Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-02

"Was she SO DREADFUL inquired
Molly, forcing her share Of the con
versation
"A souse," grunted Sledge. TON
my don't touch it, but she got diff
ferent kind of Heinz on every
night"
Drank" guessed Molly, trying tc
remember for Ferns sake.
For the family" Sledge corroborat
ed land all this time Tommy decent
guy. He deserves good woman, but
he don't get to meet 'em. He'd be q
great pal for your little friend, if she
can nail him"
II never heard Fern express pref
erence for widowers," she suggested
Hes the same as not" Sledge as
sured her. There's no kids. Tom
my's a grand boy"
The music struck a pianissimo pas
sage.
me for blonde Tommy Reeler
unintentionaly explained to the audi
ence, and before she could stop it.
the clear silvery giggle of Fern blend
ed with the piccolo obligato.
Reeler looked around at Sledge with
a broad grin, and nodded his head EN-
phatically in the direction of Fern.
Having a nice party?" asked Mol.
ly softly, bending forward; but Fern
was speeches..
The curtain rose, and the play be-
gan, and Sledge, bending knotted
brows upon the stage, sat decently
aloof. If anybody liked this sort OF
thing, far be it from him to interfere
with their pleasure. Between the
acts, however, he came right back on
the job. He arranged for Tommy and
himself to take the girls out to see
the new water-works plant on the fol-
lowing day. and to witness, as bal
cony patrons, on the following night,
a barn dance of the West End club.
He planned a Country club dinner for
the day after, and then, reaching non
chalantly into his waistcoat pocket,
he dropped into Molly's lap glitter
ing bauble, which looked like glass
hickory nut.
Take that down to Duvay's and
have it fitted to your finger he di-
rected.
She picked it up incredulously. 1t
couldn't be real
"Why It's diamond" she gasped,
as it lay flashing and cleaning in her
hand and she saw the perfect cut
ting and wonderful fire of it. The re-
alization startled her so that she al
most dropped it.
at had better be, or somebody goes
to JAIL" he informed her. THAT rock
set me back the price of house ana
lot"
But. Mr.. Sledge, I can't accept
this" she earnestly assured him.
'.Why not?" he demanded, studying
her heavily. you're to be my Wife
She was panic stricken more by his
look than his words.
cts too large for a ring, for one
thing" she evaded.
"Why?" he again rumbled.
She decided to leave out the ques-
ton of good taste.
"You couldn't put a glove over II,
she explained.
He looked at it reproa chfully.
"Hunh!' he commented. Its
peach, though, isn't it?''
Here was proposition on which
she could heartily agree.
cts a beauty-a marvel" she en-
Enthusiastically told him, ashamed, IN
some degree, that she SO much ad-
mired the live thing as it lay in her
palm.
She handed it over to him, and as
his palm touched hers, she felt the
tingIe of him for the first time. IL
was as if she had inadvertently touch-
ed an electric battery, and she 1erkeo
back her hand. ;.
between them they dropped the di-
almond, and it rolled under Ferns
chair Tommy Reeler picked it up.
swell pebble, Ben,' he approved,
and poured it into Ferns hand, where
II Law glittering, and glittering, and
glittering, and would not be still.
ooh you darling!" Fern murmured
to it. where did this drop from?
"present for Molly explained
sledge modestly. TOO big for ring.
Can't pull a glove over it. I'm soana
have it set in a necklace.