Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-02-25
A BACHELORS SURPRISE.


A chill December evening, with the
rain and snow forming Il disagrecable
sort of conglomcration On the sidewalks,
the gaslights at the corner Pickering sui
icn'y through the mist, and the wind TAX
ing one viciously as one came around the
corner. Not d pleasant evening to as
sumo possession of new home; but ne
cessity knows NO law, and Mr.. Barkdalc
put up his night key into the red brick
house in tile middle Of the block, sincere
ly hoping tina, his landlady would have
common scnce enough to light fire in
the CRATE.
us it you, sir:" Mrs. Heman quoth,
bcamingly. "TLcre's good fire. and it's
all right"
"All right, ell ?" said the bachelor, feel
ing the blue tip OF his frosted nose to sec
whether it had escaped being frozen off
entirely. "We'], I am glad to hear that
Have the trunks comc?'
"Oh, yes sir, and the other things"
what otl:cr tAings:' demanded Mr.
Barkla
But Mrs. Hcman purscd up her lips.
II wasn't to tell, sir, please"
''R;;tltrr an eccentric cid lady," tlo:'
Mr. B"rkdale, pushing past her to the
! third sto:y front room, which lie had sol
cn1nly engaged the day before.
It had been rather q dark and tlingy lit
tie den by the light OF ,i1emoon; but now,
soflened by the cora! shine Of Il we'll I'LL
cd CRATE, 1t wore quite &nc:hcr and !,
brighter aspect
"Nclvet paper on the walls, gilt panncl
ing, red carpet, and u Sleepy Hollow
CHAIR" thought a!r. Barkdale, glancing
| arouhd Not SO uncomfortable after all.
When get my things unDacked, it will
seem quite homclike."
He set down his v;.iisc in the corner,
deliberately opened it, took out a pair of
| slippers, and invested his tired feet there
in. Next he laid off his ovcrcoat.
"Now for cigar" li'uyht he.
| But the brown layered weed was yet in
his hand, when there was hustle, and a
tluitcr and a whisper, and Il merry noise
on the landing on the outside, and the
door flew open as if by magic, to admit
half a dozen blooming, laughing girls.
Mr.: Barkdalc dropped his cigar and re-
| treated step or two.
Don't be alarmed,' said the tallcst and
pretticst Of the bevy, Its only sur
prise"
"a very agreeable one, Pm sure" said
our friend, recovering in some degree his
presence Of mind.
"Thcrc's no mistake, hope" said I,
ycllow-trcssed blonde. Your name is
not Grecntirld.'
NO mistake at ;1]l: assure you," said
Mr.. Darkdale. "Ofcourse it is not Green
field. Sit down ladies'"
And he pushed forward the Sleepy Hol
low chair, u camp stool anu two rlcumat
ic reception chairs, which were all he
accommodation presented by his apart
ment.
But instead Of accepting his courtesy
the girls all t1uttercd out again, giygling
and in a second, before he could realize
this strange condition of affairs, they were
back again, BEARING benches and table
cloth, dishes, boquets, Il pyramid of mac
carorics, pilcd-up plates Of sandwiches
Of Frosted Cake, and mysterious some
thing like unto I'LL ice cream freezer.
The goldcn-trcssed girl clapped Acl
hands.
"You needn't think we are doing al
this for you, SIR" she said.
"Oh," said Mr.. Barkde]e, bashfully, "'.
-I-hadn't any such impression"
Its al! surprise designed for Kate
cousin"
us it," said Mr. Barkdalc, more in tn
dark than ever.
"And how do you suppose we found
all out:" demanded the tall girl with tn
black eyes and scarlet feather in her hat
II haven't the least idea.'
"We found your letter to Kate, and "
girls read it, and we resolved to take yo1
and her by surprise. She is to be here il
half an hour. Barbara-that is Barbar
Morris in the blue merino Dress" with
a turn of her long lashcs toward the golG
en- haired girl, ''pretends that she ha
moved here, and Kate is to come an
spend the evening with Barbara. Won
it be a joker -. ~ ..-...z....>...:
"Stupendous!" said ourhero, gradual
beginning to comprehend the fact that Ii
was mistaken for some one else. ".....
"What will Kate say when she sees yo
hcre"' calculated another maid, merrill,
= "All, what indeed" said Mr.. Barkdal,
wondering in what words he could be:
explain matters. ...... .-.,..s+" -
s'Of course we shall look the other wa
while you are kissing and hugging her,
E said Miss Barb;ira, dcmurcly. ,..:. ..>
: Very considerate oi you, I am sure
observed Mr. Barkdale. Y
> '''Slle's the sweetest girl in New York
exclaimed a tall damsel, enthusiastically
Il am one Of her dearest friends. "