Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION" The Stratagem of Irene Capital Short Story in J. Morton Lewis' Best Vein. B7 JT. MOETON LEWIS. I EE ALLY eannot say it was Irene's fault. In any other girl I might have blamed the action, but when a pair of blue eyes aglow with life and insouciance surveys yon, blame takes wings, and you laugh with the culprit Besides, Irene is Irene that sums up the whole situation. We have been friends . for years; close friends, if the fact that she has refused me on three separate occasions makes the friendship any the more bind ing. It was about a week after the third refusal. We were seated in the garden, eating strawberries and cream, and discussing nothing with a solem nity that was worthy of a better cause. . Irene was seated on a low basket chair with a graco that was positively disconcerting. From beneath the folds of her skirt peeped a patent leather sho3 and a few inches of openwork silk stocking. The sun shone on her hair, picking out the golden strands. Alto gether the sight of her made me envious and bad-tempered. "And so you are going to stay with the Kempsliots for a few weeks," she eh kl. I nodded. It was a duty visit, and the prospect did not fill me with wild paruxysms of enthusiasm. "Why don't you propose to Amyt" Irene surveyed mo languidly. "I might do worse," I retorted. "Much worse," she acquiesced. "Ymt might huve been accepted by me. Think of it!" . "Truly I have much to be thankful for," I replied. Irono laughed. She is truly provok '(,' "1 have seriously thought of pro posing to Amy," I said. "Dear girl. How happy she will be. And what a good wife she will make you she could manage beautifully on 500 a yettr. And I'm sure 1 couldn't" "So Hta I," I retorted. "Your stock ings uloue must cost you a small for tune.'. Jr?ne flushed, and withdrew her foot. It was a very piiltry point to score. Half un hour later I rose to take my leave. "Thun I shall expect to hear you aro engaged to Amy when you co mo back," she said, smiling in fare-well. "Vou nro sure Bhe will accept met" "Could anyone refuse such an aw fully nice, eligible boy such as you i.ref -" know ono who did. I shall begin U think you are repenting in a mia uto. " "And if I did!" I looked at Irene. I never know whether the is serious or not. She was carveying mo demurely, but there was a mocking smile playing round the corners of her mouth. "Then Amy can go to ," i"No, she can't, Dickie, dear. She's going to make you an ideal wife. Nice littlo tasty dishes when you come home tired lrom the city." "Oood-by, Irene," I said. The mocking laugh followed me as I walked up the garden path. The spirit of mischief must have en tered me after I had been staying at the Kempshots for 24 hours. Perhaps it was a respite from the awful gayety of thoir house gayety which would would drive a tortoise mad with ennui. At any rate, I despatched a telegram to Irene on one of my walks. It ran: "Amy wants yon to come to her wed ding." After I had paid my sixpence, I thought no moro about it until next morning. , At the breakfast table a eonple of letters lay awaiting me. Mr. Eempshot had gone to town; only Mrs. Eempshot and Amy were at the table. "Do read your letters if yon would like to," said Mrs. Eempshot. I thanked her and opened the en Telope, which was addressed to me in Irene's somewhat sprawling handwrit ing. Jt was a long letter. How she must nave laughed as the wrote U. "Dear Dick," it ran, "what did I fayt I eannot tell you how hnppy I am, X am overjoyed at the good news -e overjoyed that Z am writing to tall Miss. Eempshot what in exem plary, nice young man she has got for a future son-in-law, Iho letter will go by I at liox wedding, 'f the same post as this, so if you are present when Mrs. Eempshot reads it, do not blush. I shall- put it on awfully thick I feel I owe it to yon. I shall miss you awfully, but I daresay Amy will let me come sometimes and enjoy the marmalado she makes to beauti fully. (Irene knows I abominate mar malade). Please let me know when the wedding will be. I must come." I did not read any further, although there was another page and a half. My