Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-06-12

think It's my duty, sald MISS
Betsey, setting her colorless lips to-
gether, and advancing on tiptoe into
the apartment OF Messrs Castlewyne
and Ermine.
"I never was in q mans room be-
FORE" thought the lady, with little
bride and simper. Dear me, what
a variety of boots and slippers, right in
the middle of the floor. Is this brandy
and water?" No, it's lemonade box
full of cigars, as live, and novel;
Oh, the depravity of young men. I
really hope l shall not be contaminated
by this awful atmosphere. And what's
this curious wooden thing? Oh, sup
pose it must be boot-jack. A dress
ing-case, too, with chased silver stop
pers to all the bottles-dear me, this
cologne is really very nice. I wish I
had brought that empty paregoric bot
tie along with me; don't believe they
would ever miss few drops. Pink
pomatum too, as live and breathe, and
housewife all fitted up with needles
and spools of thread. My goodness me
if it isn't lined with the very brocaded
silk that belonged to my grandmother's
wedding dress. I thought that pat
tern came short when I measured it, to
make silk quilted skirt. do believe
Elfrida took it to make this piece of
folly and nonsense with"
Miss Whistleton elevated her eyes
and hands in holy horror.
"Two whole inches! I wonder If
Elfrida ever thought what sin it was
to steal"
The inquisitive spinster tiptoed about
the room, peering into boxes, opening
bottles, and looking behind sofas; but
still she found no condemning proof of
u correspondence between Mr.. Castle
wyne and her niece Elfrida. She was
just turning to come out, rather disap-
appointed than otherwise at the non
success of the scouting expedition,
when Tom Castlewyne sprang up the
stairs, two steps at time, and strobe
along tho hall, followed by his friend
Frank Ermine.
Miss Betsey made a rush for the door,
but she was too late. Toms speed of
locomotion had been greater than she
had calculated on, and with blind inn
pulse of concealment she darted into
q closet, and shut herself in among
the dressing g-gowns, shooting-coats, and
strange bifurcated garments that filled
her spinster soul with horror.
"They'll go out again, pretty soon"
thought Miss Betsey, painting as she
held desperately on to the inner handle
of the door, "and then can just slip
into my own room!'
But no such inducement appeared
near at hand. Mr.. Castlewyne and his
friend sat themselves down, and de-
liberately lighted their cigars; the blue
vapor stole, spicy and pungent, through
the key hole.
ST shall choke" thought Miss Bet
sey.
"Now look. here, Tom," said Mr..
Ermine, apparently resuming a con-
versation which had been temporarily
interrupted, there's no use in being
faint-hearted fool! Marry the little
Ellie, if she has forty old maid auntsr
My goodness graciousr secretly
aspirated the captive maid.
81 say, though" said Castlewyne,
" what an old cat Miss Betsey is. Fifty,
if she's q day." ..-.
Sixty, 1 should thinkr' remarked
Frank.
The impudence of the creaturesl'
gasped the imprisoned subject of criti-
cism.
"But still" pursued Castlewyne,
Ellie has some tender notions about
never marrying without her aunt's con-
sent, and if we could persuade her to
give it" ...-... ....
"Never! who could expect q shriv-
elled up old fossil like that, to-Hallo!
what's that noise p ....
For Aunt Betsey, half stifed in the
closet and choked with cigar smoke,
had givena little spasmodic g. 'Ketch-aI' r.
of q sneeze.
Nothing but the cat on the veranda
roof"
"I tell you it's something in that
closet"
Ermine rose and tried the door.
Aunt Betsey hung resolutely on to her
side of it.
" If it is the cat," said Castlewyne,
coming to the rescue, she's remarka-
bly, strong in the muscular develop
ments; now give good pull, Frank.
Hal-loa!" *a
For the door few open with jerk,
revealing Miss Betsey, shrinking back
| into corner. One moment Castle
wyne stared, tho next brilliant idea
flashed across his mind; he shut the
door again and bolted it instantane-
ously.
Thieves!" he cried, in carefully
suppressed tones. "Robbers! Bur
glarsr a
ooh, my good Mr.. Thomas wildly
squeaked Miss Betsey through the key
hole, please don't! Please stop cry
ing for help! It's only me, Miss Bet
sey Whistleton; it's all mistake-a
misunderstanding"