MRS. BOB'S DILEMMA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 130, 23 May 1908, Page 3

MRS. BOB'S DILEMMA

" Xow, my dear," said Mr. Bob, as he drew on his slippers and settled himself for the evening.

" I am ready to listen to your excuses for not meeting me at Hector's." Mrs. Bob choked back the tears peril ouslv near the surface. I did, but you weren't there.' ••Just like a woman, if you tell her to meet you east of the Masonic Temple she will" probably go to the west side of the Board of Trade." "But why should she do that*

••That's jost the point. She should no t.'' Bob kicked the footstool ener g'-tieally. » . " Well. I didn't, dear. J uever w.-nt near the Board " "Bxnctlv. I never said you oni. What I did say was that J'oii didn i meet me at Hector'n where you asked me to meet you." Nov. , if you are going to -<-oM- — Tl»' tears could no longer Ik- -uppn r-e.|. ••Ther.-, my dear, pb-a-- d..u't do a i-prinklcr turn." and r<o'> a-ome.t 7 nvmpathetie air. " I ell me ~11 about il. '"Well. I went, lo tie- e.HI

table •' •fireat sun*! ■ " ~ "And vou weren't tli-iv a- you VOU would be. .0 1 l»H-led lav- I "<-■< the me"' until the waiter, "d.ed .<1 me as if thev thought 1 v.as [rung o maVe out a foreign language. " ■ one of tlK'in f was waiting for my im--*nd lie giiuued. T'uen I made 11^

my niiud that it would be nieo to order a fine luncheon and have ifc all ready when you came. Vou see, I bud hclll th« tabic almost an hour, anil the waiter stood first oil ouc foot and then on th. other, lie really looked like a Christian martyr."

>eycr mind that. I am glad vou ordered such a good lay out after such a «ng wait. Xow, if that i* all U ud iwi) picked tip his evening paper. .' 1 had l*'en," she sighed. "I dercd chicken salad. blue-points, chocolate ice, and, oil, lots of things. The waiter looked SO grateful to hear nic speak that I ordered more than 1 reallv j wanted." "Well, if I had not been running to the door every live minute* to see if vou were mixed in your directions, I'd I

have enjoyed my lunch, too," sighed Bob. °

" \ou « ouldn't have enjoyed it either, if jou had it up l M the expense," said Bob reck-i-i d eoS;i, 2i —*.v•iftS?. 8 -e yon a tenner ;;Andl bought the loveliest waist-" Jiings-r" 111111,1 tUat Uow 11111 <iN

u-|,' n '- v , ,I ri ,elito one tiling When they brought me th.it loveb Sr 1 ; 1 f t h if 1 coul ' l "'' swallow a morsel-but. or curse, 1 hai Intend. I su ti.er until 1 wt i,m Ti, 11 '" w " T i,<,r i "' c,, " !,t '»<■ ti'i lull. dollars. I g. m . | lim Ull , cents in my pur,c. and Uieu I felt -.j much like crying I had to kivp .wallow tug the lump in my throat. 1 hated to Offer my wedding-ring, because 1 haven't taken it off smce " "Yesr" asked Bob, imnaUenth-. " I thought it would be a good 'scheme to charge it to ,-ou; then I remembered you said you didn't often "o there I saw- othe- people leaving, and I thought I would try and s ncak out with hem, but the waiter followed me. saving I had forgotten my check." Bob was past smiling.' l; r ., hs buttons and a patrol waggon crossed his vision "•So I walked to the desk as slowly as I could, wondering what [ eouhl do. ' ca-hier to.de the check with a quick. biiMiies-like air. and as I h,-hated, she I looked up at >„ euriou-lv that the I slmviN ran clean to lily boots." I "Yes, dear!"

"'I haven't any money,' [ began, and her frosty expression frightened me so 1 nearly wept—cashiers aren't verv sympathetic, arc thev V

There is a resemblance to other creditor*."

I Her look frightened me so that my wits came back and 1 remembered thai I had some money— except what I've pot where I can't get at it,' t added. ' I put it there because I intended to buy my husband a present, and I didn't want to spend it.' "Your bill is IS") dollars, madam.' "It's in my stocking.' I said. She told nie to come to the back of the desk. She was so smiling that I began to like her. Hut. oh! H,,I»T what if she had been a many—Atlanta Journal.