Rock Island Argus., 1913-05-31
The Daily Story
Copyrighted 1918 ny Associated Literary Bureau
IN THE NICK OF Timely F. A. MITCHE

Ing. stating tnat poor. GEAR mcInna
had been very i'll. and II fear l shall
not have her with me long"
let us hope remarked. that she
may be soon transferred to-
'John." exclaimed my wife severely.
Notwithstanding this shock had
given Ethel | noticed that every morn
ing after that she took up the newspa-
per and carefully scanned the death
notices Three months passed before
her daily watch was rewarded by see
ing a notice of the death of Mrs. Stead
man. beloved mother of Mrs. John
Ridgewood" | knew what bad happen
ed from the pleased look on Ethefs
face when she looked up from the pa
per at me-a look she strove in vain to
conceal.
THAT poor womaR' she. said, has
lost her mother"
Sad. isn't it:'' replied.
The funeral is to take place on
Thursday"
what have we to do with that?"
"why. I'm thinking that after it's all
over we might send that letter"
Perhaps it won't be necessary. The
brute may see the notice and go home"
81 do wish you wouldn't be so cyni'
cal Even if he does see the notice
he may not go home. He may feel too
antagonistic TO his wife"
"She can write him another letter.
The old lady having taken her depar-
trlre. 1t will probably get into the mail"
"YOu have no evidence that she in.
tentionally prevented the other one
from getting there. The wife may not
feel in the mood TO write another let.
ter I'm going TO send the one we have
to the husband-that is. if you can dis
cover his present address.
That's legitimate" I assented.
Holding a letter addressed to him, you
have n perfect right and good reason
, to deliver 1t to him. / think the day
after the funeral would be good time.
/ The wife, having lost her mother, will
probably have a soft spot in her heart
for her husband"
Ethel was so pleased at the idea of
being instrumental in a reconciliation
that she failed this time to reproach
me for my cynicism, begging me when
| ! went to business TO look up the ad.
! dress of John Ridgwood that we might
have 1t by the time his motherin-law's
/ remains were transferred to the ceme-
! terry. I had some trouble in finding the
! desired address since Mr.. Ridgewood
! had removed TO nearby city. Indeed,
| did not find it for a week after his
mother-in-law's funeral. AS soon as
received it put the letter his wife had
Il snfa nd
dressed it to him and mailed 1t.
feared certain reproaches contained in
IT as to his treatment of the old lady
might antagonize him, but since the
cause of the rupture was now removed
and the rest of the letter showed deep
affection hoped for the best.
One evening about a week after the
forwarding of the letter. when my wife
and l were reading in the library,
there was n ring at the doorbel and a
card bearing the name of John Ridge
wood was brou. ;ht in.
"Show him in here" Ethel said to
the maid,' anxious to hear what he had
to say.
Mr. Ridgewood. instead of showing
that british cast of countenance which
might have been expected of him, was
benevolent looking, frank spoken
gentleman.
"I have called to thank you" he
said, for forwarding to me a mis-
placed letter and to tell you that 1t
came in the nick of time to restore me
to my wife and children. Ours was
case Of He hesitated.
"Mother-in-law," / supplied.
fright! So bitter had been the
breach that doubt If after her moth
ers death my wife would have writ
ten me another such letter. and I con-
fess l intended to remain away from
her forever unless she did. The letter
coming Immediately after my wife's
bereavement. turned the scale for both
of us. | am happy to say that found
my children quite well, and
"Your mother-in-law in heaven"
supplied
"Poor woman" my wife added, with
a frown at me.
81 dare say" Mr.. Ridgewood went
on. that / should have borne with
more patience, for my wife's sake and
for family reasons If for no other.
those little frictions which are liable
to arise in any family
where there is an element Of dis
cord in an outsider" ! supplied again.
Since did not this time specialize. my
wife refrained from attempting to
frown me down.
"Please tell your wife how deeply
sympathize with her IN her bereave-
ment." said Ethel TO the caller.
with pleasure replied Mr.. Ridge
wood my wife joins me in thanks
TO you. madam. for having brought
about our reunion. She tells me that
she requested you to burn the letter"
With that the gentleman took his de-
parture. and we saw him no more
Ethel says that IL had not interfered
with her forwarding the letter when
we found II the matter might have
been settled long before That's all
the thanks get for keeping her out Of
q fiery furnace.
~ A. OI