open, and waist only half shut at the
back. She made quick squirt to
the women's room, found 1t locked,
stamped her foot. swore under her
breath. and leaped against the wall Of
the car to wait.
About the same time, the man who
was still her husband according to
the law, rolled out OF berth number
two. There was an amazing clarity
to his vision. He lurched as he made
his way to the mems room. but 1t was
plainly the trains swerve and not an
inner lurch that twisted the fortnight
of his progress.
He squeezed into the mems room
like whole crowd at once, and sang
out, Good morning, ALI" with won.
derful heartiness. Then he paused
over a wash basin, rubbed his hands
gleefully and proclaimed, like another
Chantecler advertising new day:
"Well-Tm sober again."
Three cheers for you." said his
rival in radiance. bridegroom Lathrop.
"How does it feel?" demanded Ash
ton, smiling SO broadly that he en-
countered the lather on his brush.
While he sputtered Wellington was
Tipping water over his hot head and
incidentally over Ashton.
Il feel" he chortled. Il feel like tho
first little robin redbreast OF the mer.
~ springtime. Tweet! Tweet!"
When the excitement over his re-
demption had somewhat Gained, Ash
ton reopened the old topic Of con-
versation:
well, see they had another scrap
last night"
"They-who?" said Ira, through his
flying toothbrush.
1.-THE Mallorys. Once more he oc'
cupied number three and she number
seven"
well, we'll, I can't understand these
modern marriages." said Little jim
mie, with q side glance at Ira. Ira
suddenly remembered the plight OF
the Mallorys and was tempted to de-
fend them, but he saw the young lieu
tenant himself just entering the
washroom. This was more than Well
ington saw, for he went on talking
from behind towel:
well. II l were bridegroom and
had bride like that, 1t would take
more than quarrel to send me to
another BERTH"
The others made gestures which he
could not see. His enlightenment
came when Mallory snapped the towel
from his hands and glared into his
face with all the righteous wrath OF q
man hearing his domestic AFFAIRS pub
'licly discussed.
Were you alluding to me, Mr..
wellington" he demanded. hotly.
Little Jimmie almost persisted with
apoplexy: "You. your" he mumbled.
"Why. Of course not. You're not the
only bridegroom on the train"
Mallory tossed him the towel again:
"You meant Mr.. Lathrop them"
me! Not much!" roared the in.
dignant Lathrop.
Mallory returned to Wellington with
q fiercer: Whom. them"
He was in dangerous mood. and
Ashton came to the recue: "Oh, don't
mind Wellington. He's not sober
yet"
This inspired suggestion came like
a life-buoy to the hard-pressed Well
Iington. He seized 1t and spoke thick
ly: Don't mind me-Im not shober
yet"
"Well, it's a good thing you're not"
was Mallory's final growl as he began
his own toilet.
The porter's bell began to ring ftlri
ously, with a touch they had already
come to recognize as the English.
mans. The porter had learned to REQ
ognize 1t, too, and he always took
double the necessary time to answer
1t. He was sauntering down the aisle
at his most leisurely gait when
Wedgewoods rumpled name shot out
from the curtains like lions from a
jungle, and he beloved: "Pawtah!
Pawtah!"
"Still on the train" said the porter.
"You may give me my portman-
teau."
"Yassah." He dragged 1t from the
upper BERTH and set 1t inside Wedge
woods berth without special care as
to its destination. Does you desire
anything else, sir?'
Yes, your absence said Wedge
wood.
THE same to you and many Of
them." the porter muttered to himself.
and added to Marjorie, who was just
starting down the aisle: I'll suttainly
be interested In that man gittin
where he's goin' to git to-" Noting
that she carried Snoozleums, he said:
Were comm into station right
soon." Without further discussion
she handed him the dog. and he hob
bled away.