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Show rcfarp aril riB dny after that terrible tele-Sram tele-Sram arrived was a sore one, Indeed, In-deed, for Sir. Justwed. If he only bad not soucbt to hasten Mrs. Just wrd'a return from her visit to "Mommcr" hy wiring that bo was III. the resultant troubles would never have been . chronicled. Hut he did And "Mommer" descended upou the Justwed household In all her glory to nurse the sick roan and left In high dudgeon nJ a superfluity of smiting remarks. When the diminutive messenger placed i the yellow message In Mr. J.'s out-si out-si retched palm nnd when be fully grasped the fact that Mrs. J. was coming straight home lnstanicr with "Mornruer" to nurse him, that lonely geutleman's feigned Illness nearly became a real one. He staggered Into the livlug-room and sank weakly down Into the armcbnlr. nibbing bis throbbing brow as one who has suddenly met and wrestled with an overwhelming disaster nnd been worsted In the encounter. What ft mc-cs he had made of It! Why didn't something bnp-pen bnp-pen to him before he put that phool-ldeu iDto execution! lie hud put his foot In it. alright, alright, and be couldu't get it out. Why, oh, why, did he ever send that wire that he was III? Well, the milk was spilled and he couldn't even wipe It up He wouldn't cry over It, anyway. But what should be doue? He might wlr0 Blossom immediately immed-iately and tell her that he had completely com-pletely recovered. But, no. she would surely think he had gono crazy end only thought he wan well. That wouldn't stop "Mommer" coming, cither. There seemed to be no hope for salvation in that direction. "Mommer" had made up her mind to come, and come she would. Should be really become 111 perhaps there was some medicine bo could take lliHt would make blm HI, despcrutely ill. j "Did you say those flowers are for Mr. Justwed?" she asked.,, j "Yas'm," the lad responded, and then. with no understanding nod la Mrs. J.'i 1 direction, "What time Is do funeral? I hope I ain't late for " But Mrs. J. had flown Into the apartment, apart-ment, up tho stairs and into her own door. "Mommer" foiled tip nffer her laboriously labori-ously nud the flower bearer trotted along beside her, trying to get on answer to his question ns to the exact hour o( the obsequies. When tbey reached the top they be. held Mrs. Justwed clasped tight Id her husband's arms right in the opco doorway to their apartment. "Mommer" walked In almost unnoticed, nnd the flower bearer deposited bis burden bur-den nud left ft When tho first wild excitement of greetings bad qnloted down, and they had nil adjonrned to the living room. "Mommer" bethought herself to state: "It strikes me, Homer, you're a mighty well man for n sick man!" Homer was Just about to hem nnd haw some sort of an answer when Mrs. J. interrupted : "But bo's wen now, Mommer dear, and he eays bo's entirely recovered from bis sickness, nnd" Humph!" snorted Mommer, "assuming her most mother-in-lnwlr expression, "might I nsk what was tho trouble"' "Why, Mommer," Mrs. J. gurgled delightedly, de-lightedly, "be was Just sick for me, ha was, um ittle dearie, dearie dear, ami now bo's all well, you see, because I rn back ngnln nnd nnd nnd be hail these flowers sent up nnd this he-eautlful box of rnnrtr nml nnrl he's art find tn nn lor even twenty-four hours. But tbat seemed to be going It a trllle loo strong. No. that wouldn't do. If it were only the first of April he might cxplalu it as an April Fool Joke, but sluce It was the firth of June, the little Joke would most likely fall flat. He might say this, or be might say that, or he might he might-he might-he might do nny one of n thousand nnd one things nnd still not square himself. It was long Into tho night before Mr. Justwed's troubled brain found solace lu a deep sleep. And while he slept n strange thing happened. He never bad believed be-lieved In dreams, but he rarely bail them. Bpl, this time, be began to doubt the wisdom of his own doubts of these queer, nocturnal visitors. his little" "Humph!" snorted Mommer again, "homph! I might hnve known you'd d-i some such utterly absurd thing as that. Homer. You ought to he nshamed ef yourself. Here Blossom has been .nlinnst crazy all night with worry over yon and you've dragged me down here to nuro " "Cxcuso me, Mommer," put In Mr. J.. "excuse uiC! 1 didn't drui; you down here!" Mommer was on her feet lo nn lnst:mt. "Ob. yon didn't, didn't you! Well. I'll drag myself nwuy from here Just ns sou as I enn get down those steps. It's my opinion that you'd been drinking nala when you sent that telegram last ul'lit. But, Blossom here Is such n little ninny over you tbnt It's no use my talking. Let me tell yon. young man. the men lu my day wouldn't have done such a deceitful, de-ceitful, sclilsh, uuwnrraDted tiling us that nnd nnd " And Mommer rambled on for precisely 20 minutes In precisely the s-ime strain. After which she took up her bat nml things nnd started for the door. With dltllculty she was conxed aud wheedled into ataylng until after luncheon. But not one minute longer would she remain. She departed In wrnth supremo anil scorn Infinite, though Blossom wns In tears ami Homer dear servilely polite aud lu.-jlhtvut tbat she remain. "Well," remnrked nomer to himself, ns she departed. "It's an III wind that blows nobody good and and all a well j that cuds wtir." In the morning he nwoke with a clear head aud bis knotty problem settled. Ho bad seen Just how It would work out and the plan of campaign bad been vouchsafed him In a dream. Without the slightest hesitation. be walked straight to the telephone nnd notified a friend of his nt the bauk to report him ill. Then be called up a florist and ordered a bountiful supply of spring flowers sent up immediately by special messenger. A two-pound box of Mrs. J.'s favorite candy completed bis preparations. prepara-tions. Just as he was finishing his leisurely breakfast Ihe boy with the candy arrived. And Mr. J. had scarcely donned bis suit of flannels nnd his new spring tie n costume cos-tume fit for nnyouo but n sick man when he beheld, turning Into the entrnme to the apartment house, his own beloved Blossom and her "Mommer." Mr. J stepped back a space nnd concealed con-cealed himself In the curtain. Both women wo-men were hurrying along ns fapt ns they could walk. Mrs. J.'s face wns anxloils, woe begone, almost tearstalned. She was making for her sick Homer-der.r with all her might nnd main. "Mommer" wns waddling nlong beside her. puffing nnd blowing and doing her best to keep up, though It wns evident tbat she did not relish her task. "Mommer's" face. In fact was calculated to do anything but cheer up n sick person for "Mommer" bated to be hustled along. At precisely tho same moment the two women turned Into the apartment house entrance the boy from the florist urrlvcd, bearing the hnge box of flowers.. "Say. Ijdc," he asked, seeing that Mrs. J. and "Mommcr" were entering, "kin you'so tell mo what's do number on do flat of a guy named Justwed?" Mrs. Justwed stopped short, tottered a moment nnd nil but fell. She stldod a scream wllh hor handkerchief and Dourly Dour-ly clinked with hor emotion. "Calm yourself, my dear- calm yourself," your-self," consoled "Mommcr," at tho sums time turning to the puzzled messenger. |