River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1925-08-06
L.adsby Lost His
Cuff Link
BY DON MARK LEMON
tCopyrlghtl


I this is the limit What. me go lose
I the other link Me-"
"What is wrong, dear?" timidly ques-
! toned Ladsby's wife, alarmed by the
expletive outburst of her husband
Ladsby glared from the paper to
his wife. Il told you lost one of my
diamond cur links last evening, on
! the way home from the Office. Well,
read that" He thrust the paper at
/ his wife, pointing to a notice among
those of the lost-and-found column
Mrs. Ladsby read the following
4 cheerful advertisement:
/ DIAMOND CUFF LINK-if the gentle
man who lost a diamond cuff link at
! the corner of Fl and Sixth street last
evening will kindly lose the mate at
1 the same corner, near the hydrant on
the south side, between five and six
/ o'clock this evening, the finder of the
first link will esteem it high personal
favor
''Well?" demanded Ladsby, fairly
quivering with choler.
Mrs. Ladsby smiled meekly. cts so
singular really don't know what to
say" she sighed.
But Ladsby did. At least he knew
what he wished to say, and he said
it noisily.
an lay for the fellow! I'll lose the
other link, and the foreigner who picks
1t up will be the Indian who put in
this notice. And when / catch him"
'Don't get yourself arrested"
pleaded the wife. 1T just may be his
way of appointing a place where he
can return the other link"
mot much 70 cried Ladsby. "And IL
it is. won't be publicly trifled with !"
He hurried into the hallway for his
hat, and left the house in anything but
an agreeable mood.
Mrs. Ladsby drew a deep breath OF
relief. then one of dread.
"If he would only meet the man
quietly" she sighed, she might get the
lost link back, and not run any danger
of offending him."
She began to gather up the break
fast things, when sudden idea made
her sit down quickly Why should she
not be at the corner of II and Sixth
streets at five o'clock and, if bad went
to worse, prevent her husband from
committing an outrage upon the per-
son Of the writer of the advertisement?
Her resolve made her contented the
whole day, and at five o'clock she
reached the corner where the denoue-
ment was to take place and, crossing
to the north side, she found a little
safety station between a street light
and a telegraph pole, where she could
seem to be watching for car.
At five minutes after the hour Lads
by turned the corner He was walking
briskly, and his anger made him step
! high. He crossed to the hydrant re-
ferred to in the advertisement, and
openly removing the diamond link
from his left cuff. dropped it upon the
sidewalk at the foot of the hydrant.
A boy was seated astride the iron
plug, engaged at swinging his legs and
whistling shrilly. At least it seemed
that boy was seated on the hydrant,
but as Ladsby dropped the valuable
y
from its perch, snatched up the treas
ure, and disappeared around the cor
ner into nearby cellarway with such
amazing suddenness that Ladsby for
moment stood motionless on the spot,
believing the figure a fallacy of vision.
Then, with a shout, he made after the
disappearing point of boy He took
the cellar stairs with leap, landed
in puddle at the bottom, gathered
himself up with painted oath, and
rushed forward headlong into the
walled vacancy before him.
Mrs. Ladsby hurried over and peered
down the stairs, and watched and
waited in great trepidation, but as a
familiar form appeared below, she
hastily mingled with the passers-by
and returned home. A little later her
husband arrived. His clothes were
muddy, and bore every evidence to
their wearer having lately crawled or
attempted to crawl through Il narrow
exit barred with barbed wire. He had
cut over his right eye, and was cuff
less.
Ladsby made for the bathroom, to
efface the marks of his unsuccessful
gymnastics 81 fell off a street car"
he lucidly explained to his wife.
Mrs. Ladsby said nothing. She loved
her husband and was sorry for him,
though he had lied like an extra, but
the next morning when she picked up
the paper that Ladsby had been read
ing at the breakfast table and discov-
cred corner torn away, she became
curious and ran over and borrowed a
neighbours paper. The torn corner,
among other lost-and-found notices,
contained the following:
DIAMOND CUFF LINKS-I wish TO
thank the gentleman for kindly los
/ ing the mate to the pair of diamond
! cuff links. The link found so pleased
me that l could not be happy till had
got the mate. Now l have them both,
and / would not part with them for
two hundred dollars. Thanks.
Mrs. Ladsby thought it over.
0D~,,s-... 1NL.1-L A. Nd