eyes wandered to Amy. Bhe was facing me, the personification of prim and proper maidenhood; very proper and ex tremely prim. " Then they fell upon Mrs. Eempshot; she was stirring her tea and reading a letter. I recognized the writing. Be neath my breath I twore at Irene, silent ly and fluently. I went hot and cold all over. Amy It a delightful girl. She will make some man a most charming wife, but she is not for me; I know my limitations. Mrs. Eempshot glanced up from the letter and smiled at me. "What will you have now, Diekt" she said. It was the first time she had called me Dick. It was on my tongue to ask her for some prussie acid. "Nothing more," I murmured politely. My brain was working furiously. I felt a fool, a cad, and I endeavored to find tome way out of the awful pre dicament in which I was-placed, thanks to Irene. Why should the want to write to Mrs. Eempshott She might have waited until the had heard from me. My telegram wat vagus enough. And it was perfectly true. Only an hour before I had tent it Amy had told me she would like to have Irene for a bridesmaid if ever the was married. Why will women Jump at conclusions f I thought it all over until my head ached. As far as I could tee there was only one way out of the dilemma one which must brand me at a cad far all time with the Eempshott. Mrs. Eempshot put down the letter. The smile wat still on her face. "I have heard from Irene this morning," she said. It wat a leading question. "Have youf" I replied feebly. "So hare I" Then followed a tilenee, one which was painful in the extreme. Mrs. Eemp shot finished her enp of 'tea, drinking with a precision that was horrible. Then the pushed back her chair. "Mrs. Eempshot," I laid hurriedly, "I should like to speak to you." "Certainly," the replied, and wait' ed. There was no help for it now but to go through with my apology at beat I could. "Alone," I said. "Will you coma into the drawing-. room!" I followed her into the room and dosed the door. When I looked around the wat standing by the piano, her arm half folded. She it one of those women who always look' stern and angular. 'Mrs. Eempshot." I laid, "I owe you an apology." She gave me the least possible help she eould by remaining silent I do not know what Irene eould have meant writing to you about it" 'It wat a very nice letter Irene tent me." 'I expect to; Irene's letters are al ways nice." "Indeedl" Mrs. Kempshot'S tones were frigid. I felt sublimely miserable. "But still Irene had no right to jump to the con clusion that I was engaged to Amy." Indeedl" said Mrs. Eempshot again. No," I continued, gathering cour age as I proceeded. "X only sent Irene a wire saying that Amy would like to see her at her wedding. I never sug gested that Amy was going to marry me; nothing was further from my thoughts." Mrs. Eempshot regarded me closely. She looked more angular than ever. "I don't quite follow you. Irene said noth ing in her letter about you being en gaged to Amy. Am I to understand that you and she have been joking together on the subject f" "Wall," X stammered, "Irene was teasing me about Amy tlie other day, and X sent tor a telegram yesterday, saying that Amy vpuld like to see her "I should not have thought you would have been guilty of such ungcutlcman ly conduct," said Mrs. Kempshot. I wish Irene had been there to have heard her. - - Of course there was only one thing for me to do. I did it. I think it took me exactly half an hour to paek 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 the same chair in which she had sat chatting to me 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 t" "Whatt" she replied ingenuously. "Take my beastly telegram seriously and write to Mrs. Eempshot about my engagement t ' "You didn't speak to Mrs. Eemp shott" "What else eould I dot" I replied bitterly, "I never had any intention of marrying Amy, and I thought " The rest of my explanation was drowned in laughter. "How perfectly lovely," said Irene, clapping her hands. "I am glad you think to," I said, "I only wish you had seen Mrs. Eempshot instead of ma Irene? what made you do itf" "Because," Irene studied the point of her