Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1918-08-28

there Was one thing Lillian knew nov
70 10 II was to cure a headache. FL Sht
MS q born nurse. As he locked VI
ms desk and gave Il few curt direc
mons for the next day., visions of ho
water bottles, cold cloths with ice. 8
anlet. darkened room and certain
Specl1lc Of which his wife knew the
secret. foated before his eyes. Their
'"ter q hot. delicious broth. and Lii
mans smooth. quiet voice reading the
evening papers. 49,. .>....=, + .:
Gut on the street he CROPPED his. wa!
70 the curb to call taxicab. He was
surprised at the density of the fog
tie could hear people quite near walk
ing and talking. but could see no one
Then he discovered that no taxis
were running. OF course, nothing or
whees would venture out in that blach
destruction through which no light
could penetrate more than foot OF
two.
IN some remarkable way he got to &
subway station. and finally, after &
few minutes. reached his own station
and street, and proceeded as before
to feel his way blindly to his own
house.
He hung to familiar iron ratings
followed walls and CROPPED alons
hedges until at last he felt the rough
bricks of his own house. Blindly he
stumbled up the steps, turned the key
in the lock and pushed open the front
door.
A hollow void suddenly seemed t.
start up and fairly strike him in the
face. Although the fog had penetrated
inside, he could still see clearly enoug!
TO know that the hall and adjoining
rooms were empty. Carpets, hangings
furniture and all were gone. His owr
breath sounded like thunder in thai
vast. empty solitude. and his footsteps
like the explosion of artillery. HI
shivered miserably. 1t dawned on hin
by degrees that Lillian had meant
what she said when she asked where
to send his things. She certainly hat
lost no time. Then he went to his
club.
All day long Mrs. Bardsley had tried
to keep up the white fires of her in
dignation, but failed miserably as the
afternoon wore on. She had present.
ment that Thomas would come home
with one of his headaches. Two serv
ings of rabbit always did it. Poo]
man! Away off working his head of
in an old stuffy Office on such a da!
with headache. When she had {
headache she could lie down! It was
true, all he said. He did have it harder
than she did. She would take his ad
vice, give Katie weeks notice to qui
and do her own work. Then she hunted
up his dressing gown and slippers
pounded up the pillows on the Sitting
room lounge, and got things ready gen
orally.
But six o'clock came, half-past
seven o'clock, eight, then nine. A
last it dawned on Mrs. Bardsley tina
Thomas had taken her at her wore
and gone somewhere else.
Her indignation returned. Well, if HI
felt that way about it, he could 90
Surely he knew her well enough no
to take her too seriously when she sale
things. 1t merely served him for al
excuse.
A week passed. One evening Mr.
Bardsley could not resist longing tt
see the old place where he had been S,
happy. It was a soft, starlit evenin:
late in May, and a sort of heimwel
cripped him. There had been no wore
from Lillian in all those weary days
md, not desiring a public scandal, h
had made no efforts to locate her.
All! There was light in the win
dow. Some one had moved in then,
happy family, no doubt, as his hat
| once been.
He paused. his had OH a level Will
| the window, He could not resist a lo0l
within. There-at the same table, be
| meath the same old light, in the sam
| old chair, sat lillian sewing.
"Of course. it was the fog, dear" re
marked Mrs. Bardsley later when, he
| head still on Mr.. Bardsley's shoulder
they we're trying to piece together thei
Chinese puzzle of experiences. "Yo,
must have passed our house and COR
TO the Smiths. They moved out sew
eral weeks ago. I told you. but your
| forgotten"
| 1t all goes to show that rabbits ar
bad at night and London fogs bad il
the daytime, but quick tempers ar
! bad things altogether.