The Dolores star., 1920-04-30
JACKS BLUNDER
BY MABEL RICH.


's, 1890. ny MoCIU-. Newspaper synnIra,s j
The big whistle of the Superior shoe
factory was shrieking. II was Just five
ocIocS-quitting time for Jack IIGr.
Ton anc hundreds of others employed
by the Superior Shoe company. It
did not take Jack long to wash up. and
II Is not to be wondered AT when one
knows the picture Jack had In mind
cozy little dining room with n stcam.
ing not dinner on the tahle-prepared
by pretty young bride of two months
For anyone else 1t was about a five
minute walk from the ear line to
Jacks house. but he usually made it
Ia two. AS he was about to enter his
gate his ueXt-dOor neighbUr, Harry
Benson, came along. Hello. Jack.
he said. home early, aren't you:
Wen, don't blame you much. Ey the
Wny. Jack, who was that goOd-luokin.
thap that drove up with your wife in
roadster this afternoon? And. say
Jack, Harry lowered his voice. Don
think am buttlng in but /
think you ought TO know when your
wife left him she kissed him" with
that, Harry made off down the street
Jack was astoundcd Before h,
came to his senses Harry was too far
away to question further. II didn't
seem possible. He tried to think Of
some one who might be related, hu'
he knew well enough thnt there were
no brothers or cousins with autos. II,
started TO go into the house. then
turned back. As he did so he caught
sight of the imprints of auto tires II
the soft dirt beside the curbStOne. So
II was true, then. His precious little
wife had been out riding with an.
other man. And she had kissed him
The thought sent pang like n knife
through his heart. Then he became
angry. so. that's her game. is it?'
he muttered to himself. "WeU, I'll
show her two can play at the same
game" And so saying, he went down
the street.
Remembering he had not had any
dinner, Jack found his way into a
small restaurant on side street. and
ordered all the appctizing things he
could think of, but when he tried t.
eat 1t fairly made him sick, for he
could not forget that cozy little dining
room-and Betty. Again he became
angry. Without eating thing he
paid his check and went out. leaving
behind bewildered waiter. Upon
reaching the street Jack lighted
cigarette and wondered what to do
next. AS he was pondering upon the
question he caught sight of pretty
Mary Russell coming up the street.
Now he knew what to do. He had
taken her to dances before he was
married, and he would take her to one
this very night.
AS she approached, Jack spoke;
Good evening, Mary; how" but he
didn't finish. She had brushed past
him without even noticing him. Then,
for the first time, Jack realized some
thing-he had on his shabby working
clothes. No wonder she didn't speak
why she had not even recognized him.
With a disgusted shrug of his shoul-
ders he went on, and presently found
himself seated In small picture thea.
ter but, as for knowing what was on
the picture screen, Jack might as well
have been at ball game. At last
was made up now. He would 60
straight home and have it out with
Betty at once. So, scrambllng out Of
his seat, he found his way to the
street, and it was not long before he
found himself In sight of his house,
and to his amazement he could see
that the house was all lighted up.
himself, for he knew well enough that
they never used any more electricity
than was necessary, for they were try.
Ing to keep down the Fl. c. of L. as
much as possible.
AS Jack entered the hall he heard
little feminine sob, and then the
comforting words of another feminine
voice: "There. my dear; don't cry
any more-he has probably been de-
tained at, the factory on business of
some sort" And then he heard Ret
tvs voice sdy: perhaps so. but he
never stayed away like this before"
Jack rushed in. but stopped as quick
ly, for right before him stood his wife
and another lady, the perfect image
Of Betty. In fact, Jack could hardly
tell one from the other: "Oh, Jack"
cried Betty, rushing forward and
throwing her arms around his neck
"Where have you been all this time?
was wishing you would come home
early tonight, as sister Grace has
just come this afternoon. Her hubby
drove her here and left her, as he
had to come through here on business
and is going to call for her tomorrow
or next day. You know, she lives In
New York, and l haven't seen her in
ages" Here Betty had to stop to
catch her breath. The words struck
Jack like thunderbolt, and he col
lapsed into the nearest chair. Now he
Lpary that ha had hlundpra1 and nh