The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-22
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CIRCUMVENTED
BY TOM MASON.

Copyright, 1918. Western Newspaper Union.3
1t takes all kinds of people to make
a world. Some men when their wives
leave them improve the occasion to
have a high old time. They go out,
so to speak, and 'revel." Others do
not. They prefer to stay home quietly
and take it easy. They crave that
comfortable solitude that is necessary
to the best kind of sanity. Whippton
belonged to this class.
After bidding his wife good-by at
the Station he turned back with fond
anticipatory smile and said soulfully
to himself: .Now for that quiet hour
to myself. Now for that long-looEed-
forward-to mental repose."
And so he went home and began to
make preparations to carry out his
program.
rs there anything" he said to him
self, ''more delightful than to be abso-
lutely alone?"
He settled back into his easy chair,
his book at his elbow, his cigar hox
near his book.
Then the telephone bell rang.
"Oh, Mr.. Whippton," the voice said,
II have only just this minute awak-
ened to the fact thee Mrs. Whippton
has gone off and left you. You must
come and dine with us tonight"
But"
"Now, don't say anything, but come.
| know you haven't any engagement,
and wouldn't think Of having you
stay in that lonesome house for any
thing. 1t isn't good, you know, for
any man to be alone. Remember, sew
en- sharp"
81 shall be delighted" said Whipp-
ton.
What else could he say? The lady
meant well.
He got home at eleven.
The next morning he ran across
Crabley.
"Ah old man, hear your wife's away.
Must come and dine with us tonight.
Oh, nonsense! Know you can't have
any engagement. Only too glad to
have you. It's the duty of your friends
to see you are not lonesome. Besides,
we want you. That's right. Six.
thirty"
Whippton went. He had to.
"But tomorrow" he said, "I'll fool
'em"
There was that easy chair; there
was that book; there was the quiet
evening hour that he so longed for
all in prospect. No one must cheat
him out Of that.
He sneaked through side streets. He
came home early to avoid meeting the
regulars" He told the maid with ex-
ultant voice to say to all telephone
ringersup that he was not at home
and wouldn't be.
Then there was d rattle and snort.
Bilkins. In his automobile, was in front.
"Hey, there!" he shouted just as
Whippton was closing the blind. "Glad
I caught you. Heard your wife was
away. Come, get right in and take a
spin and then come and dine with me.
Must do it, old man. Wouldn't have
you stay home alone for anything.
Give you the 'willies.' Come on, now!"
There was no help for it. Whipp-
ton gave one last look at his book, his
cigars, his easy chcair, and followed
his friend obediently out to his snort.
ing dragon.
The next day Mrs. Whippton came
back.
"Well," said she after the usual
greeting, "what did you DOR
"The first night I dined at the Eel
tons, the second at the Crableys' and
last night at the BillSins' could have
banged them all over the head for
spelling my solitude"
"Nonsenser' exclaimed Mrs. Whipp-
ton. 81 told them to look after you"
''You did, did your" snorted Whipp-
ton. "That's 1t, is it? Well, didn't
you know wanted to be alone? Didn't
you know I had been looking forward
to having few precious hours to my
self once in lifetime? Can't you APP
greciate what this meant to me?"
Mrs. Whippton was nothing If not up
to date.
"Of course know that you wanted
to be alone" she said. Haven't mo-
ticed the tendency? But you don't get
ahead of me. Why, If you should be
alone any length of time / am just as
positive as can be that you would
develop into first-class crank!"