The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1870-06-16

Frank Ermine.
Miss Betsy made rush for the
door. but she was too late. Toms
speed of locomotion had been greater
than .he had calculated on, and with q
blind impulse Of concealment she dart
ed into the closet and shut herself in,
among dressing gowns, shooting.coats
and old-looking bifurcated garments,
that filled her spinster soul with horror.
"They'll 60 out again pretty soon,"
thought Miss Betsy, painting, as she
held on desperately to the inner handle
of the door, "and then I can just slip
INTO my own room"
But no such denouement ap-
peared at hand. Mr.. Castlewynne and
his friend sat themselves down and de-
liberately lighted their cigars; the
blue vapor stole, spicy and pungent,
through the key-hole.
81 shall choke" thought Miss Betsy.
"Now, look here, Tom," said Mr..
Ermine, apparently resuming the con-
versatiou which had been temporarily
interrupted" rhere's no use in being
tainted hearted. Marry the little Ellie,
if she has forty old maid auntsv'
"My goodness gracious !" secretly
aspirated the captive maid.
II say, though" said Castlewynne,
"what an old cat Miss Betsy is. Fifty,
if she's dayw
"Sixty, I should think" remarked
Frank.
"The impudence of the creatures !"
gasped tue imprisoned subject of crit
icism.
"But still,' pursued Castlewynne,
"Elfe has some tender little notions
about never marrying without her
aunt's consent, and if we could per-
suade her 10 give it"
"Never," said Ermine. who could
expect q shrivelled up old fossil like
that to - Halo what's that noise" 7"
For aunt Betsy, half stiaed in the
closet, and choked with cigar smoke,
had givena spasmodic "ketch-a'' OF a
snceze.
"Nothing but the cat on the veran'
dab roof"
81 tell you it is something in that
closet!'
Ermine rose and tried the door.
Aunt Betsy hung resolutcly on to her
side Of it.
eff it is the cat" said Castlewynne,
coming to the rescue, "she is remarka-
bly, strong in her muscular develop
ment; give good pull, Frank. Hal.
loar'
For the door flew open with jerk,
revealing Miss Betsy Whistleton, shrin.
king back in q corner! One moment
Castlewynne startcd-the next q bril-
liant idea flashed across his mind; he
shut the door again and bolled it in
simultaneously.
"Thievesp' he cried, in carefully
suppressed tones. "Robbers, bur-
glars"'
"Oh, my good Mr.. Thomas,"
squeaked Miss Betsy. wildly, through
the keyhole, "please don't! Please
stop crying for help; it's only me,
Miss Betsy Wbistleton; it's all a mis-,
take, a misunderstanding"
"A misunderstanding, eh9' said
Castlewynne. ut has rather bur-
glarious look. I should be sorry to
deliver you into custody. Miss Whis-
tleton, but"
"Ha,e mercy on mel" shrieked Miss
Betsy, rattling at the door knob. "In-
deed, indeed, I meant no harm-it was
a mistake, upon my word! Please let
me out, quick, before any one comes !!
and me in mans room, too"
dreadful p groaned Mr.. Ermine.
"Too frightful to think Of" hol-
lowly echoed Castlewynnc.
"Oh, dear, dear!' walled Miss Bet
sy, as all the horrors of her situation
dawned upon her, "do please let me
out, Mr.. Thomas, and I'll give you
anything havein the world"
Mr.. Castlewynne paused; he ap-
peared to deliberate. Miss Betsy took
heart ofhope.
"Will you give me your niece, FL.
frida ?"
my niece Elfrida2 N-ever--real.
ly, could not"
20, very we'll! just as you elect.
Ermine, will you have the goodness
to step down stairs and call up the
landlord ?"
And at the same instant Elfrida's soft
voice was heard calling in the next
room.
"Aunt Betsy! Aunt Betsy! Oh, Mr..
Parker. where can aunt be gone ?"
Search, an .zposs and detection were
loomino inevitably over the wretched