Middletown transcript., 1915-09-18


finally focused a steady beam of in
terrogation upon the countenance of
Mr.. Schwartz.
Ikey never whimpered.
Then Bunch took the letter from
the open-eyed Aunt Martha and leaped
to the rescue while | came out of the
trance slowly.
Its too bad Mr.. Schwartz forgot
his ear trumpet" Bunch said quickly
and Ikey was wise to the tip in a
minute.
Peaches shifted suspiciously and I
knew she had the gloves on.
Mr. Schwartz's affliction is terri
ble," she said with a chill in every
word How did you converse with
him before our arrival?"
"Oh, he understands the lip Ian
guage and can talk back on his
fingers" l hastened to explain, look
ing hard at Ikey. whose masklike
face gave no token that he under
stood what was going on.
II thought understood you to say
Mr.. Schwartz is a real estate deal
err" Peaches continued, while the
thermometer went lower and lower.
so he is" replied.
Then why does his correspondent
address him as a tango teacher?"
friend wife said slowly, and could
hear the icebergs grinding each other
all around me.
Il think l can explain that" Bunch
put in quietly. Then with the utmost
deliberation he looked Ikey in the
eye and said, "Mr. Schwartz, it's real
ly none of my business, but would
you mind telling me why you, a real
estate dealer, should have a letter in
your possession which is addressed
to you as a tango teacher? Answer
me on your fingers"
: Ikey delivered the goods.
In a minute he had both paws
r working overtime and such knuckle
3 twisting no mortal man ever INDUCED
in before.
I HE says" Bunch began to inter
l pret, that the letter is not his. II
:. is intended for Isadore Schwartz, 9
wicked cousin of his who is a victim
t of the cabaret habit. Mr.. Schwartz
is now complaining bitterly with hiI
S fingers because his letters and those
intended for his renegade cousin be
y come mixed almost every day. Thest
: mistakes are made because the initial
+ are identical He also says that-h,
opes-the-presence - of - this
l. particular - letter - -in-his-posses
o on-does-not-offe - ladie
T. because-while-it addressed-t
T. "a -tango-teacher-
-quite-harmless- s-being-but =
10 -small-bill-from om-the-dentist"
u keys fingers kept on workin
- nervously as though he felt it his dut
"a to wear them out, and the perspirs
!e tion rolled off poor Bunch's forehead
10 Tell him to cease firing" said t
u Bunch; he'll sprain his fingers an
IL lose his voice."
IL Ikey doubled up his eight finger
OF and two thumbs in one final shout an
III subsided.
CD I'm afraid we'll miss the 81
IL train If we don't hurry" said Peache
and l could see that the storm wa
over, although she still glanced su
NJ piciously at poor Ikey.
Gu And, Bunch, you and John ca
'u come home with us now, can't you
rs Alice asked as they started to flo;
40 for the door.
ut Then Ikey cut 1t as we started
Ok follow the family parade, I'm hep
oh the situation. It's a cutey, take
re from little Ikey. I'll have to char
Ut you So for the sudden attack of des
an ness: then there's $19 for hardship
ei sustained by my finger joints whi
lu- conversing. The rest of the hundr,
es iron men I'm going to keep as
-, souvenir of two good-natured gin
who wouldn't know what to do wi
Gu , a tango if they had one"
AS we pulled out of the Mayonnai
o., looked back at Ikey to thank hi
with farewell nod.
- He was half way under the tab
holding both hands to his sides Al
~ making funny faces at the carpet.
'"i Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure NewsE
per Syndicate.)