The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-08-29
BY ETHEL HOLMES


discover, she thought him her husband
"Any,lettersY he asked casually. ~
"Yes," she said. handing him one adj
dressed In feminine hand. while she
looked up into his face as he read the
superscription.t l,t. . -.-
John was somewhat taken aback.
He did not know whether the epistle
was one his brother would wish his
wife to see or not, Giving it a casual
glance, he put it in his coat pocket I'M
opened and asked IL the wife had spent
the day pleasantly.
Mrs. Jim did not ask when he had
pocketed q letter in which she was
deeply interested who was the writer,
for she had studied the handwriting
on the envelope and could not make
out that It belonged to any woman she
knew, but her replies to Johns re.
marks were not cordial, and it was evi-
dent that there was something on her
mind. John endeavored to appear I'M
concerned, but he was; obliged to admit
that the letter incident had caused an
unfortunate turn in@his and his broth
er's joke. II Fs
The more John tried to rlacates his
sister-in-law the more implicated she
became. BY the time the dessert came
on the table she was sitting bolt UP
right in her chair looking very crusty.
Meanwhile her husband was dining
with his brothers wife. Jim, who
was an excellent business man, had
made money, while John, whose tastes
were artistic, had not. Mrs. John was
economical, and her principal business
was. to keep her husband froms SPEND
ing more than his limited income war;
ranted.. 1t had occurred to Jim that
this occasion would be.a good one to
make his sister-in-law a fpresent. So
on his way to dinner he-stopped at
jewelers. and bought a brooch, for
which he paid $50. After receiving
the Homecoming kiss he drew the box
containing his gift. opened it'and held
the brooch before the lady's eyes. 4
..'See what I have brought you, dear"
Mrs. Emerson's brows lowered. In
stead of putting her coral fingers on
the brooch she pushed it away from
her. a..
'Why in the. world did you spend
money for that trinket when have
all i can do to make ends meet without
It? Tomorrow morning you take 1t
right back and leave it where you
got it,
Poor Jim looked very much disgrun-
tied He could not confess that he
was her brother-in-law instead OF her
husband and that it was pure gain to
her. He stammered an apology, put
the brooch in his pocket, adding that
he "was very sorry" and took up the
evening paper. Fortunately dinner
was announced, and lie hoped to get
through it without anything more dis.
'pened. " 49,
Thus the joke that. was intended to
I've pleasant one, to be laughed over
after dinner, miscarried. EJ0hn had a
letter in his pocket that he dared not
open for. fear Of compromising his
brother, and Jim stood accused OF
wasteful extravaganza. All through
the dinner Jim's sister-in.law was de-
claiming against his want Of ability
to keep within bounds. 1t was no ex.
cuse whatever that he had intended
the gift for her. A gift that troubled
her to pay for by skimping was 10
gift Mt all. Indeed, 1t was a .detriment.
About 7:3O by the clock Jim Emer.
son was called to the telephone.
'1s that you, Jim?' !
Z "Yes." .at
"There's been a fiasco here"
I "There's been one here too"
'The trouble Is letter received by
the morning mail addressed to you in
woman's handwriting" Er.
1.-THE trouble here is thatfI brought
your wife a fifty dollar brooch as a
gift purpOrting to come from you and
have been abused for extravaganza"
"Tell her the truth and come over at
once" r.! q. -fagffEittIEI
In few minutes Jim and Mrs. John
entered Jim's own house. Mrs. John
was smiling. Mrs. Jim was like
Jim asked his brother
for the letter, opened it and read aloud:
Trusting to interest you in the cause OF
votes for women. l venture to address
YOU s1,.
Further reading was interrupted by
burst of laughter by three Of the party,
and Jim, approaching his wife, took
her in his arms. .g~~
at seems to me-" said Mrs. John
"that am the only gamer by this
stupid joke"
"I'll trouble you. JIM" said his wife,
''fOr n brooch to match the one you've
fran On llipv