Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-05-07
ESPECIALLY CIGARS
By i. |. LANeDALE.

italicizing each word with an emphatic
forefnger poke into her husbands
oyercoat. remember. the Bronsons
are coming to dinner tonight. Don't
forget to bring home sesae flowers and
cigars especially the cigars"
With a last pat and wifely kiss. she
pushed him into the vestibule, closed
the door on his Sure thing, honey;
good-by," and hurried back to the
kitchen to begin preparations for the
evening.
Tom and ATadge Pritchard were
newcomers ia the Lakewood colony.
and this was to be their very first at
tempt at regular entertaining. Mr..
Bronson was some sort Of partner in
a large firm of architects. and man
that Tom as an expert craftsman
sought to know" according to BIadge
Mrs. Bronson. portly, exqulsitely
dressed, as regularly massaged as
Madge was shampo0ed, sifted and or
ganized whatever of society Lakewood
boosted. II Tom was not to fall short
in Mr.. Bronson's eyes, neither did
Madge intend to be found wanting in
the estimation of his wife.
And to that end, she had planned
this dinner with care.
She hoped Tom would remember the
cigars. Time was, in his bachelor
days. and. she hoped time would be
in the future, when his pockets con-
tanned plenty Of nice. brightly banded
smokes as matter of course.
Promptly at 6:25 the Bronson sedan
drew up at the Pritchard curb. Madge
pretty and slim, and softly gowned in
crepe de chine, was waiting TO greet
her guests.
my husband is late. as usual" she
apologtzed gracefully. Committing is
so unreliable"
But Tom came in just then with
tale of open bridges and delayed traf-
flc, and Madge slipped away.
Dinner was half over. SO far every
thing had been perfect. Salad course
was hext then dessert, then coffee and
cigafs in ths living room by the open
FIRE. Horrors Had Tom remembered
Catching his eye. she managed to
convey, by a lift of the eyebrows and
an lnconspicuous two-fngered gesture
as of one who removes a cigar from
his mouth, the query. They had been
married long enough for Tom to be
fairly well trained In this delicate do
nestle art of signal and interpreta
ton. Once, he would have laid down
his napkin. half risen, and said.
Something the matter, dear" But
tonight-utter Darkness swept his
countenance, succeeded by an express
sion of infinite dismay.
While shifting plates for the salad,
an idea occurred to her Only block
below was small part grocery, part
stationery store. an Gnbeautiful spot
on Lakewood's residential street, but
quite frequently godsend to an I'M
expectedly visited housekeeper. She
would start the salad. then, under pre-
text of delay in the kitchen, run down
TO the store, get the best cigars they
carried. place them in the humidor in
the living room, and reappear from
the kitchen.
In the brightly lighted dining room,
about the table sparkling with shining
silver and spotless linen, Madge's
guests. toying with their cherry.topped
salad. awaited her return to their
midst-and waited-and waited
"Madgel'' Tom raised his voice
slightly.
There was no reply.
Meanwhile. Madg~ had accom-
plished her errand and was nearly
home. Suddenly. ricochetlng across
the street. sllidded a loaded automo-
bile, humping with grinding Of
brakes and startled cries from the in.
mates, into another car drawn up at
the curb.
Wildly hoping her absence had not
been noticed. Madge arrived breath
leesly in front of her yeranda--a
veranda which seemed filled with peo-
pie, although in reality there were
only three. The light, streaming from
the door behind, revsalcd Mr.. and Mrs,
Bronson, bareheaded, and Tom with
napkin dangling in his hand.
Madge. In an agony of shame at be-
ing caught in the act Of returning
from running away from her own din
ner party, little realized what pretty
picture She made as she stood below,
her checks becomingly flushed. her
breath coming bit quickly between
parted lips.
How explain herSelf2 Plausible
stories sprang to her lips, explanations
u9true. but surely permissible under
the circumstances.
Then, suddenly, with half a smile.
Here they are. Tom" she said, hold
ing out q slim hand filled with cigars.
Some hours later, Tom, forgiven and
penitently committed 10 drowning him
self II, by Jupiter, he ever forgot any
thing again, explained how he had
gone TO the kitchen in search of her
Z hen had come a crash and wPr-she