TTOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
T h e S tratagem o f Irene
Capital Short Story in J. Morton Lewis’ Beat Vein.
“ I should not have thought you would
have been guilty o f such ungentleman-
1 y conduct,” said Mrs. Kempahot. I
wish Irene had been there to have heard
her.
O f course there was only ono thing
for me to do. I did it. I think it took
me exactly half an hour to pack my
bag. I left the Kempshots, feeling the
biggest fool I have ever felt in my life.
Straightway on reaching London I
went to call upon Irene. I should find
her in the garden, the servant told me.
I found her in tho same chair in
which she had sat chatting to mo three
days before. She looked up, and as she
saw me raised her eyebrows. “ You
back in town already?”
“ Irene,” I said. “ How dare you ?”
“ W h at?” she replied ingenuously.
“ Take my beastly telegram seriously
and write to Mrs. Kempshot about my
engagement? '
“ You didn’t apeak to Mrs. Kemp
shot?”
“ What else could I do?” I replied
bitterly, “ I never had any intention
o f marrying Amy, and I thought------ "
The rest of my explanation was
drowned in laughter. “ How perfectly
lo v e ly /' said Irene, clapping her hands.
“ I am glad you think so,” I said, “ I
only wish you had seen Mrs. Kempshot
instead o f me. Irene, what made you
do it ? ”
“ Because,” Ireno studied the point
of her shoe, “ because I wasn’t quite
sure if you were serious. And I «didn’t
think Amy was quite suitable for you.
She isn ’t the girl I should liko to see
you marry. ”
“ N o,” I replied. Then I looked at
Irene. Her face had gone scarlet.
“ Iren e/* I said, “ I believe— I honestly
believe------ ”
••I’m n o t / ' she replied firmly.
She had placed her hands before her
face. Going down on my knees, I gent
ly drew them away. 8ho averted her
eyes, until I whispered a few words to
her.
••Yes,” she confessed, “ that was why
I sent you that letter.”
I bent nearer and kissed her. “ For
the fourth time,” I said, “ will you— ”
••Yes,” she replied. “ Yes, yea, yes.”
______________________________»
The Mail For the oJb.
“ 1 understand you got into ja il,”
said the warden, “ on account of a
glowing mining prospectus.”
“ I was quite o p tim istic/' admitted
the gentlemanly prisoner.
“ Well, the governor wants a roport
on conditions in my jail. I want you
to write it .”
• • •
the sarno post as this, so if you are
BY J. MOETON LEWIS.
REALLY cannot say it was Irene’s present when Mrs. Kempshot reads it, do
fault. In any other girl I might not blush. I shall put ait on awfully
have blamed the action, but when thick—I feel I owe it to you. I shall
Don *t pout if you don ’t win. Be kind
a pair of blue eyes— aglow with life and miss you awfully, but I daresay Amy
to the winner and then go home and
will
let
me
come
sometimes
and
enjoy
insouciance— surveys you, blame takes
break your troubles gently to the gate
wings, and you laugh with the culprit. tho marmalade ehe makes so beauti
post.
fully.
(Irene
knows
I
abominate
mar
Besides, Irene is Irene— that sums up
malade).
Please
let
me
know
when
the
the whole situation.
wedding will be. I must come. ’ ’
We have been friends for years;
I did not read any further, although
close friends, if the fact that she has
ALL. R I G H T S R E S E R V E D
refused me on three separate occasions there was another page and a half. My
makes the friendship any the more bind eyes wandered to Amy. She was facing
ing. It was about a week after the me, the personification of prim and
Tbe moit practical, healthful, playtime
third refusal. We were seated in the proper maidenhood; very proper and ex
garment* ever iavented fur children 1
garden, eating strawberries and cream, tremely prim.
to i years of aye. Made in one piece
with d/op back. Eaaily slipped oa or
and discussing nothing with a solem
Then they fell upon Mrs. Kempshot;
oif.
Easily wasted.
No tirbt
nitv that was worthy o f a better cause. she was stirring her tea and reading a
elastic bands to slop circulation.
Made in blue denim, and blue and
the writing. Be
Irene was seated on a low basket letteT. I recogni
white hickory stripes for all the
chair with a grace that was positively neath my breath I »wore at Irene, »Bent
year round.
Also lighter weight
material for summer wear. All
disconcerting. From beneath the folds ly and flaently. I went hot and eold
garments trimmed with fast red or
o f her skirt peeped a patent leather till over. Amy is a delightful gixL She
galatea. Mad« ¿a Dutch neck
with elbow sisertts and high
shoe and a few inches of openwork silk will make some man a most charming
neck and long sleeves.
stocking. The -sun shone on her hair, wife, but she is not for ms; I know my
picking out the golden strands. Alto limitations.
