The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-06-10
aYes. What do YOU c;,A il p"

Isl call 1t the cachIn6tf6n or A.. My
dear, the children are down stairs you had
better go back" ss,ss .as ,s5
"Not alone! | can not sleep alone in that
room tonight"
swell, TIL go, too" calculated Mr.. King
and hand-in.hand the two spouses, wrapped
in their long, white night gowns, descended
the stairs on tip toe. As they gained the
foot, the spare-room door opened again, and
the same deep, hollow tones said, HAS
anything happened? CAM do anythihg p
Mrs. King screamed, and few into her
own room. ssNop thundered, Mr.. King, and
banged his door,. ~
" aJonas," almost sliricked his wife, "you
must tell me what this meansW iistsa e YEA:
Clarissa, be quiet! I can tell you moth
ing" -, 80
II must know, I am almost crazy. Have
you been doing anything dreadful Z" s.
afa"I may do something dreadful if am pro-
3voked," said Mr.. King. He was regaining
his courage now i; besides, -hs4eoald always
buster to his wife. "Let us try to sleep
now" Illuminated he 'sGod only knows
what the morrow has in store for us. e e
oaAsthis comforting postulate could not be
controversial Mrs. King tried to mako as
good pillow of it as she might. ~ ~
The next day came
T" care you at leisure this morning, Mr..
King?" questioned the tall man. 1fa a2s
stN--no-not. exactly, stammercd he:
s"that isl have to go to business now. IF
-a-you-a could come back to dinner. We
dine at four"
Gas you please" said Mr.. Lining. -.1
"Jonas," said Mrs. King, when he went to
get her market orders, II want to speak to
you again about my mother. am going to
write to her to-day, and 0--e giaies
"Clarissa," interrupted Mr.. King, Hyour
mother can't come to live here, ! say SO for
tho hundrcth time; the house isn't big
enough" a9P T -
ut seems big enough for all the stray
waits that come along, responded Mrs. King,
tartly. - ...,g .sfsq- s,.,.,e-,tsis,l .sss.s
'sThere never was house, yet big enough
for q man and his mother-in-l law"
ssBut, my mother 49,
r. ooh! hang your motherW reared Mr..
King, aud rushed out of the door. aeG iii F
Who was SO merry as Mr.. King that even-
ing? He kept up a running fire of small
talk, allowed Mr.. Lining no opening for bu-
siness and when ten9o'clock came would not
hear of his leaving "Stay awhile with us =
he said Hospitality. And to his wife he adj
ded, when they we're alone, "For Gods sake,
don't provoke him, Clarissa."
elbow long is this to go on, Mr.. King r
said his helpmate, in reply, in tone Of cool,
communicated INDIGNATION q sE.54sf...t II
Chow can / tell. groaned the wrctchcd
man. - h ~
GLOW can you tell? Are you going to
take no measures about it :" :
s"Couldn't you put a little arsenic in his
coffee ?" suggested he. std get etti.si
"Mr. King, are you serious ?" ~
.ssPerhaps Imay be-, returned he giomily.
"Can't you think Of anything you could
do?" NJ Ee49 oAs'.'7sas ests's'i ait-
"Oh, yes wrejoined Mrs. King sarcastical-
ly; stink Of anything 1 could do Why
don't you think Of something you could do p
The next morning. before they went down
to breakfast, Mrs King began again on the
subject of her mother. asa4sf sHaae't'o --is
Mr. King was tying his scravat, and began
to hum an air AT this his spouse lost all
patience. o5f aa sia ~ r9seted aasssHa
"Mr. King, are you listening !" she cried
Il don't believe you hear word say !" ii,
II know it all, my dear !" said he. "l'ye
heard it often enough 6liaf affection, de-
clining years, sympathy, society, and all the
evil it mover be possible to make you see
the thing in the right light Z" -. q,.a.s5s
| with my minds eye" said Mr.. King.
throwing back his head in an attitude, 81
look into the dim future, and / can see nc
possible combination Of circumstances which
can change my opinion" i. 4s
Mrs King regarded him with look Of
angry contempt e''I know something that
would" she said. aIf dear ma had the
prospect. of "a hundred thousand au ASA
aOh! in that case, my dear" interrupted
he, ''my duty to the childrep--ahem! might
| lead me to smother my-ahem! But she has
rot such prospects, has she?' She has no rich
brother TO leave it to her, and she won't IN.
vent a patent medicine, will she As you
are so severely critical; my dear, we'll say
probable. 4 know Of 20 combination OF cir
cumstances, the most remotely probable, thai
would induce me to consent-there.p 788 al
"Well. if ma can't come here, that mar
shan't stay. I'll 60 and order him out O
the house myself" 0s 49, nv sAs'9 ''s
i. ssSsop, stop cried Mr.. King, all ina from
Lble. Sa1No, since its come to that, FL do ii
myself. But you don't know what you driyt
me to do - t .s,f. j.
I He rushed down stairs in q state Of des-
pair. There sat the incubus. "Sir," sale
Mr.. King, II should be glad to know nov
the nature of--a-your-a have beer
here along time-,and 7-a-ef you---a 49, ~ :
| Mr.. Lining had turned slowly, and brought
| to bear upon the speaker that deep, penctrat.
ing gaze that had for two days thrilled hi
very marrow !; and then broke down altogcth
or, as we have seen. Poor MIR. King expect
ed every moment to see pistol brought out
n beg your pardon; I did not catch YOU
| Words said the guest, rising up taller, as i
appeared to his host, till he stood in the same
| attitude as he had stood the night Of his ar
rival ~ -.'g
Mr.. King rushed up stairs to his wife's
bedroom. 4 ;ss "a y @,a'S4l $50
'.Turu him, out Of the house as soon al
you like" cried he insanely, "Calla police
man Do anything. Only get him away.
.tDid he refuse to go?" asked Mrs. King
ell didn't ask him." stammcred he
husband. .iYe E e.si sEa
s.Did not ask him! What on earth, dit
you ask him then ?" ..s.s 80.