Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-10-09
FRANKS STRATAGEM,

prCfesSed to be- With lady, veracity on
that point is generally good; SO we will
chronicle her asfour times ten. Forty sum-
ners had left wond erful bloom upon her
oheek-or else it was rabbits paw lightly
touched to mysterious powder, In an oval
toxwith lid all covered with guilt and French
words, and conveyed therefrom to the saliow
cheek of the youthful Miss Amanda Her
teeth looked splendidly She said it was
natural to the family her fathers teeth
were all sound when he died at the advanc-
ed age of seventy SO most people envied
shat natural beauty of her family "a set of
splendid teeth, but learned she paid money
fer them: and spirits, that walk when
Might driven along by the hours has reached
the middls Of its orbit"
you'd back me UP IN the assertion, had they
taken an airy stroll thro' Miss Melbourne )
chamber, at the hobgoblin hour. for there
they reposed in i tumbler of cold water, ev-
cry night, on table near her bed. She was
very precautious to place the stand near her
bed, in case OF ire | suppose, for verify
believe she would have persisted in the
fame, rather than let the world know her
..rop,, sound teeth decayed ard dropped
cut in single night!
And then those tresses black, glossy and
ANA ia did, yo,um nous as any glrl OF
seventeen but the waterfall, with its beaded
Het, decked the aforesaid stand each night
sise, and a front piece coiled itself around
the aforesaid tulnbler.
There was another article that mingled
With the group of "make-ups, on tha.
stand. There was pair of them. i will
.eil you how | learned the above. One morn
Ing had risen early, and stepped from my
window to the roof of the piazza, and went
around to her sleeping room window. 1t
vas very warm weather. and Miss Melbourne
had been so indIscreet as to leave her WIN
dow open and curtain up. SO L opened the
blinds to bid her good morning, and, y hor
FOR! there laid an old lady, white headed,
toothless, cheekless | might almost say, for
there we're two deep holes where cheeks asu-
silly were. The sun shone full upon her sal
low face. and kissed her white eye brows,
and / hastily closed the blinds for fear of
awakening her, and hurried back to my "a
partment. The array on the stand had not
escaped ny eye, and had | not seen them,
] should have been in great doubt whether
that great-grand- mother looking woman was
Hiss Melbourne, forty, or some ancient, di-
!spidated relation of whose arrival had not
yet learned. But knew the teeth. gradu
name of Art, was that pair of things beside
them?
Curiosity was strong at eighteen, so tax
lag off my slippers, | glided round To her
slndow again and pCered through the blinds.
Hiss Melbourne was sitting on the edge Of
tie bed, trying to shake of death 5 coun-
iertelt, by rubbing hes eyes and giving
musical little ns-occas;onaliy varying
toe performance by -stToklng her shoulders,
aa II coaxIng off the rheumatism.
At this juncture, my handkerchief had al
most disappeared In my mouth, and both
hands were clapped to my sides, to prevent
explosion which might give warning to the
enemy that | was In ambush, for / was
bound to discover where that pair of pear
shaped gutta-percha articles went. on Miss
Melbourne. While waiting for that denou
ment, l heheld what surprised me still more.
As live, Miss Melbourne reached down and
9Foaght from under the bed-an artificial
4g always noticed fault about her walk,
Dqt thought it an attempt at the "Grecian
"iggle, so fashionable now a-days.
=, At this juncture | was shaking visibly, and
The handkerchief performed but half duty,
'Vr te-he was audible several times. Just
tnen appeared my dear Frank, in the gar
aeh below, and commenced pelting me with
gravel stones. Saucy fellow to take adyau-
'sse OF my powerless position.
Tood morning he shouted; but on
shook my head at him, and placed my
nnger on my lips.
What are you doing at that window?
.nere snere your slippers?' were questions which
'omSwed, when enjoined silence.
:, turning round to give him frown, and
snow my displeasure IN the most efficient
and silent manner, I beheld him climbing
up s1H The ttrellis, saying:
II there Is anything special to see, I'll
4 leaned over the edge of the piazza and
so sook out my pen-knife aud embroidery scis-
sors my only Weapons.
Now, Frank. / whispered, IF you don't
Sc. down Immediately. I'll cut your fingers
'ua ''lp yeur moustache And as he was