75c the suit
gether the sight of her made me envious
lir a Kempshot glanced up from the
If yrmr dealer cannot supply you,
we
will
scud them, charges prepaid
and bad-tempered.
letter and smiled at u ft “ What will
on receipt o f price. 7 Sc each.
“ And so you are going to stay with you have now, D ie k !” ebo said. It was
the Kempshots for a few w e e k s /’ she tbe first time she hsd called me Dick.
Suit
Kip
It was on my tongue to ask her for
said.
Mad* By
I nodded. It was a duty visit, and some prussic acid. “ Nothing more,” I
Strauss A ( k , San Francisco/
the prospect did not fili me with wild murmured politely.
My brain was working furiously. X
paroxysms of enthusiasm,
“ Why don’t you propose to A m y?” felt a fool, a cud, and I endeavored
to find some way ont of the awful pro
Irene surveyed me languidly.
dicament in whieh I was placed, thanks
“ I might do worse,” I retorted.
H o te l
“ M uch worse,”
she acquiesced. to Irene. Why should she want to
“ You might havo been accepted by me. write to Mrs. Kempshot! She might
have
waited
until
she
had
heard
from
Think o f it
“ Truly 1 have much to be thankful me. M y telegram was vague enough.
And it waa perfectly true. Only an hour
for, ’ ’ I replied.
Ireue laughed. She is truly provok before I had sent it Amy had told me
SEATTLE
she would like to have Irene for a
ing.'
RturUw *Sr
bridesmaid
if
ever
she
waa
married.
‘ ‘ 1 have seriously thought of pro
SsUd C o a is i t "
Why will women jump at conclusions f
posing to Am y,” I said.
In tbe ecnU rof
1 thought it all over until my head
“ Dear girl. How happy she will be.
things— theatreaand
And what a good wife she will make ached. As far a9 I could see there was
■tores oa both ddss-
you— she could manage beautifully on only one wav out o f the dilemma-—one
Bvikliog absolutely
fireproof—concrete,
£oOU a year. And I ’m sure 1 couldn’t .’ * which must brand me us u cad for ull
time
with
the
Kempshots.
steel and marble.
“ So am 1,” I retorted. “ Your stock
Mrs. Kempshot put down the letter.
ings alone must cost you a small for
b c i o t o a h run
The
smile
was
still
on
her
fuee.
“
I
The ground can be too loose to plant
tune.
SI fee Day Dp
sweet clover in. Pack it hard after sow
Irene flushed, and withdrew her foot. have heard from Irene this morning,
she said.
ing. I f you could tramp it in with stock
It was a very paltry point to score.
R o o m « $ 1 .0 0 p er d a y np
It was a leading question. “ Have it would be all the better. It does well
Half an hour later i rose to take
R o o m s w it h » r i v a l s h a th $ 3 ^ 0 nm
even in alkali Boils.
my leave. “ Then I shall expect to hear y o u !” I replied feebly. “ So have L
Then followed a silence, one whieh
you are engaged to Amy when you
come back,” she said, smiling in fare was painful in the extreme. Mrs. Kemp
shot finished her cup of tea, drinking
well.
“ You ere sure she will accept m e?” with a precision that was horrible.
“ Could anyone refuse such an aw- Then she pushed baek her chair.
“ Mra Kempahot,” I »aid hurriadly,
iuily nice, eligible boy such as you
I should like to apeak to y ou ."
are?
There la Money In Yonr Old Freight BUM
“ Certainly, ’ ’ she replied, and wait
“ I know one who did. I shall begin
to think you are repenting in a min ed.
Let the Tkans-Oontlnental Traffic Association Find It for Ton.
Thors was no help for it now but to
ute. ’ ’
go through with my apology as best I
“ And if I d id ?”
U 7«
> 1 . s m .r c h .n l who h 7 . rnilrcnd «r a p n e a B e r t a wa a
I looked at Irene. I never know could. “ Alone," I said.
(TOftUr h a .f i t 7 a sod r o a bssloooo so o sratsba *4 this d escotarles
II
Will you earns into the drawing-,
whether she is serious or not. She
is a . s i a of THE TRANS-CO NTUfEKT AL T U m O ASSOCIATION lo
surveying me demurely, but there was room !"
omhodr «Il s i l b . shippers sod r a d a r s of I d (h i w ilUs tho S t a la at
I followed her late the room end
a mocking smile playing round the
O tago • u d W sshloflon U to omo strame skippam’ i i n d i l U m
dosed tbe door. When I looked around
corners o f her mouth.
