Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-22

about Mr.. Kimballs effeminate mouth
az he stepped up to the table.
"Wh, Mrs. Sherman-and Kitty!
And you, Mr.. Sherman-charmed!"
He accepted the proffered seat by the
side Of Kitty, receiving their. hearty
halls with .languid %politeness. With
the sureness Of English restraint, Mr..
Willy Kimball refused to become ex-
cited. He was Of the type Of exotic
Americans who try to forget grand
pas corn-fed hogs and grandma's
hand-churned butter. His speech was
Of Rotten Row and his clothes Picca-
dilly. ..-
Terrible business, this!" The
youth 1uttered his hands feebly. "All
this marrying about and peeping at
passports by every silly officer one
meets. I'm afraid I'll have to go over
to America until it's all over-on my
way now, in fact"
Afraid" Sherman shifted loudly,
! and appraised Mr.. Kimbalps tailoring
with a d~isapprovink eye. "Well
| Willy, it would be too bad If you had
to go back to Kewanee after your
many years in Paris, France; now,
wouldn't it?" "e
Kimball turned to the women for
sympathy. Reserved a compartment
to come down from Paris. Beastly
treatment. Held up at every city
other people crowded In my apart
ment, though I'd paid to have it alone,
of course-soldier chap comes along
and seizes my valet and makes him
join the colors and all that sort"
! M TT,,-l U1,,~ QotHor M No rod tn
worry along without a val-lay, and ne
was respected in Kewanee." This in
disgust from Henry ].
Kitty flashed a reproving glance at
her father and deftly turned the e
patriate into a ~recounting Of his ad-
ventures. Under her unaffected lead
the youth. who %shuddered inwardly at
the appellation Of willy" thawed
considerably, and 500 there was an
animated swapping of "reminiscences
Of the Great Terror-hours on end be-
fore the banks and express Offices,
lodging of police imposfttons, scram-
bling for steamer accommodations
all that went to compose the refugee
Americans great epic of August, 1914.
Sherman took pride in his superior
adventures: Five times arrested be-
tween Paris and Gibraltar, and what
I said to that Dutchman or the Swiss
frontier was enough to make his hair
curl" s.
Tell you what, willy: you come on
back to Kewanee with US, and mother
and you'll lecture before the Thursday
Afternoon Ladies' Literary club"
Sherman doomed, with a hearty blow
of the hand between WHY'S shoulder
blades. "Ill have Ed Porter announce
it in advance in the Daily Enterprise
and we'll have the whole town there
to listen. Ezra Kimball's Boy Tells
Thrilling Tale of Wars Alarms That's
the way the head lines'll read in the
Enterprise next week.
The expatriate shivered and tried
to smile.
We'll let mother do the lecturing,'
Kitty came to his rescue. :" How to
Live in Europe on a Letter of DIS
credit That will have all the COS
sips of Kewanee buzzing, mother
The meal drew to a close happily in
contrast to its BEGINNING. Mrs.
Sherman and her daughter rose to
pass out into the reception room. Sher,
man and Kimball fingered.
"Ah-h, willy
"Mr. Sherman
Both began in unison, each some
what furtive and shamefaced.
"Have you any money!" The quer'
les we're voiced as one For an instant
confusion; then the older mar looked
up into the younger's face-a bit
flushed it was-and guffawed.
"Not a postage stamp, Willy! ]
guess we're both beggars, and II
mother and Kitty didn't have five
trunks between them this Swiss hold
up man who says he's proprietor OF
this way station hotel wouldn't trust
us for a fried egg"
Same here" admitted kimball
"I'm badly bent"
"They cant keep us down"-us
] Americans!" Sherman cheered, taking