Part 13

"But Nye was yet an invalid, and one year when California had been prescribed for him, we had made a line of engagements toward the Pacific slope after the regular season. It had been arranged that Mrs. Nye was to meet us in Kansas City and the trip from there to the coast was to be the long-deferred wedding journey. He had built great hopes upon this prospect, and in the pleasure of anticipation had devised a dozen little schemes for the surprise and entertainment of his wife, who had already left their home, on Staten Island, to join us. She had left their four children in care of her niece, a very worthy young woman, and was somewhere on her way to Kansas City when we arrived there.

"Nye had expected to find her there, but instead he was confronted with a telegram from his Staten Island physician stating that all four of the children had been stricken with scarlet fever. Through the influence of the physician, who was a great friend of Nye, they had not been removed to the hospital, as the regulations required, but had been permitted to remain at home, with the house quarantined. During the next few hours prior to Mrs. Nye's arrival, and in all agony of suspense and apprehension, Mr. Nye busied himself with canceling all further lecture dates, and when Mrs. Nye finally arrived he broke to her the painful news of their children's illness, and took the next train back East, not knowing if their little ones would be alive to greet them when they came.

"Arriving home after that terrible journey, they found the children so ill that they could not be told of the arrival of the father and mother; and Nye, with his heart breaking, sat downstairs and wrote to the children he was not permitted to see in their rooms above, long and happy letters from California, telling them what jolly lovely times their mother and father were having in the land of flowers.

"And, therefore," said Mr. Riley, in conclusion, again fondly referring to the volume, "I am especially rejoiced to see my old comrade at his best in this last published utterance, and the book itself so befittingly presented--so handsome and so dignified a volume, that I am certain a sight of it could but have been highly gratifying to the gentle humorist himself."

RUSSEL M. SEEDS.

* * * * *

A Guest at the Ludlow

BY EDGAR WILSON NYE

[BILL NYE]

Go, little booklet, go!-- Bearing an honored name, 'Till everywhere that you have went, They're glad that you have came.

A volume of humorous stories and sketches, with twenty-one full page and twelve smaller designs, the latter by the author.

By arrangement with Mrs. Edgar W. Nye, The Bowen-Merrill Co. announce a volume of humorous stories by Bill Nye (Edgar Wilson Nye), prepared for publication by him during the last months of his life, entitled

"A GUEST AT THE LUDLOW"

AND OTHER STORIES.

It is printed, bound and illustrated in a style surpassing anything heretofore issued of Mr. Nye's in book form, and containing the famous humorist's best and most finished work. Twenty-eight stories and numerous illustrations, including the author's introduction in fac-simile. It is the handsomest copyrighted book published this season for the price, $1.25, sent postpaid to any address on receipt of the price.

THE BOWEN-MERRILL CO., Publishers, Indianapolis and Kansas City

Transcriber's Note:

Archaic and inconsistent spelling and punctuation retained.