V s era m permanent Inai tattoo tor tft. b a o fll at thm mcrehuta, wilt
she
was
standing
by
the
piano,
bar
“ Then Amy can go to—
■Moral affiora ismUuimad at Portland. This »so n a ta la to m p u U a
“ No, she can ’t, Dickie, dear. She’s arias half folded. She is one of those
any Mm. to handle and sirs ap art a r r i e , mod iaferraotla a traiga t romi
going to make you an ideal wife. Nice women who always look stern and
ta«. U rlìi rmtra u d eUaffiemlion, nvereh.rg.. lo a smd dooms, claims.
little tasty dishes when you come home angular.
Im ta iU U Commerce complaints and n U litigation. In fact. So protoni ami
“
Mrs.
Kempshot,“
I
said,
“
I
owo
you
tired from the city .”
ossia tho shipper from every standpoint ef him transportation.
aa apology.”
“ Good by, Irene,” I said.
V a h a a proved that u aaaoeiation of this kind emrrlra atren«th and
She
gave
me
the
least
possible
help
The mocking laugh followed me as
mommudi r a p e d of tho railroads, empentan? in tho Hitas •* elaimo foe
she could by remaining silent.
I walked up the garden path.
marmhmrfeo, ota
II Is s^woU-known foot that .o d iling co m p u ta , o p . rating
I do not know what Irene could
The spirit of mischief must have en
a a parran tax* of th . .m ount, recorded u overcharges h a a Utile raspaci
have
meant
writing
to
you
about
it.“
tered me after I had been staying at
a a u d i o « with the railroads u d that a la rg a par ora ta g , of tho elaimo
“ It was a very nice letter Irene sent
mod by them with the carriera ara denti .e d don lo tank ef accaiory rri
the Kempshots for 24 hoars. Perhaps
•
a r a end knowledge rasoi rad to p ro s a i clolrao of morti la B e proper a m .
m
e.”
it was a respite from the awful gayety
ara
ee se la roach Iha h ig h « aathortty erse tho regatar Aratami haip of tho
I
expect
se;
Irene's
letters
are
al
o f their house— gayety waich would
sollrorata.
would drive a tortoise mad with ennui. ways nice.”
Indeed!’ ’ Mra Kempshot’s tones
To a y Bdppra or rosola r of freight (ho cerviera of B la a ssod ale» a ra
At any rate, I despatched a telegram to
B a i a t i l e and no .peratin« bualnea c u a lta r i le be wUhoat It
Irene on one of my walks. It ran: were frigid.
I felt sublimely miserable. “ But still
V # arm ealy erg. array merchant t . tab. a d a n ta « , a i oar BP » C I AI,
•'Amy wants you to eorae to her wed
OTTRODUOTOIiY UPPER. Oar regalar mothership toa h T a Dallara
ding.” After I had paid my sixpence, Irene bad so right to jump to the con
Bra
thirty days wa will dado el B l . fra trono the evraeh.rgra la n d ta y a r
I thought no more about it until next clusion that I was engaged to Amy.”
freight billa u d rotara Sa y a SO per mat a t B e b a la n o ■*—r wtBna»
Indeed! ” said Mra Kempshot (gain. I
morning.
a y mash r e t i.7. yoa a n mad. a membra a t a a of the stiengrai u d most
No,” I eon tinned, gathering cour
At the breakfast table a couple of
« H i lens traffic axgaaiuttau ta B a Wert.
letters lay awaiting me. Mr. Kempehot age ss Z proceeded. * '1 only sent Irene
had gone to town; only Mrs. Kempahot s wire s a y in g that Aary would like to
see her at her wsddiag. I never Bug
and Amy were at the table.
••Do read your letters if you would gested that Amy was going to marry
nothing was further from a y
She to,” said Mrs. Kempahot.
I thanked her and opened the en- thoughts. ’ ’
Mrs. Kempshot regarded ms closely.
relope, which was addressed to me in
Irene’s somewhat sprawling hand writ- She looked mors angular than ever. “ I
don’t quite follow you. Irens said aoth
fagt
It t n a long letter. How its Bust ing in her latter about you being an
gaged to Amy. Am I to understand that ]
laughed ft« the wrote II
" Dear Dick,” it fun, "w hat lid I you and the have bean joking together j
. j
m y l I emonot tall jrou hew happy I on the su b ject! “
■Wen," 1 stammered. "Ir e n e waa
era. I mm twurjoyed at (he good newt
A1I4I2 1 1 1 flt-flB Panama BnfiAta«
•—eo trt rjoved that I urn writing to teasing ms about Amy the other day,
Portland, Orsgoa,
empshot what aa eren and I sent her a telegram yesterday,
M l Miss. Her
j , aie# young man ehe has got for a saying that Amy wpul4 Ukq to tee her
at L * HpUiBg.’ *
*> *j¿ p *t
f
I
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