Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1915-10-29
BOBBY THE BUTLER
" HARMONY WELLER.

/: HrHmSNT WEhAEH n
The room was 20 dense with smoka
that the twelve heads surrounding
tho dining table seemed to waver
over the damask like 90 many ghosts
Of bachelors. One Of the twelve was
soon to take upon himself the yoke
Of matrimony. and this was his fare
well dinner.
Out Of the smoke the voice Of tho
Honorable Bobs continued the trend
Of an argument on social questions
started By Major Graham.
"And ! say that there 10 work forl
every man right here In this city,
II employment is really desired"
Since you are such q wonder,"t
clipped In Lord Henry, lets see the
kind Of mess you will get yourself
into BY Trying to secure one Of these
many positions" Having turned the
conversation into q lighter vein as
was Lord Henry's wont be took
greater interest. 'T1l bet you the
latest thing in aircraft that you
can't support yourself by your ownl
labor for three weeks"
TITS . gol" Honorable Bobs then
reached across the table and he and
Lord Henry clasped hands.
Honorable Bobs remained quite
undisturbed. That he was going to
win that biplane and show some peo-
pie that there was work for willipe
men was shown In the delightfully."-
steely expression in his blue eyes.
So patriotic was Honorable Bobs that
the first months Of the war saw him
back from the front with an arm so
shattered as to disable him for sec
ond trip to the trenches.
The result Of Major Graham's bach
elor dinner was that Honorable Rob
ert Ingraham accepted post 40 .
kind Of butler In refined and quiet
boarding house In Holland park. His
wounded arm. his peculiarly attractive
manner and his evident desire for the
position gave him prompt success with
the lady to whom he made application.
Things ran on smoothly until the
advent Of Leona Martin. Leona was
the most dainty OF American girls.
She had come to the boarding house
to live for few weeks before return.
ing to her home.
The first morning that Honorable
Bobs knocked at her door with
her cup OF tea, Leona felt aggrievcd
that ahe must leave her cozy bed and
unlock the door. It was q cold morn
ing IN January and Leoua shiyered a.
she slipped into her pink kimono.
"Your tea, miss" said Honorable
Bobs, and put the cup into the
girls hand. He could not remember
having seen anyone who seemed 20
naturally born to rob q man Of his
liberty % did Leona Martin ~ che
stood there In her pink kimono and
with smile Of thanks on her lipA.
Honorable Bobs began to feel that
he wished hs had never seen Lord
Henry nor any Of the major'a friends
who were responsible for his present
position. However, he was q sport
IN avery sense Of the word and con-
tiuusd to take tea to sleepy board
efs. stand behind their chairs at din
ner and open the door like any fun.
fiedged butler.
Leona talked, with American free
dom. to him. When she found out he
had been fighting her sympathy was
wonderful, and Honorable Bobs was
guilty Of conversing longer than he
had any right to a. servant in the
house. II his blue blood flowed even
under the buffers uniform and II Le-
ona blushed when bis eyes looked
straight into her own. no one was the
wiser Lecna rnsrseled at the blue
Dlood. but remembered that al sood
English servants possessed refine-
ment and beautiful voices.
i did not occur to the Arerican
girl until after he had left the house.
nat nat her interest was other than sym
ketnotic. When bno Knew tnbt Inc I
butler had taken away her heart with
him she shrank from the knowledge, !
but with American pluck determined
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