The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-19
His Fool Wife
BY ELINOR MARSH

We are SuffOUHUeu by SDNS IN the en- |
ploy Of the Central Powers. l do not |
doubt that we have them right here |
employed in This department. We |
can't use the cable, even with the best |
a plan. Indeed, what | wish to com
municate to our allies abroad must be
carried by some person we can trust"
The secretary handed Mr.. Winters a
dozen pages of manuscript containing
information as to how many troops the /
United States could send to France by
given date and many other matters
Of equal Importance. 1t was written
in the secretary's own hand-he would
trust 10 One-and placed in an official
envelope of the state department, but
unscaled
Il recommend YOU" continued the
secretary, "to refrain from using the
official envelope till you reach your
destination. As to how you will carry
the dispatch, that / leave to YOU"
John Winters went home and after
telling his Wife of the important trust
that had been committed to him and
what Il successful transmission would
bring him and her, directed to pack
a suit case, the only baggage lie in
tended to take with him. The dis
patch he gave her to place in the suit
/, case. When he was ready to depart
he examined the case.
why my dear" he exclaimed test
lily. You have placed it in the official
envelope" lie took it up to remove
It and found that she had sealed the
envelope. He was about to tear it
( open when She stopped him.
Il am sorry. dear, but what is done
/ IS done. There isn't time now, but
when YOU get aboard the ship, steam
/ The envelope and open it without des-
/ troying it. Then you can use it as in
structed."
/ If there is any man in the world"
! said Winters with much irritation "as
stupid rs q woman I'd like to meet
him. But l can't stop to do the job
I now"
That night he boarded the ship at
a late hour, went to his stateroom,
locked himself in and turned into his
berth first taking look at the pack
age and when the ship sailed at mid
night, he was fast asleep.
On awakening in the morning his
first thought was of the dispatch. He
got out Of bed dreading lest some one
had entered his state room in the night
and carried it off Leaving his berth
he opened the suit case to assure him
self that the dispatch was still there.
1t was where it had been placed adj
dressed. and, bearing on the left hand
( corner the imprint of the state depart
mont of the United States. He got
back into his berth and ringing for the
room steward called for hot water.
The steward who spoke with foreign
accent, brought the water. catching a
glimpse, as he handed it in, of the
package in the open suit case. AS
soon as he had gone Winters arose and
held the package over the hot water.
! believe the cuSsed thing is glued"
; he growled, after steaming the pack
age till the water grew cold. well,
I'll dress and go to breakfast and after
, breakfast I'll try it again."
: Winters after having dressed and
= hreakfasted tipped the head waiter to
5 furnish him with an alcohol lamp by
r which he could heat water in his room.
> Returning with this he placed it on
table, and open his suit case
His heart jumped up into his throat.
The package was gone.
: He wasted no time in lamentation
lie went to the captain, told his story
and every man on board was searched,
{ as well as every Granny of the ship.
The missing package was found in an
! old boot belonging to the steward who
? had brought the hot water to Winters
. Stateroom. The man was put in the
Y ships brig and Winters ioyfully took
. the package to his room. Then he
. hastily tore off the envelope to assure
e himself that the document had not
r been tempered with.
r Again he was doomed to a horrible
discovery. The envelope contained
nothing but blank paper The thief,
: or rather spy who had followed him
from Washington and shipped as a
steward was threatened with death if
he did not disclose what he had done
WITH lIte tlSIlatcl. lie clQng TO ms
9 statement that he had not opened the
envelope that had contained it,
{ Winters was so utterly Frustrated by
! MS loss that his voyage was a long
: and dreary one. Just before reaching
. port he pulled himself together, and
! taking off flannel shirt put on .
q white one. Taking up a package
f which he supposed contained cuffs he
; opened it and instead of cuffs took
: out the dispatch.
q Winters was so overj0yed that he
d gave way TO antics that Called in the
r occupant of the adjoining stateroom Il
! learn if he had lunatic for neigh
Dor. Whereupon Winters quoted down
d But he said nothing about the dis
Y patch.
/ When the ship reached port the sp!
y was turned over 10 the authorities ant
= Winters proceeded to London wher'
% he delivered his dispatch.