The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-08-05

smlilng. III Is Od1 You did Lot
know it, as il is your mother she il
visiting there"
This at least was open ard to the
point.-It was inst as he had often
thought: some other old friend had
accompanied the Wilkes, and his
mother, no doubt, was secretly exult-
ing that, in escaping from the Wilkie
snare, he had run straight into the
nets of-yes, by the way, of whom
| Who was this second old friend to
whom he was to owe his downfall ?
another point to be eraftily aseer-
tanned.
'T am delighted to find that your
mother is friend OF mine," he re-
piled to Mrs. Gregory; but. naturally,
am not acquainted with all my
mothers friends, and, as have not
the pleasure OF knowing MR. Greg
ory-ah, L forget, your mother would
not be Mrs. Gregory, though"
mo, she is Mrs. Wilkie," answered
his companion, looking him full in
the face.
"WiIkie.-D gasped Perry, aghast;
"but-then-yOu are
Precisely" said Mrs. Gregory,
composedly, 81 am the designing
young woman who drove you from
your house, without ever having set
her foot in it. Your mother was
kind enough to invite mamma and
myself to visit her, but was Obliged
to decline, ss l have already prom
ised to 90 to George Grover. / did
not tell you BEFORE" added Mrs Greg
ory, smiling, "as it seemed q needless
cruelty to drive you from your friends,
too, and trust by this time you have
found out that am not such a ter
ri6ly artful person after all"
Here was q pleasant position.
What was Perry to say? His reply,
whatever 1t was, was made in sO4Ow
tone as to be lost to his historian,
and consequently to the world at
large.
But some idea of it may perhaps be
gained from fragment OF his con-
versation with Tom Grover over the
final cigar that night.
'Ha, ha, ha," rOared Tom, land
you really mean TO say you went
laundering along in your blissful ig-
norance right up to the climax
"Straight up to the fatal name OF
Wilkie," answered Perry. "I might
have guessed at it before, but there
it was, you see, had got the idea of a
Miss Wilkie so firmly fixed in nv
mind-ah, Tom, felt from the first
that my mother took it too easily.
And no wonderI There she is, Just
beginning to tell me her trap won't
work, when interrupted her to say
am running my head right into it
somewhere else. BY JOve when I
think II I, od nnIxy laf har
"Why, then you wouldn't be in for
as Perry paused, apparently over
whelned. "Conf0und it, man you're
not beginning to finch already ?"
"Flinchl No occasion to talk in
that unpleasant way, Tom, ~ if
were going to be hanged"
SIT is true, there is slight differ
ence-in favor of Hanging" said Tom,
pensively.
"NO, 1 haven't the slightest dis
position to finch, as you call il still
marriage is q serious thing"
"Uncommonly serious, can tell |
you," grosned Tom, with a cruel |
pleasure, apparently, in giving Perry |
rs gloomy view rs possible Of the |
step he had pledged himself to take. |
"And can hardly be expected to
make so light Of it as you, to whom
the whole affair is merely cOmical |
SURPRISE"
mot much of a surprise, either"
said Tom, in an 0ff-hand manner !;
I've known it these two days"
"Known it these two days p' repeat
ed Perry. reseptfully, in spite OF the
eontentment he had just been pro-
Tossing. Sand never said word
A pretty friend you sre!u
"Ah," said Tom, "but you know
there's a certain satisfaction in seeing
neighbor Kelly as bad off as ourselves.
Besides, what difference would it
have made in the end ?''
''None, 1t is true" confessed Perry,
adding, nor the third time, the re-
mark: "There is fate in these
things, suppose-and certainly rve
no cause to complain of mine
But / say, Tom," he concluded, after
a moment, "my mother will have
the laugh all on her side, won't she2"
Kate Putnam OsgoOd.