The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-10-22

says i.
why" says he, glancin' hasty over
his right shoulder, "I-er-I think per-
haps your
"Milton!" snaps in Mrs. Wilde,
turnin' on him so quick that the long
jet ear danglers she wears jiggle me-
nancin'. .,...
eyes," my dear!" he responds
prompt.
"You know you'll do nothing of the
Sort" says she. 1.-THE idea! Just as
I've been taken into the Wednesday
Bridge Club by some of those very
ladies whose husbands you propose
to treat in this shameful way. What
do you suppose they would think of
me? So this is what you've been
plotting all this week, is it? l knew
you weer up to something"
"But really, my DEAR" he protests,
81 have only been considering the
matter"
Without considering me at ALL"
comes back Mrs. Wilde. "And it
would take you out evenings, l pre-
sumo, just when needed you as an
escort. That's man for you!"
Butt had intended talking it all
over with you, my DEAR" he apollo
gizes.
well, guess you have now,'' says
1, smotherin' grin.
II could give you definite answer
in the morning" suggests Wilde.
Don't bother" says 1. "This is
definite enough. Sorry you don't feel
like joinin' in. But we'll put on some
body else. So long,"
And right after dinner that night
has to chase up to the Ellins place
and report to Mr.. Robert. "You can
cross off Mr.. Henry Peck says
Who?" says Mr.. Robert.
"Alias Milton Wilde" says l. "Say,
where did you ever get name like
that. Why, he's the tamest Wilde
flower in captivity. Grows tanner
hour by hour, too. In other words,
Mr.. Robert, Milton resigns"
you mean," says Mr.. Robert, chat
he has positively declined to serve as
a director?"
mot at ALL says I. "But Mrs.
Milton Wilde declines to let him. l
had a talk with her about it. That
is, she had a talk with him. And say,
when l left 'em he was jumpin'
through a hoop for her. Would you
think it?''
ooh, WE'LL" says Mr.. Robert, "then
We'll have to put on Thatcher. Call
him up, will your"
So the great conspiracy went
through, after ALL Sure it did, for
with Mr.. Robert pullin' the strings
that collection of old-timers was
dumped as swift as if they had been
standing on a trap door. They drop
ped out of sight so sudden they hardly
had time to let out gasp between
'em.
But the most interestin' part of
the campaign to me was this new
line it gave me on Milton Wilde.
Every time l saw him after that,
struttin' around lookin' wise and dig
nified, I'd have to let out a chuckle.
Not that henpecked husbands was any
more of a novelty in our neck of
woods than in most places, but as
rule it's little shrimp of a man
who's being bossed around by a lady
husk with two or three chins and an
eagle beak Milton, though, looked
like he could lay down the law any
where, or call vice-president on the
carpet and get him chewin' his tongue.
Here he is, though, trottin' around
meek after little 98-pound female
whose main offensive is timber
tongue and pair of snappy black
eyes. Mostly l saw him around the
Country Club, not indulgin, in golf or
billiards or round of roodles in
back room with the other bubbles,
but waitin' patient at the car while
Mrs. Wilde finished rubber, or exer-
cisin' her in a fox trot. Generally he
had something draped on his arm; an
evening wrap, or pink sweater, or
maybe he was cartin' a knitting bag.
Honest, all he needed was a pair of
black satin breeches and gold cord
over his shoulder to be a he-maid,
only there were no Thursday after
moons or Sunday nights off f'r him.
He'd been roped at the altar and moth
ing but a decree nisi or something
like that would ever set him free.
Meanwhile Mr.. Wilde, having horned
her way into the Roaring Rock social
set, is proceedin' to cus loose with
her executive gifts. We heard rumors
of how she is runnin' the Wednesday
Bridge Club with a high hard, how