shoe, "because I" wasn't quite suTe if you were serious. And I didn't think Amy was quite suitable for you. She isn't the girl I should like to see yon marry." "No," I replied. Then I looked at Irene. Her faee had gone scarlet "Irene;" I said, "I believe I honestly believe " "I'm not," she replied firmly. Bhe had placed her hands before her face. Going down on my knees, I gent ly drew them away. She averted her eyes, until I whispered a few words to her. "Tea," she confessed, "that was why I Bent you that letter." I bent nearer and kissed her. "For the fourth time," I said, "will yon" "Tea, "the replied. "Yes, yes, yes." The Man. For. the oJb. "I understand you got iuto jail," said the warden, "on account of a glowing mining prospectus." "I was quite optimistic," admitted the gentlemanly prisoner. "Well, the governor wants a report on conditions in my jail. I want you to write it" Dont pout if yon don't win. Be kind to the winner and then go home and , break your troubles gently to the gate ' post , s OVERALLS! AU. RIOHTS RESERVED Keep KidsKIeen The matt maiaL halthfnl nmw tfs tefcKcd for cbutraa 1 io e ran ol arc Made in eae piece WW . MI.IT sunned OD or of. BatHf vaahei. No titl earn oaada to nop tirrabdon. Ulic in h.n Am'n. j t.1... i nrba hickory rmpa tor all tbt 7 i uuim. juao newer Tmrat Bnucrui for Kramer wear. AJ1 , U nturn. etaaeatDulrbBcck 4. who efaoar 'i and Urn mr inn lorn atom. 75c the suit It fear dealer cannot npnlr too. we vOl tend thru, cbarrea orenaLi eataceitt of price, 7Sceacb. ANcwTOrrifThey Suft flVLL Kip Had By Straus es Co, San Francisco A n Mi) The ground eaa be too loose to plant sweet clover in. Pack it hard after sow ing. If you eould tramp it in with stock it would be all the bettor. It does well even in alkali soils. '2. ISUklUU Btm la ee ESSE race BBSS BBEBES Hotel jSBATTIJS "TwoWe fenrU a SotU CMfart lathe center of Hrinjs rhritwund tore on bath sides. Betiding abeolotelr fireproof concrete. teel and marble. bcsotkah run II far D7 Up ' ... Booma ILOOpudarm Boom wit. orWaaa bath KU0 m Merchants, Attention! There Is Money In Tom Old Freight Bats. ' Xtst the Trans-OonUnental Traffic Aasodation Find It for Too. It yea an a mat-shut whs pari relbead axpnee charges we eaa graetty eeaefit yea sad yoor btuiaeaa aa a mW ni this a tea ei a tin.. II ie the eta of TH1 TBANS-CONTINENTAL TRAFFIC ASSOCIATION to . embody all of the skippers and receivers ol freifht witala the States of tad Waahlagtoa Into eae ntrong shippers', eseoeoavaoav We are a farnancnt Instrtafloa tor Ike beuM a Iks Berakant, wtta (teoni offices BoiaMaod el Portland. This anncaatloa Is prepare1 as tar sums lo bandit ud five expert ssrvieo and tntorautloa aa McM root-. tn& tariff rotes end eUosificotion, ovorchorgo, hot oad eaaaafe i.i. Intentato Oommene complaints and rata litlfation, In toot, to protect end assist the shipper from overr standpoint of his transportation. I We have proved that aa astoeUtioa of this kind carries i tract sad ooonmands tospeol of the" railroads, especially in tha filing of elaims for evonkargos, eta. II Is a well-known fact that auditing oompaaias, operating ea a paiwlogo of the amounts recovered as overcharges, have little respect eteadlag pith the railroads, ud that a larger peroeertaga of the tUimi AM hr Ihea with the carrion are declined too to look of aoooosarj ovi eaee and faowledgo required to present elainaa of merit la the proper dub bo ee at it roach the higher anthoritr ever the regular elsrioal help of the railroads. To say thtppex or receiver of freight the sorvieos of Ibis assodotton are tevaluble oad no opontbg bustaess oaa afford to bo without ii We earaestlT urge every aaenbant to take advantage of oar oPBOIAIi IRBODUOrOBT OiTXB. Our rogalor meanherahip fee W Ten DoUare. of ahlrty days we wTU deduct this foe Iron the ererchargeo found la your MgM bills oad return to yon 10 per ooal of the boloaoo, that, without aay sash eeflay, Tom ere nude a member ed eae el the stroagatt and most efflotoat tret fie orguiuttoat In the West. Write Us Today The Trans-Continentd Traffic Association . . i . . .n-C2-4:5-fl15 Panama BriliKnj t , Portland, Oregon, " . i . r
