The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-10-07
A Chapter
Of Errors
b EyNlG BlAlsB

CITY residence July ]. Mr.. Gregory
went to Europe on business. while Mn.
Gregory and the. children departed for
their summer place in New Hampshire.
On Sept. 2 Mrs. Gregory received q
letter from her husband from London
Informing her, that he would arrive In
New York on the 18th Of August. H
would open the city residence and keep
bachelors hall there till the return Of
the family. which was set for Tuesday
after Labor day.
Mr.. Gregory arrived ON the dax,
named and, having made himself COM
Portable at home. dined and proceeded
10 amuse himself In his library, but
loneliness drove him out, and he did
not return till II o'clock. There was q,
vestibule entrance to his house, tho
outer door Of which was not locked,
and, turning the knob. he pushed open
the door. In the inner door were glass
panels, through which a light In the
hall shone dimly and revealed mans
figure crouching in a corner of tho
vestibule. Mr.. Gregory was a power
full man, and stranger to fear. TAX
ing the man by the collar, he showed
him through the inner door, which he
had already opened, into the hall and.
shaking him as cat would shake q
mouse, cried in stentorian tones:
"You contemplate sneak thief! What
are you doing here7"
The man, who was young and we'll
dressed, made no reply. He seemed to
be undecided as to what excuse to,
make. There was pitiable look on.
his face that excited Mr.. Gregory's
cOmmiseration.
you're altogether too decent look
ing man." said the latter, "to be max
ing living in this way. Have you
ever done any thieving before?"
mo, SIR" said the man dejectedly.
"Well, in that case I'll let you go.
II turn you in you'll go up for q
term Of years. I'll give you a chance.
Go to work. Now get out Of here"
The next morning as he was going
out to his club for breakfast he met
the postman at the door, who handed
him letter from his daughter Adele
postmarked New Hampshire:
Dearest Papa-I trust that you have
safely arrived. When you read this you
will doubtless have learned Of the impor-
tant event that has occurred in my life.
wish you would write me Just as you
feel Don't conceal a single thing. You
know that your approval Of everything
have ever done has been necessary to
! my happiness. In this. the most impor-
| tant Of all, beg Of you to write mo
| frankly and freely.
As soon as Mr. Gregory found leisure
to do so he wrote his daughter lacon-
ically:
| Arrived on time. Yours received. Don't
understand. Your loving FATHER.
By return mail came letter which
was as laconic as his own:
Never mind. All mistake. ADELE.
"What the dickens is the matter
with the child?' muttered Mr.. Gregory
to himself. Zone day it is the most
important event Of her life. the next
all mistake"
However, he was familiar with these
great events in the lives of his chill
dren and had become accustomed to
consider them of little real moment
So absorbed was he during the day that
he forgot all about this family matter.
In the afternoon he received a tele-
gram from his wife which upset him
completely:
Come at once. Adele has had severe
shock.
Mr.. Gregory took the first through
train to his summer home and on his
arrival met his wife at the door, who
told him that during his absence Adele
had met and fallen desperately in love
with young man. who had responded.
He was Intellectually rather than phys
ically vigorous and desperately senst-
tive. He had returned to the city, and
Adele had received letter from him
breaking the engagement without CIV
poor girl was FRUSTRATED.
Mr.. Gregory was furious. After COM
miserating with his daughter and get
ting from his wife the name and ad-
dress of the man who had Tilted Adele
he returned to the city. On the morn
ing after his arrival the culprit was
sitting ut a 10 o'clock breakfast, which
NC was uOS edtAuS, W Iuc W Nlicu tuc
doorbell rang. and Mr.. Gregory pushed
past the maid who admitted him into
the dining room. On the threshold he
stood stock still. The culprit crouched
behind the breakfast table.
ut seems to me have seen you be-
FORE" said the astonished Gregory.
The man stared at him. trembling.
what in thunder does this all
mean" cried Gregory.
Then the situation dawned upon him.
His daughters sutton had called ON
him doubtless to ask for her hand, got
wedged in the vestibule and been mis-
taken for a sneak thief.
That same day Adele received tele-
gram from her father:
All q mistake. We will be with you to-
morrow evening.
When the train arrived the next day
it brought Adele's father and her rec
reant sutton. Then it was explained
how he had been elected from the
house for sneak thief; how, being
oversensitive, rather than endure the
modification Of an explanation, he had