Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-09-30

on the watch behind some obscuring
fold or ostentatious]y half closed shut
ter.
"What's that, I wonder?" she said,
as the last piece of luggage, a long case
wood, was thrown down, and the stage
got under way once more.
GA coffin, I guess" said little Dickey
Staples, who possessed a share OF his
elder sisters aptitude at saying unlucky
things.
"Nonsense," said Miss Kitty, aiming
cuff at Dickey's ears-she might as
we'll have tried to smite will the
wisp. ''Any fool, with half an eye,
could see it's nothing but shower
BATH"
cts mighty heavy for that sort O.
thing" said Dan. Harvey, who was act
ing as porter, as he stopped to shoulder
the box. 81 say, Mrs. Harper
"Well?"
"You re sure that it's all right?''
"Of course, it Is, you fool y cried
the old lady, beginning to lose her
temper. "Don't stand there all day,
but be movin'.''
"'Cause," muttered Dan, under his
breath, "Td just as soon leave the liftin'
and luggin' of corpses to the undertake
ers. Where's this to be put?
elm the big front room. of course,
said Kitty, briskly. CHOW, there !!
Don't knock the wall down. What is
the matter with you, DAMP"
cts so mortal heavy" muttered
Dan, as he staggered into the sitting
room and dropped the case with re-
sounding thud upon the floor. 81 do
wonder what to gracious is in it =
'sDid you ever hear" demanded
K tty, Struggling her shoulders, "of the
man that got rich by minding his own
business?"
"He warn't any relation to the Har-
veys, [ guess" said Dan, with broad
grin. "Now, Mrs Harper, ma'am, I'll
trouble you for that ere fifty cents"
When Mrs. Harper came back from
driving a bargain with Miss Betheral
Higgins for spring chickens and fresh
eggs for the next three months, she
found Kitty and the help-Desire Jones
by name, and quite on an equality with
the family-upstairs in full conclave.
ooh, Aunt Polly, I'm so glad you've
come backI'' said Kitty, Historically.
"Im so afraid.
''Afraid of what %
"Of staying alone with that thing,
aunt" said Kitty, in whisper: "Im
almost certain there's something wrong
about it. %
"My goodness gracious!' p cried Mrs.
| Harper. letting herself drop into chair,
"what does the girl mean? What
should be wrong?"
Aunt" whispered Kitty, her voice
making a disagreeable tickling sensa-
ton in her elderly relatives ear, g he
calls himself chemist He writes M.
d. after his name"
"Well, what then % questioned Mrs.
Harper, rubbing her irritated ear.
eff he should have come to this
secluded place merely to further his
own diabolical ends-if-oh, aunt, if
that case should contain a dead body
upon which he intends to operate with
knife and scalrei-'
"Nonsense p squeaked Mrs. Harper.
Its so heavy" said Desire. claw !!
[ tried to lift it, and [ might as well
move so much cast iron -
"And I'm almost certain" ouivered
Kitty, "that there's a disagreeable
smell coming from it Oh, aunt, how
horrible! Only fancy spending night
in the house with corpser'
81 shan't stay" said Desire, GO ! shall
go over and sleep to Becky Staples p
Mrs. Harper arose and advanced as
timorously toward the long mysterious
case as if she fully expected a skeleton
to bounce out Of it, after the fashion Of
Jack In the box"
Il read astory awhile ago." saidshe,
''of a packing case being brought into
a house of unprotected females Just like
us, and burglar being done up in it
on the sly p
claws p calculated Desire, while
Kitty got nervously behind her. "But
there amt no ljve person in that box, if
there was, he'd a yelled out when me
and Kitty tried to lift the box and drop
ped 1t, bang on the hearth-stone.
"Do you really suppose it's body?"
gasped Mrs. Harper
"Weu, if it amt, what is it?' coun-
ter-questioned Desire
''And do you believe Mr.-Dr. Ho-
Daftson is cutter up OF the dead? p
"Hes a scientific man," said Desire,
solemnly, ''and as I've al'ays heard,
science don't stick at anything!"
"Then [ don't want him here" cried
Mrs. Harper.
"Tell him So" suggested Desire.
" [ will" said Mrs. Harper. But
don't go, Desire! Stay and keep us
company"
" It's an awful ticklish thing to do"
said Desire, "but [ amt the stuff to
back out Yes-I'll stay
All night long the three women kept
vigil before the fire, with big Bible
on the stand beside them and Bakers
Saints Rest, and the Catechism under
it! And all night long the obnoxious
little boys Of the neigborhood whistled,
sang, and flung stones against the win
dows, with yells of, CHOW, til en-, come
on! Bring out your dead body. Clear
the way for the ghost Where's the