Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-10-02

because they're for winter
look decidedly moro 30 Il ho returned
home. He'd 90 down toward the sta
ton, ask for an express box and by
that time he could 60 back with dig.
nifty and make It up 1T homo.
But just as he got to the station
the 6:10 express to town came thun-
dering in. After all he was hungry.
and had right to his dinner. He fig
ured that he could get something and
be back home In IN hour. It would be
Just as easy to fix things up then with
Laura, perhaps easier, than II he'd re
turn right away. &"
So he climbed on the train, got a
seat on the river side, and settled back
for his twenty-minute-ride.
Suddenly some one leaned forward
back early, my boy" t.
Fred turned In surprise. 1t was old
Mr.. Prompter, the senior partner and
by long odds the hardest worker in the
firm, In spite of his age. He was very
rich and lived in fashionable section
two stations beyond Fred.
Fred said something about his din
ner, but the old man WAS deaf. some
Whist; moreover he was changing his
seat to talk to Fred.
II was Just thinking" the old man
Fred did not argue. But he smelled
the tomatoes now and predicted an.
other triangular meal in the kitchen.
He was right-almost-except that
tonight's meal had but one dimension
a baked potato.
II was just too tired to cook, Fred, .
declared Laura YEARLY.
And then Fred said things he'd
never meant TO say about coming home
to q mussed.up house and dickens OF
a looking wife, and flung out Of the
kitchen and out Of the house. Once
out in the street, he wanted to 90 back
but he didn't seem to know how. He
felt foolish but knew that he would
was saying, that our young men In
the office weren't taking the interest
in the business they ought to, but II
seems T. pwrong. I'm glad TO see, my
boy. that You're willing to do your bit
In this sudden extra pressure OF work. :
Little by little 1t was soaking In. Old
Mr. Prompter took It for granted that
Fred WAS going back to the office to
work like himself And Fred was too
paralyzed to enlighten him.
( After ALL" thought Fred, ut won't
hurt to let him think I'm little tin
angel. I've been after a raise and this
may help some. I'll go get a bite
somewhere, telephone to Laura and
humor the old chap by working ike
sailor all evening""
That night Fred came tiptoeing in
at IL o'clock fearful of waking his
wife, but she was sitting up sewing
beside the living room lamp and look
ing like his honeymoon wife OF last
year. She was dressed in gown he
liked and her hair, always lovely
loked prettier than 1t had for months.
SomeWay the whole room had the old
honey look There were flowers in q
big bowl on the table and a plate OF
sandwiches, dainty and appetizing, be-
side 1t. There was smell OF coffee
too from the kitchen.
Before Fred could say word Laura
sprang up. Poor dearie, you must be
tired. Come on and sit down and well
have one of our old parties. I've been
an awful person to you lately, and I'm
never, never, never going to put up an.
other thing and neglect my house and
husband as long as live, war or nc
war"
Fred took her in his arms and patted
her head tenderly. Listen ,dearie, It's
the best investment you ever made
Old Prompter got so worked up when
was the only one that turned up fol
work that he-you'll never guess It
he took me into the firm. That baked
potato .pdeant thousands of dollars a
year to us. You'd better put 1t in alco
hol on the mantle"
And the two war gardeners kissed
tenderly.