The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-05

| was young, o4ck IN the 9evenuea- NOW.
all Of you come up here and stand around
this table and put one finger onto it. and
I'll show you
''Oh! lifting the table from the door by
e1ectro-ma gnetismr' exclaimed one Of tho
ladies. I've seen 1t done! Come on. let's
try it."
I'VE got to keep plumb quiet Jabes
around the table. Keep eober and don't
laugh. and just sort Of wish the table
would rise up IN the air. Now. has every
body got their fingers on the table 3"
Mrs. WINNER glanced at her watch
/ and slipped from the room It was ex-
actly three O'Clock.
Don't giggler' urged Mr. Bunker.
Don't whisper! Keep right still"
He heard a taxicab stop before the
house. He heard Mr.. Prellick come up
the steps to the stoop.
Now. nobody say a wordi~ he urged.
and he himself became silent
There was utter stiffness. From the
next room. Mrs. Winners back parlor
and bedroom combined. came the only
.sh a"a ss aa's IT.. Bunker. -.
No one spoke. No one moved. Abso<i
lutte silence. and then, from Mrs VIM
pler's back parlor, came wild ytrs OF
agonixed fear. tho yipping of a woman In
broke suddenly. and every woman In the
room stood transflxed. From Mrs VIM
ner's back parlor came, mingled with the
shrieks. a mans voice Mr.. Bunker ran
"Stop!' he ordered. turning and hold~
Ing his hand high, although not a woman
in the room moved stop! III tend to
this! You leave this to mer'
He went out into the hall At Mrs.
Winners door he paused q moment;
then opened the door quickly and stepped
inside and closed the door behind him ~
quickly.
"Preliick!" he cried. ~PreIlicki And NJ
tryin' to help your
Mrs WINNER. standing far back On
her bed with her hands holding her
skirts close against her ankles. was stih
uttering little yips Of terror.
'r-II-" stanmered Mr.. Prellick.
Eyes. your declared Mr.. Bunker. his
voice in q hoarse whisper. "And shame
. on you! Tryin' to kiss Mis- WINNER
|, Mr.. Prellick's face turned ashen gray.
''MiceI" he babbled. mice! Micer'
''You old rapscallionr Kissed Mr..
Bunker. Comm and tryin' to grab .
, kiss from Mis- WINNER. like you did
. from Miss Druse, heyf And. . whole
, Bible class from Doc Holyer's church
right there in the next room! A nice
i, ihowdy-do this'n make in the newspapers
t Men like you ought to be run out Of
town, and I'll tell on We, fast enoushl''
al With sob Mr.. Prellick put his hands
on Mr.. Bunker's shoulders.
j Bunker! Bunker!" he pleaded Listen
to me! Please listen to me. It was
I mice. Bunker! She-she handed me a
box. and she-she said It was douehnuts
. from Mrs. Bunker. IL opened the box
i 1t was mice-the box was full of mice,
. and they Jumped out. and Mrs. WINNER
4 screamed. and"
: Mr.. Bunker looked at Mr. Prellick re-
provingly.
$50 that's all the story you can think
!, up. hey? Grandma sent you a box OF
! doughnuts. and they turned into mice and
jumped out, hey? I'd like to know what
/ the ladies Of Doc Holyers church would
think Of a story like thatl TN let 'en1
: In. and"
'Don'ti Don'tl" pleaded Mr.. Prer1,c,x
IN panic of fear as he saw the childish
believe that Grandma Bunker, dear old
SOUL would do up a box of mice to be
given to Mr.. Prellick7
They were mice. said MrA WINNER
weakly from the bed
We'll. guess you'd ray 20, Mrs VIM
mer. ma'am said Mr.. Bunker in kind
~ tone you don't want no scandal
gettin' into the paper"
WINNER.
In the han several ladies' wore now
knocking on Mrs Winners door. Mr.
Bunker leaned his plump back against
the door.
"I suppose" he said sternfy to Mrs..
WINNER. you've fixed It up with Prel-
lick to say they was mice. I suppose he's
offered you two thousand dollars to shut
priDed at you. MrA Wirnmeri am fn-
ldeed!'' !
"ohr' sasped Mr.. WINNER. 7
| Slowly Mr.. PrelNck's eyes opened 70
their widest as he gased at Mr.. Bunksr..
Tho knocking on the door grew louder.I
Mr.. Prellick slipped his hand into hfa
pocket and drew forth q roll Of money!
Maybe" said Mr.. Bunker goodJ
naturally. -maybe I'm mistaken"
With q frown Mr.. PreiAck handed TIA
troll OF bills to Mr.. Bunker. Tho bunco@
man counted them rapidly. i
Il am mistaken. Preilick.~ he on3d
frankly. when come to think II ovsrl
I'm downright sure It was mice You oaII
climb out of that back window and down
onto tho shed and climb tho fence inta
the back yard Of the saloon. Yes. er. 80
was micer
Bunker" saA Mr. Preliiek, ~you ere
Mr.. Bunker held tho money toward Mr..
IPrellick.
Come to think of it.- he said. Il san.t
30 sure 1t was mice. after air.
| He put his hand on tho doorlnob.
I'm wronsi I'm wronEr excaahneA
Mr.. Prellick hastily. 'You arc a gentis-
Imam. Bunker!'
We'll. now you're sayin' the truth
said Mr. Bunker with chuckie. That's
me. exactiy-I'm a gentleman bunker.
And now you'd better get.
| Mr.. Prellick, without more ado, clfpnta1s
Iout Of the window and disappeared The
moment he was gone. Mr.. Bunker opened
1.-THE door.
ITS all right. ladiesl'' he cfuckIes
Mrs. WINNER got scared of some rnsra
THAT was runnin' around. reckon yo,,
wouldn't want In until I'd chased .ern
away.
Land sakes. mo-" exclaimed Grand
ma Bunker. backing hurrfedly into tho
hall. II declare. there is most too many
mice In this house"
| Mrs. WINNER climbed down from, the
bed
Il am entirely OF the same opinion.
Mrs. Bunker" she said severely. but shs
looked straight at Mr.. Bunker. "Thers
are far. far too many mice in this house