Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-01-25


rs thorough snob, utterly unlike dear
Fred. But then, living abroad does
altar men SO. Tumbler after tumbler
OF brandy and water were mixed and
disappeared down his capacious throat,
and a choice ham, which she had ORDER
ed in for his repast, looking very foolish
indeed when foolishly carried out.
! Still, Ellie would have forgiven this
. to Fred's brother, but she did not see
why be should wink so familiarly at
Betsey when she came in for the tray,
or weigh the spoons and forks 80 sll-
perciliously on his fingers, while he crit
icised the mari, to see if they were silver,
as If he did not know that bank clerk
could not so we'll afford plate as Chi
nese merchant. Then, too, he seemed
to care SO little to hear or ask about
Fred, or any about the family.
Poor Ellie was fairly heart sick, and
ready to cry with disappointment and
the wearisOme task of entertaining this
great rough stranger, who appeared to
grow more taciturn and sulky as she
made more advances; so, about eleven
o'clock, rs he seemed to be smoking
himself into doze, aided by the guam
tlty of spirit he had cons umed, she ven
tared to suggest that she would retire
to rest.
"Ah, es,do, to be sure, he replied,
promptly, as if relieved "dont let me
keep you up I sometimes sit and
smoke all night"
"What brute !" thought Ellie. 81
showed yon your room, MI. Wilson. -
mo, she couldn't say ''Charles" now.
He was so different to the "Charles'
Fred had portrayed)
eyes, yes; all right, but -ahem-I've
been thinking if were to run down to
Southampton early tomorrow morning
before you're up, might bring my
brother back few hours sooner, you
see, He'll perhaps be waiting about,
thinking the ship isn't in.''
"To be sure" cried Ellie, eagerly,
"that is a kind thought! Go by ali
means. He's not such bad fellow,
after all-and shall get rid of him to
morrow" was her congratulation.
"There's only one difficulty; I've
nothing but this confounded Chinese
draft" and he took O dirty piece of
paper from his pocket and fourished it..
"a foreign house will cash it for you
it's a tennor; but I've lots of tin, and
you may buy wedding present for the
rest, if you'll advance me five upon
it."
Ellie was only too happy,sh never
stopped to examine the document
probably would have been no wiser if
she had, for the little woman was, over
gifted with brains-but just glancing at
apparently some Chinese hieroglypics,
she dropped it into her port-mantear,,
and ran up stairs to her dresslng.cas
to fetch a tive-pound note, which had
been given her as u dowry by "pOol
papa" Ga worked, i'll paid curate
with eleven children) on her wedding
day
Ere she went to sleep that night she
had bought many imaginary article.
with the five pounds her brother-ln- Law
had so generously presented and awok<
in the morning with horrid nightmare
that she had purchased an ornamental
clock for the mantle piece, and whel
she would have paid for it the "Chi
nese draft" crumbled in her fingers, ant
she was rudely given into the custod,
of two policemen as an imposter, whei
she awOke screaming to Fred to say,
her.
The morning sun was streaming OF
her face, and to the horrid dream sue
ceeded the pleasant realty that til,
odious "brother-in-law" was certainl,
gone, and the dear husband would re
turn in few hours.
Poor Ellie had never passed such
wretched day in her young life Us tn
; proceeding one, and so she con1ded t,
Betsey, in the course of the morning. Th,
strangers bed had not evidently beel
slept in, and the only trace of his visi
having been rather spirituous and spir
itual was the empty brandy bottle ant
reeking atmosphere of the usually pur,
little apartment sacred to love ani
Ellie.
She flung open the windows, an6
with Betsey's aid hastily removed al
trace OF the intruder's recent presence
half f-shocked with herself for the re
pugnance with which "Brother Char
lie" had inspired her, SO different from
the sisterly affection Fred had assured
her she would feel for him.
In the course of the morning tn,
gloves were mended and all the after
noon Ellie sat and watched for the ab
sent husband. It must have been near
ly five when wheels were heard up
preaching, and cab with a weather
beaten portmanteau on the top drew up
Two gentlemen jumped out, but Eli
had only eyes for one.
"Oh, fred, dearest, am 8
glad!"
"Ellie, darling, how are you2. Cha,
lie, come here, old fellow. This is m
little wife. You may give him sis
ter's kiss, pet, and think yourself
lucky-dog, my boy!"
It was dreadful to poor Ellie to b
, pushed into the arms of that horrlbl
man, but disgust was merged into as
tonishment at the heartiness of tn
fraternal salute, the pleasant, genia
tone of the voice that acknowledge
: her favor. Then she summoned coul
age to look up. What did it mean2
"Why, Ellie 2" laughed her hus
h band, you seem thunderatruck
t What's the matter, child! Isn't h
like what you expected?"
;. "Y e.e-s-no, no." stammered Ellie
u as she gazed spell-bound at the brigh
n face smiling with just Fred's smile 6
J; her persistent scrutiny, and with bea
aug AChIV uuu INV teaTS, 1OllOWcO I'll
: tale of the preceding evening, not omi
(" ting the smallest detail, even to ht
:, own dream.
II At first, her husband seemed perplc.
; ed, afterwards little angry;an tinall,
e catching his newly restored brother
y twinkling eye. they both gave way to
e burst of merriment.
Then spoke Fred: ''My darlir
little VI 9, YOU e done hundred ar
l. one foolish things since we were ma
n ried, but this beats ALL You've pos
+ lively allowed swindler to get into IL
q house under false pretences, and {
\, you out of fivc-pound note, to g,
n nothing of bottle of brandy, ct
u Charlie, shall we ever make this lit
e woman fit to govern household, (
Is Is fill any post of responsibility thi1
W you!'
y Ellie would have pouted, only h
NJ husbands arm was round her, and Il
III tone of his voice so gentle and kin
IT, How many would have scolded Il,
Cr atnrme1 ,,n1ar similar pircum stances