Gilpin observer., 1920-06-03
ESPECIALLY CIGARS
BY II. l. LANooALE.

sforefnger poke into her husbands
>evercoat, remember. the Bronsons
are coming to dinner tonight. Don't
forget to bring home some flowers and
cigars-especially the cigars"
With a last pat and wifely Kiss, she
pushed him into the vestibule. closed
she door on his "Sure thing, honey
good-by," and hurried back to the
kitchen to begin preparations for the
evening.
Tom and Madge Pritchard were
newcomers in 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
"Ought to know" according to Madge.
Mrs. Bronson, pOrtly, exquisitely
dressed, as regularly massaged as
Madge was shampooed, sifted and or
=ganized whatever of society Lakewood
boosted. If 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-
aalned plenty of nice. brightly banded
smokes as n 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
apologized gracefully. Committing is
80 unreliable"
But Tom came In just then with a
tale of open bridges and delayed traf-
fic, and Madge slipped away.
Dinner was half over. So far every
thing had been perfect. Salad course
was next, then dessert, then coffee and
cigars in the living room by the open
fire. Horrors Had Tom remembered?
Catching his eye, she managed to
convey, by a lift of the eyebrows and
IAN inconspicuous two-fngered gesture
-,ts of one who removes 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-
tlon. Once, he would have laid down
his napkin, half risen, and said,
Something the matter, dear?" But
tonight-utter blankness swept his
cOuntenance, succeeded by an express
--slon of infinite dismay.
While shifting plates for the salad,
an idea occurred to her. Only a block
below was small part grocery, part
stationery store, an unbeautiful spot
-Dn Lakewood's residential street, but
quite frequently godsend to an un-
expectedly visited housekeeper. She
would start the salad. then, under pre-
text of delay in the kitchen, run down
to the store, get the hest 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-toprcd
salad, awaited her return to their
.midst-and waited--nnd waited
-'Madge" Tom raised his voice
slightly.
There was no reply.
Meanwhile, Madge had accom-
Dlished her errand and was nearly
home. Suddenly, ricocheting across
fthe street. skidded 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
'eSsly In front of her veranda-a
veranda which seemed filed with peo
Pile, although In reality there were
only three. The light. streaming from
the door behind. revealed Mr. and Mrs.
Bronson, barcheaded. and Tom with a
napkin dangling in his hand.
Madge, in an agony of shame at he
Ing caught in the act of returning
from running away from her own din.
ner party. little realized what a pretty
+ picture she. made as she stood below.
her checks becomngly flushed, her
breath coming bit quickly between
parted lips.
How explain herself? Plausible
stories sprang TO her lips, explanations
untrue, but surely permissible under
the circumstances.
Then. suddenly. with half a smile.
Here they are. Tom" she said, hold.
ntIf n SIf hap ,,,t,k II
Some hours later. Tom. forgiven and
penitently committed 10 drowning him
self If, by Jupiter, he ever forgot any.
thing again. explained how he had
gone to the kitchen In search OF her.
Then had come a crash and. well-she
knew the rest.