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

| months Of the war saw him back IRON
the front with an arm so shattered as
| to disable him for second trip 10 tne
trenches. He grumbled discontentedi!
at the fate that prevented MIN IRON
rejoining his comrades in the hrlne
! line.
"Pu pilot my own aircraft and dror
| a few bombs with my ie1t mana, Wa'en
| me-" he laughed. ,s,
I'VE will be busy watching you l1t,
that freight on the docks with your LEFT
hand before we see the biplane ano
bombs" said Lord Henry dryly. a
spasm of pain crossed his face for ne
had attempted to move the bandageo
! leg beneath the table. lie muttereu
some few curt words that were no'
flat.ering to the enemy and resu1neo NE
bantering manner.
I, The result Of Major Graham's bach
elor dinner was that the Honorable
Robert Ingraham spent the following
morning looking through the columns
of the newspaper. Positions vacant
was the heading beneath which his eyes
travelled. His idea was to take a posi-
ton lacking any binding by contract
something that could easily be dropped
without inconvenience either to hlmsell
or his employer and that would serve
to prove his statement that there was
Further and more interesting as the
result of the conversation at the
ma tors dinner was the position IN
which the Honorable Bobs found him
self He had accepted post as klnd
of butler in a refined and quiet board
ing house in Holland Park His wound
ed arm, his peculiarly attractive man =
ner and his evident desire for the posi-
ton gave him prompt success with the
LA t,n q a
Fortunately for the winning of his
bet there was a buxom. good natured
cook in the house who helped the Hon
orable Bobs on his way Otherwise he
must assuredly have fallen by the way
side, knowing little or nothing about
the duties of butler Intelligence and
a supply of humor were his but ne
possessed 10 knowledge on the gentle
art of butlering.
Things ran on smoothly until the ad-
vent of Leona Martin. Leona was the
most dainty of American girls. She
had come to the boarding house to
live for a few weeks before returning to
her home.
When Leona was in Rome she be-
lieved in doing as the Romans do, so
the morning cup of tea, so dear to the
British heart was part OF the glris
regime In Paris she had taken her
chocolate and rolls like the rest of the
French nation.
The first morning that the Honor
able Bobs knocked at her door with
her cup Of tea Leona felt aggrieved
that she must leave her coy bed and
unlock the door. 1t was cold morning
in January and Leona shivered as she
slipped into her pink kimona.
Your tea, MISS" said the Honorable
Bobs, and put the cup into the girls
hand He could not remember having
seen anyone who seemed so naturally
born to rob a man of his liberty as did
Leona Martin as she stood there in her
pink kimona and with a smile of thanks
on her lips.
The Honorable Bobs began to feel
that he wished he had never seen Lord
Henry nor any of the majors friends
who were responsible for his present
position. However, he was sport in
every sense Of the word and continued
to take tea to sleepy boarders, stand
behind their chairs at dinner and open
the door like any full Pledged butler.
Leona talked, with American free
dom. to him. When she found out he
had been fighting her sympathy was
wonderful, and the Honorable Bobs
was guilty of conversing longer than he
had any right to as servant in the
house. If his blue blood flowed even
under the buffers uniform and if Lee
ona bIushed when his eyes looked
straight into his own, no one was the
wiser. Leona marveled at the blue
blood, but remembered that all good
English servants possessed refinement
and beautiful voices.
1t did not occur to the American girl,
until after he had left the house. that
her interest was other than sympa-
thetic. When she knew that the butler
had taken away her heart with him
she shrank from the knowledge, but
with American pluck determined to
fight his delightful image from her
mind.
And the Honorable BQbs. having
torn himself silently away from the
girl of the boarding house and having
won his bet with Lord Henry, decided
to take advantage Of the invitation of
an American friend and pay long
promised visit. The arm was not mend
ing as quickly as it might. The sea
voyage, together with the cold. bracing
January air on Long Island, would
put him right on his feet, his friend had
written.
The still further result Of Major
Grahams bachelor dinner was the
meeting again of Leona and the aHon-
orable Robert Ingraham. ~ 1-r$.-,
at a great dance in the Long Island
home, started violently and her head
went straight into the air.
And who" she asked with tilted
nose, SIS the gentleman next to
Dickey?"
THAT" said Mrs. Chutney, lis the
adorable British hero whom l have
selected as BETTING mate for my
loveliest American bud. He is the Hon
orable Robert Ingraham, commonly
known as Honorable Robs."
"Humph!" Leona was guilty of
sniff.
When explanations had been made it
was Leona herself who made quick
way back to Mrs. Chutney.
please don't fling your loveliest bud
at his head she said. plaintfvely Men
are so susceptible"
Il am sorry" her hostess told her
with a short laugh. but l have already
introduced them. Run along back to
him."
The Honorable Bobs was waiting
impatiently The loveliest bud smiled.