Phillips County herald., 1923-08-23
Yes, Perfect
Harmony
By CLARA DELAFIELD

Woh YOU, ueai
Il won't eat him." growled Pete
Gurney. "Guess l won't see much d
the Teller, though"
"Peter, dear, l want you to do you
very best to be pleasant to him, fol
Mildred's sake" said Mrs. Gurney.
Here is how it happened. Pete
Gurney had retired at fifty-five, will
the biggest chain Of groceries In tAd
East. His wife was bitten by the sd
cial bug and had forced him to buy !
huge mansion on Park avenue.
By dint of adrolt worming. that ez
cellent lady had forced her way lntd
society. Peter had been happy in thd|
old days, when, in his shirt sleeves
he was the life and soul Of the Fourth
district political club. In the BID
house, surrounded by flunkeys, he fed
Ill at ease.
Particularly he hated Dobson, th]
English butler. Dobson's fawning serl
Witty, and yet arrogant aloofness, mad5
Peter want to plant his boot upon thj
immaculate surface of Dobson's pantsl
Then there was Courtney-the HQuI
orable Courtney son of an EngliSll
earl, whom Mrs. Gurney had captured
Courtney-the Honorable Courtned
Blaise-was to marry Mildred in d
months time. The earl had cabled hid
approval and inquired privately aboud
settlements.
And here were Mrs. Gurney and NH
dred called away by the sudden serioud
Illness of a sister and aunt with foil
tune of her own. There was no helI
for it. They had to go.
Would Peter jeopardlze the marriage
by insulting the Honorable CourtneI
In their absence? The Honorable
Courtney had been coming to thd
house every night. He couldn't stop
He and Peter would dine together uni
der the supervision of DObsOn, and
Peter would restrain his desperate iml
pulses to load his knife with peas aud
drink out of his soup plate.
Courtney and Peter had never all
rived at any human basis Of under
standing. Peter scowled at Courtney
and Courtney regarded his future fsI
ther-in-law with patient respect. Pets
thought the Honorable Courtney fool
What the Honorable Courtney though
OF Peter was never recorded.
What added to Peters bitterness wss
the thought that he had worked hard
so many years for this-for his wlfei
social airs. for this son-in-law! And
Mrs. Gurney had impressed upon Pei
ter that he must do nothing to disgrace
: them In C0urtney's eyes.
There they snt, dining together un|
der Dobson's watchful eyes.
"Er-it's getting warmer" suggested
the Honorable Courtney.
Peter grunted.
Five minutes later the Honorable
Courtney said: ~ see your Presided
Is likely to obtain the denomination i
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."
Peter deliberately put his knife 4
his mouth. A spasm passed over Dob
sons face.
"I see," said the Honorable Court
ney five minutes later. that the month
ly imports have decreased two pe
cent nd yalorem-er-don't know whsi
II means. by Jovei''
"D-ni" yelled Peter Gurney. risin.
"Are we men or are we iishes1 Dob
son. were you created In the Likeness
OF your Makerf"
Il 'opes as 'ow I'll his. SIR" answere
the startled Dobson.
did you ever play stud pokerT dA
manded Peter feroclously.
"Why, HI. Hive card of hit. sir, /
responded the butler. now convince.
that his master had suddenly gone ID
sane.
"And you. you llly-faced white fiowe'
Of fashion. how about you?" demands
Peter.
"Haw. try me, try met" answero
the Honorable Courtney brlskly.
81 do hope your father and deif
Courtney have got on well together,
said Mrs. Gurney. as she opened I'D
front door, having unexpectedly re
turned with Mildred. "Yhy, what q
I the worlll-r
Sounds OF strange rcyelry reache
their ears. Hurrylng Into Peters dei
on the ground floor, they saw n slga
thai made them dumb.
Peter. In his shirt sleeves. with 4
glass OF his private stock before hlaI
and his feet on the arm OF his chalf
was dealing hand round the Honof
able Cour'ney's neck. which he va
fondly embracing, The Honorable
Courtney had hIs head on Petc'
shoulder. Dobson. with both arms o
the table md most unbutlerish q
presslon. WIS Just sweeping up the coo
tents Of the pool
"wh whati" stnmmered the hort
ned lady.
Pup pup-perfect harmony, p
dcnr. pup-perfect harmony" he
coughcd Peter. as he lmprinted n ~
on the Honorable Courtney's mani
4 forehead.