Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-06-08
TOM and DICK
BY ISABEL LEE.

Toms wife sat before her dressing
table putting the finishing touches to
her afternoon toilet.
Little do you know how worried l
am" Toms wife sighed pathetically.
But I won't bother you with my
troubles. You have so much to be
happy about and so many plans to
make for the wedding"
Dicks fiancee bit her pretty lips.
"Tm not at all sure there is going to
be any wedding" she said.
II don't even know whether to 60
down to shop or not" added the
younger woman. whats the use OF
getting the things when l don't know
whether I shall want the-the we'd
ding veil and white satin and the
rest? But don't talk about poor little
me. I'd SO much rather know why
you are worrying"
Toms wife laughed softly. First
1t was the teacup,' she said. 1T was
the morning he asked me for lem
on. The next evening he had a mys-
terious little package when he came
home. 1t was horrid, sticky, teacup.
well, the next night it happened
again--such horrid old cup. That
kept on for several days. asked him
outright what 1t was all about.
"'Well, you have caught me, snook-
ems, haven't your Those were the
very words he used, and then he
laughed a little, rather sheepishly,
and tried to kiss me. I didn't want
to tell you at first he said. I thought
you'd make fuss about 1t. But that
new English secretary
"That new English secretary-and
that was the first time that I had
even heard Of the creature-he said
had to have tea. They all do in Lon
don, he said.
"'You've never had tea with me-
said, and now for this brazen English
secretary. But why make a fool of
yourself by bringing the cups homer"
"'Thats where the joke comes in
he said laughing. I thought of get
ting Miss Stebbins to wash them, but
she rebelled.'
"'Just because I am a woman, !
suppose you think I must do the
drudgery. I never washed dish In
my life. II you want servant you
should have hired one, and not
stenographer,' said Miss Stebbins.
"T am sure I don't at all blame
Miss Stebbins,' said"
"You did perfectly right" said
Dicks fiancee. 81 know all about It.
! found Dick carrying not only one.
but two cups home at night-his and
the secretary's. He even brought
them around to wash, and then he
told me, Just as Tom did you, about
the creature. Only he wouldn't say
much and said less. didn't want
him to tell you that was Jealous and
1t Is not really that. Only, of course.
II that is the kind of man Dick is, If
he is the sort who stoops to Office nir.
tations."
Have you seen herr" inquired
Toms wife, patting away an imagin.
ary tear through tho meshes Of her
veil.
Heavens, no, and I don't want to.
OF course, she is a tall, willowy,
blonde. English women SO often are"
The idea seemed to occur to them
both at once of stealing unexpectedly
into the office where Tom and Dick
held their tea orgies every afternoon.
And in less than half an hour the two
women had started downtown with all
the intense excitement Of a real ad.
venture.
TT isn't as II we were doing any.
thing underhanded," assured Toms
wife. "For l am sure any wife has a
right to call at her husbands Office.
Do you suppose they sent way to
London for her? I don't see why
they couldn't have got some honest.
deserving American girl who would
have been quite satisfactory"
They had reached the office and
Toms wife went in first. Tom and
Dick were both in and showed no end
Of pleasure at the visit. They took
them right into Toms big, roomy Of.
ice.
"'Stick around for q half hour
MORE" Tom said, "and you can have
tea with us. Its a great institution,
isn't it, Dick?"
Both Toms wife and Dicks fiancee
smiled coldly. But it was part OF
their plot to stay. They peered around
every curve and listened for every
sound, expecting to see the willowy
blonde appear. But the only petit.
coats they saw were worn by the
sourfaced Miss Stebbins, who sat
pounding away relentlessly at her
typewriter.
Maybe we can get the ladies to
wash up the dishes" suggested Tom,
Its such nuisance to have to cart
them home with U.S."
Toms wife had her cue and, while
Dicks fiancee fairly trembled at what
she felt was bound to follow, she be-
gan:
1T seems to me that the English
secretary had better do the dishwash-
ing, since it was the English secre.
tary's idea to have tea"
Tom and Dick began to laugh.
That's a good one," said Tom, and
then, at his summons, tall, fine-look-
ing, middle-aged, well-tailored man
appeared.
"The wife says you ought to wash
the dishes" Tom repeated with a
laugh, and then he introduced them
all. You see it was Mr.. Harry Harri-
son, the new London secretary of the
company, whom Tom and Dick wanted
favorably to impress and not that