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Show JOHN WAS IN LUCK GOOD STORY, WITH NO- SEM-BLANCE SEM-BLANCE OF A MORAL. Showlnjj How Important It Is for Forgetful For-getful Husbands That Their Wives Should Have Rich' and Generous Brothers. Broth-ers. "John, dear," lemnrked Mrs. Horton ncross tho breakfast table, "do you know what day this Is?" "Why, yes," leplled John; "It's tho tho why, It's Thursday, of course. Hang It Where's that calendar?" "O, I don't mean that." replied tiio wife, with a suspicion of tears In her volco. "It's my blithday, and you forgot It!" "Xot at ull, dear; not at all. Of course, I remember that. Tho dato escaped mo lor n moment. Of course, I know It was )our birthda. You wait and see tlio piesent I hnvo ordeied for you. and you will bo tilled with remorse re-morse at having suspected mo of forgetting. for-getting. You wait." John was a wicked provnilcator, but his bluff "went." "O, John dear, what Is It? Do tell me," uiged his wife. "Not now," said tho deceitful John. "It's a surprise, you know. Ily Jove, I must hurry down town. I've an Important Im-portant engagement at nine o'clock. Wonder If I can make it?" It was John's intention to stop on Ids way down town and order a present pres-ent for Ills wife; but, becoming engrossed en-grossed In his paper, ho was m fur down town befoio ho realized It that ho concluded to go on to tho ofllco, nnd then to visit somo Jeweler later In tho day. Thoro was an unusual amount of business to bn attended to that day, and John's wntal and physical resources re-sources wcro taxed to tho utmos't. Nnt-"rally Nnt-"rally he forgot all about the birthday present, and It wbb only when ho was hanging up his hat In tho hall and his wlfo's voico came sweetly down tho stairs: "Ib that you, doarlo?" that tho horrlblo fnct flashed vpon him. lle-foro lle-foro he cou:d find hi. guilty volco thero was a frou fiou of skirts, and Mrs. Horton conio gliding down tho stnlra and threw her arms around tho wretched man's neck with a Joyful littlo cry of "O, John, tho present enmo. It was Just what I wanted. It w.1s Just lovely of you." John was bewildered, hut ho was n man or resources. "Yes." h nltl, "I thought you'd llko it. !- r whero to It?" "Whom hi it " retorted tlio wife. 'Why, John .. you blind? Can't you seo 1 have u on?" And she pointed to a brooch of rubles n-id diamonds which glittered on her bosom. "Who tho d ," ho growled, but tho rest of the sentence, which went "had tho cheek to send diamonds) and rubies to my wife?" was unuttered. "Why, what makes you scowl bo?" Inquired the surprised woman. "Oh, nothing." was tho reply. "I only thought at first It was not tho samo one I picked out, but I seo It Is." "In the evening Mrs. Ilorton's rich brother called. As soon nB his nnmo wns nnounced John gavo a gasp and Jumped at tho solution of tho mystery mys-tery of tho birthday present In n second. sec-ond. "O, how nlco of you, George, to como on my birthday. Seo what a beautiful present John gavo me." wns Mrs. Horton's first greeting to her brother. "That!" leplled tho brother, with a look of perplexity on his face. "Why, I" "Yea," broke lu John, looking tho other man threateningly in tho eyo; "I ordored It a week ngo at Illffany's and was nfraid it would not bo ready In time. Como Into tho library n minute. I wnnt to speak with you for a second on a matter of tho greatest Importance" Impor-tance" And boforo the astonished Georgo could gather his. wits ho was seized, dragged into tlio library anil tho door shut behind him. "If you glvo mo away, I'll murder you," whispered John. Mrs. Horton could hear her husband's video pitched low nnd speaking earnestly behind .tho closed door. "That's really n veiy pretty pleco of Jowolry," said Georgo. "Not ninny wives have such thoughtful and ntton-tlvo ntton-tlvo husbands us you have, Loma. My present will ho up to-morrow. Thoy didn't have It ready to-day." "I haven't had Mich a pleasant birth day In a long time," said Mrs. Horton when bIio retired that night. John smiled a littlo wearily, for ho was tired and hnd reason to bo. N. Y'. Press. |