The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1919-07-19
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April Fools
Paradise
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y EDITH MORGAN w1LLEr4

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Mr.. Bud Bennington was responsible
for 1t. So, naturally. was the first Of
April-our ancient feast day sacred to
the observance OF practical jokes.
II must be explained just here that
Bud was a born Joker. having sense
Of humor which might truly be called
Saving" from the fnct that he In.
variabiy practiced 1t ut other peoples
expense. On this particular morning.
been spared.
The day was still young, the hour
being 8 n. M. but already In order to
celebrate 1t properly old Miss Skip
worth, fellow bonrder, had been
operated upon with most satisfactory
results.
Miss SkipwOrth hated travelling and
had cat.lIke horror OF rain. And 1t
was a rainy morning. She had also
been overheard referring to Bud as
"an empty-hended young idler."
Therefore an imperative telegram
from her lawyer had inst arrived.
summoning her to New York on "ur-
gent business" And even MS the au-
thor OF 1t sat by his coy sltting-room
fire. he could hear from the next room
| the sounds Of excited feminine hustle,
and shrll voice issuing uninteliigible
| directions.
From time to time other tones
chimed In. too, at which Bud looked
a little pensive; for that second voice
| belonged to Miss Skipworth's niece
and his own best girl-the sole rca-
son, In fact. why he at iwenty-onc,
| with fortune and an automobile,
was wasting both Mt n suburban fnm-
| lily hotel instead OF disporting them Mt
Newport or ut Palm Bench.
The thought of Phylys Folsom, on
this especial morning. however, WINS
not entirely welcome, as II reminded
Bennington OF some one else In the
house. and he became suddenly. irrit-
ably conscious OF noises coming from
| the vernndn underneath his room.
"There's that Pomeroy now!' he
| unused dsgustedIy. "Trnmping about
and incoming up at her window, as
usual. Oh, the unutternble fool! Just
| because Phylys Is kind enough to no.
tice him occasionally, when I'm not
round. he has the brass TO full In love
| with her! Or rather"-satirically-
''he hasn't the brass, with only a mis-
cradle law business to depend upon"
Mr.. Remington stretched himself
luxuriously In his siIk-lined dressing
gown and continued his reflection.
~ suppose the truth IL. Phylys is
sorry for PomerOy. Well. who
wouldn't be? What life /!
Every day hard at work In the city
grinding AWAY half the night over his
lnw.bOoks! Gee! wonder what the
poor devil would do II some one left
him fOrtune-or q fake fortune
Jimniiny crickets. How's that for an
April fooli"
Pulling piece OF piper toward him,
| he selected pen with care md be-
gan to write:
New York. April l.
My Dear Sir:
| have Just deposited to your credit
| Mt the Fifth Avenue bank OF this city
lle SUM VI T-,toV, VIC wan
| interest at 6 per cent, OF Il loan made
to me by your father ten years ago. !
regret very much that was unable
| to repay 1t during his lifetime, but am
only just In condition to discharge an
obligation which has laid very heavily
on my mind.
Believe me. with sincere regards.
Very truly yours,
Douglas Wallace.
| IMrsing his lips thoughtfully. he
now proceeded to forge Il check, and
then, examining the letter with Its en-.
closure Into business envelope,
turned the latter over In order to write
on its back In tiny letters two mean
ingful words appropriate to the season.
perhaps he'll see them when he
doesn't find the money ut the bank"
Bennington surmiscd, with grim
chuckle, "and then won't he be rip
ping"
| He was still hard at work five min
utes later when knock at the door
made him start guilty. But 1t was
only one Of the numerous Buttons
in the house. bearing steaming,
smoking. breakfnst-trny. Bennington
hailed both jublantly. Got a job for
you, SAM" he announced. Now listen.
my boy"
Wheeling around. he dropped his
voice In n few whispered directions.
There was the clink of coin followed
by the CLEAN OF African teeth, and n
fervent Crank ye, sab. Trus' me.
sah!"
Gazing nnxiously Mt the dlnlng-room
door. Bennington saw 1t open sud
denly.
Dear mew cried familiar high
pitched voice. "Here's the trnp al
ready! PhyIys, dear, just get my