The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-06-08
GOOD RESULT
OF A BLUNDER
BaShful Lover Stirred to AC-
ton by Odd Mistake.

and had but one child. a daughter, TO
inherit 1t. This daughter Amelia, he
sent to school and to college. She de-
veloped literary tastes, but of this her
father knew nothing, for he had no
knowledge whatever of literature.
When he heard his daughter speak of
''The Light of Asia" he supposed she
referred to the Illuminating substance
used in that part Of the globe. On
| hearing her say that she had spent the
morning with "Dombey and Son" he
| told her te have the Bib sent IN at
once, since he was closing up all out
standing accounts. Every Hard Cash"
he supposed meant a specie basis.
| So frequent were these blunders that
| Amelia dreaded to speak of anything
beyond her fathers ken, for he was
| liable to mortify her by hurting them
out in the presence of educated peOr!e.
| Indeed, the old man was rather fond
of taking the lead in conversation, and
the less he knew about a subject the
more anxious he was to prove h!s IA
miliarity with it.
MIR. Shook, not having son to whom
to leave his business. had brought up
young man from office boy to sue
coed him in its management This
man, Thomas Jones, he desired should
marry his daughter, Jones was fine
business man and a fine fellow, and
Amelia liked him very well, though
she didn't care to communicate the
fact to her father or to Mr.. Jones.
Jones was even more anxious for the
match than his employer. He was not
insensible to its advantages and was
desperately in love with the girl. But,
while he did not fear to tackle any
man on a business proposition. he had
no courage whatever in telling wom-
an that he loved her. The consequence
was that the match hung fire.
One afternoon Mr.. Shook went home
from the office to find his family CAD
ding. Some one was ringing on the
telephone. He took down the receiver
rs Miss Shook in?" called the soft
voice of woman.
mo. Any message for her?''
Tell her Adam Bede' has Just come
in"
adam whoY
"Bede-B-e-d-e"
There was an aside in the dialogue
that was uneXpressed by Mr.. Shook.
We'll, I'll be jinged! | never thought
that of Amelia. l didn't believe she'd
meet any one in an underhanded
way"
The phone was not working very
we'll There were some incoherent
words, ending with "'Nicholas MCKEE
| by next week"
Great heavens" muttered the ia
Their to himself. rs she playing two
of emp
ANY more?" he asked, descending.
/" 'Tristram Shandy' will What fol
lowed was not to be distinguished.
please repeat the name"
""Tristram Shandy' [unintelligible
wordsI. 'Sterne.'"
What Sterne"
Laurence.
Just SO. Now, will you listen to
meY
Yes. What is it?'
You have Thomas Jones there to-
morrow afternoon at 8 O'Clock. pune
tual, and don't you forgit it"
" Tom Jones, by Fielding?"
Tom Jones by his father-Thomas
}. Jones, managing man of Shook &
Co."
Who's talking?"
I'm Miss Shocks father"
There was brief pause. then, "All
right, Mr.. Shook; III do as you say"
a faint giggle accompanied the click
that marked the hanging up of the re-
celver, but Mr.. Shook was too much
in earnest to notice it,
The next afternoon at O'Clock there
was telephone ring. Miss Shook re-
sponded.
Mr. Jones is here"
"Where?"
AT the library"
Amelia was astonished. She was
about to ask for an explanation when
1t occurred to her that the least said
the soonest mended. She didn't care
to let the librarian into any affair that
had gone wrong. Her father was liza
Die to interfere between her and Mr..
Jones at any time. She would 90 and
get the explanation from Mr. Jones
herself.
"All right; I'll be over directly"
She found Mr.. Jones pacing to and
fro nervously. She led him into an
alcove.
well" she said. what can do for
your"
What can do for you? The libra
rian sent me line saying you would
like to see me here at 8 O'Clock"
There was conference, during
which Miss Shook went to the libra
rian and learned that the message had
come from her father Indeed, she
drew forth the whole dialogue
Singular" she muttered that my
name should be Amelia and his Tom
Jones" Then she asked for a copy
Of Fieldings novel, Tom Jones" The
Librarian gave it to her. and she gave
1t to Mr.. Jones. He took it home and
read love story OF which the hero
was Tom Jones and the heroine Anne