The Snowflake herald., 1920-04-30
JACKS BLUNDER
BY MABEL RICH.

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W lSzo oy Mcclure Newspaper Syna1cate.J
The big whistle of the Superior shoe
FACTORY was shrieking. 1t was just five
quitting time for Jack Hor-
Ton ana hundreds of others employed
oy the Superior Shoe company. 1t
uld not take Jack long to wash up, and
1t is not to be wondered at when one
knows the picture Jack had in mind
q cozy little dining room with steam
ing hot dinner on the table-prepared
by pretty young bride of two months
For anyone else it was about a five
minute walk from the car line to
Jacks house, but he usually made it
in two. AS he was about to enter his
gate his next-door neighbor, Harry
Benson, came along. Hello Jack"
he said, "hOme early, aren't you?
Well, don't blame you much. By the
way, Jack, who was that good-looking
chap that drove up with your wife in
roadster this afternoon? And, say
Jack" Harry lowered his voice. Don't
think am butting- in, but i
think you ought to know when your
wife left him she kissed him." With
that, Harry made off down the street
Jack was astounded Before he
came to his senses Harry was too far
away to question further. 1t didn't
seem possible. He tried to think of
some one who might be related, but
he knew well enough that there were
no brothers or cousins with autos. He
started to go into the house. then
turned back. AS he did so he caught
sight of the imprints Of auto tires in
the soft dirt beside the curbstone. So
it was true, then! His precious little
| wife had been out riding with an
other man. And she had kissed him
The thought sent a pang like a knife
through his heart. Then he became
angry. $50, that's her game, is it,"
he muttered to himself. "Well, 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
small restaurant on a side street, and
ordered all the appetizing things he
could think of, but when he tried to
eat it 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 a bewildered waiter Upon
Z ols 10 iorN%o
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 a bali game. At last
/ he could stand it no longer. His mind
! was made up now. He would go
/ straight home and have it out with
/ Betty at once SO, scrambling out of
+ his seat, he found his way to the
4 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.
/ "What does it all mean?" he asked
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 HI. c. of l.. as
/ much as possible.
AS Jack entered the hall he heard
/ a 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-
tanned at the factory on business OF
some sort" And then he heard Bet
TVS voice say: perhaps so, but ne
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 J!
cried Betty rushing forward and
throwing her arms around his neck.
"Where have you been all this time!
I was wishing you would come home
early tonight, as sister Grace mas
Just come this afternoon her nuODy
drove her here and left her, as ne
had to come through here on business
and is going to call for her tomorro"
or next day. You know, she lives I'D
New York, and l haven't seen her IN
ages Here Betty had to stop 60
catch her breath. The words struck