The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-07-03

The very sensible little manicure
lady slowly raised her head ano
smiled.
MARRIED." she inquired.
"Oh, l see !" said John Henry eva
sively. "You think that hotel a little
conspicuous, and l don't know but
you're right. Wen make 1t the lobby
of the Uptown theater."
"This is very sudden" said Geral-
dine, "Why, l even don't know your
name!" And she laughed outright.
'Tingletop," said John Henry. with
extraordinary astuteness.
"And suppose your wife were to
come along, Mr.. Tingletop?" ventured
"Ah, Supposed"
He pressed a coin into her hand,
and, with an injunction "Be on time"
took his departure.
AS the door closed behind him, Ger
aldine opened a little diary and turned
to January 10, 1912, added one stroke
of her pencil to six other and similar
strokes.
IF 1t isn't a cocktail it's a din
ner,' and if 1t isn't a dinner it's a
ride in a taxi 1 don't understand 1t
at ALL" said she.
She dropped John Henry's coin into
her pocketbook, and its jingling recep-
ton by other coins of similar denomi-
nation closed an everyday incident of
her life.
John Henry, highly gratifed at his
good fortune.
Then, with thirty minutes at his dis
posal, he slowly meandered in the d-
rection of the theater, at peace with
the world and himself, the typical,
monumental ass he vas originally in
tended to portray, and the story,
therefore, comes to an end. But
At six-forty he came face to face
with his Rag and Bone" and the rest
of the sacrilege, who, with that nice
faculty for remembering anniversaries,
which is possessed by so many wives
having nothing to do but to keep the
house in order and the buttons on their
husbands underwear, had purchased
theater tickets for that very evening,
intending a pleasant surprise for her
lord and master.
For a moment the imbecile was
speechless with amazement and morti-
fication; but, rising to the occasion,
he haughtily demanded an explana-
ton.
what under the sun brings you
downtown this time of day, Mary?"
why, John dear, it's your birth
day."
well, but"
"Well, but what? I asked you at
noon if you hadn't forgotten some
thing, and | knew from your answer
that you had. Now, l am going to
punish you. l want you to call up the
house and say we won't be home to
dinner, and you just take me to the
K~ickordocker. Well have q nice little
dinner and a bottle of wine, and I'll
drink your health and wish you many
happy returns of the day. After din
ner We'll go to the Uptown theater
1 hear it's a fine show, and l have the
tickets"
LIN AlAllC lbhN VI lit hltS anu sup
pers was contentedly fitting between
the pantry, the table, and the diminu-
tive gas-range, on which stood a pot
of boiling water. She smiled when she
heard a familiar step upon the land
ing, and laughed outright when the
door had been flung open and a some
what younger girl entered.
you're a little late, kiddie," said
Geraldine. 81 was beginning to dc
some tall thinking"
"Never do any real tall thinking or
my account returned the other. I'm
all right. Frankfurters for dinner?'
YES" said Geraldine, suspending
a string of six of them over the boiling
pot. do you notice how much each
n of these frankfurters resembles
the others?"
"Why, yes; why shouldn't they
What a question"
well, married men are as much
alike as these frankfurters. Listen
dear.
Broadway and Twenty-third street
at seven Bing-fOr yours"
She cut the connecting link of tn,
last sausage as it disappeared in tn,
boiling caldrOn.
Seventh avenue and Thirty-fourtl
street between seven and quarter
past Bing-for yours!"
"a ride in the park Bing-fol
yours"
IA trip to Philadelphia Bling
for yours!"
"A bottle of fizz.' Bing-fol
yours"
".An oyster. One little cocktail
and, if you wish, I'll take you home
in a taxi. The lobby of the Uptown
theater at %six-thirty.' Bing-fol
yours"
And the last of the f~rnnkfurters dis
appeared as Geraldine, turning to the
newcomer, added:
THAT is the gross result of today
my dear. The net is exactly tire,
dollars !"