, 1875-04-11

| ing to take the slightest notice OF my confusion
| the widow continued:
~ have asked many gentlemen who use the
house. Some do and some DON'T What IS your
"Well, reall7:" stammered. -
"Of course" continued the widow, II can
| understand that You wouldn't Ike TO give ha
| opinion. For my part I think 10 is very hand
SOME"
p1ias sss:'y b!e"?Psa into the fro. Ny Angelic
= II suppose. feltszed' ''you moan TINT she
"You mean Maria's vife7 Leastwaya, il she is
his wife?"
Ny b.ain Was giving way. made up my mind
for tue worst, and resolved that, when they
came to put the strait jacket on mo I would re-
quest to be sent to Hanwell-tha benevolent
DR.. CopleY being friend Of cur family
II don't quite understand you," vas Ill I
"Well," retoined ny 1snalady, "la:t Thur
ard thore was two gentlemen Is said"
IT beg your pardon, madam, uho sang the
. Msria and Grisi."
Ha ha Cured IN m iustanti did not
venture to correct the pronunciation Of Mario's
name, but assured the widow that I WAS Of
her opinion Us to bis personal appearance. and
thought him the King Of Teuors. The Anselic
The conflict Of emotions had been severe, and I
rose to light my bedroom candle.
'Shai ring for Betsy?" asked the midor.
What horrible mama tor an angel! It an
noyeSd y d, 1e; ,s,n. ,,o,, .,,d1 .1 xnov nv roou
And now must shy good night. and thank you
ver7 much for your alndness:"
rose the widow rose. Weshook hands, and
her hand fingered 9 very little ~ mine: It oc-
Cured to me that tho proper thing to DO " as to
ind oh
was just about to. r1sx the experiment when I
heard sort Of warning cough; the glass door
had been pushed open, tnd there, IN pair OK
noise1ess list slippers, stood the Demon Boots!
'tBeg your pardon, CUR. -1Phat time did you
say you vas to be called in th2 morning? Your
boots is dried. and Tn gwine along to bed"
felt inclined to assault him with the boot
j1ck.
.seyen o'clock; told you tefore!" thunder
ed out; and then, all ideas OF fir'ation being
obscured BY considerations connected with my
personal effects, added:
"Don't forget my bootsl Cork-so1ed boots,
NTH red tops -" took somewhat abrupt fare
well OF the widow, aud stalked OF 10 bed,
where I soon fell asleep, and dreamed that
Grisi, wearing my cork-eoled boots, became
Angelic Betsy, and the widow MAS married to
DR.. Conolly At the Hanvell Lunatio Asylum.
When amoke it waa daylight, and heard the
sound Of vehicles passing to the railway station.
l looked ~ my WatcQ-u&l-Pask Z! 4ob DeWon
Beots had failed to call me. rang tho bell fu-
riously. and aye minutes later be opened the
door with placid grin and said:
Five-aad-twenty to 8. zur!"
"Give me mY ooots, roared out
"Here they be. xuri"
slammed the door upon him, seized the right
boot and commenced pulling it on. But tried
IN vain; it ftcouldn't come On. 1t must have
shrunk in last nights driving. There Was no
mistake about the boots themselves. There
they were, the beloved cork aoles, with the red
tops, for which I paid two guineas q week bo-
fore. Itugged and tngged TIL the perspiration
stood on my forehead. 4 quarter to y aud I
had to lecture at Bristol that very day. 7 kicked
the toe Of the boot against the leg OF the bed
kicked STU more violently against tue
formed desperate resolve. Taking out my
pen-kuife slit the boot open from the middle
down to the heel. The q FIVE minutes" ta1l
ceased ringing. With considerable effort
forced my foot into the ruined boot, and had
hardly dono so before heard the whistle Of the
departing train. The uaxt train would not leave
till quarter to Q, 60 threw myself on the bed,
fatigued and savage.
Enter Mr. Huggles, beamipg al over.
''Tratn'a gain, CUR. Next Lain quarter to
I pulled the boot on and armed it at his head,
with homlcidal intentions;, but he avoided the
rengeful missile with celerity which upset all
my calculations, and the unoneuding door-panei
peoama his soubT bTe-douIeur. Ten minutes later
the monster tapped cautiously at the door.
s.May come in, zur?"
"Come inl What do you want now 2"
"oh, it yon plsase. Ear; would you let me look
At !! yG9f Wbt e9S's3" ss'
"We'l, eur, there's one other gentleman stop
ping at the house. and he sleeps in the next room,
and be say that tho boots a. I've TOOK him iau't
his'n."
"Eh :" said I, starting up in considerable per-
turbation. T. Do you mesn to say that hs also
uerrs cork-soled boots?"
"Ees, Zur. he do"
''But mt With red tops7"
tEes, eur, they be"
'sNonsense, Boots; you must bare nade .
mistehe. Go to the gentleman and get my noots.
and then I will give you his"
A minute later the Demon brought back my
boots-my beautiful my own! The Demon took
up the ''other gsnt9eman's" boots, and ~saw
where the hand Of the spoi!er had been.
us: .$u%n. T. nit i wrong With this here boot eur
'tWelL yes. You had better tell the other
gentleman that bo will iod o slgnt alteration
made in one Ct the boots. Ithiuk 1t an i'm
Mr.. Hnggles shook bis head dubions]y. but
took away The boots and heard him tap at
the door of the adjoining room. His exptana-
tions were evidently not received in an ancable
spirit. for tha "other gentleman" broke out
into language Of tho most uncomplimeptary
kind respecting Huggles; and. with rapid
cresceTp1o OF vituporatloD, arrived at an appall-
ing .}orttssimo, culmnat'ng in threats OF per
sonal violence which led to the precipitate re-
treat Of Mr. Hueg'es down the stairs. From
that moment felt that there waa bond OF sym-
rathy between the "other gentleman" and my
self. We shared comm oa hatrod Of the Demon
Boots.
l descended to the coree-room III search Of
breakfast 4 dapper Httle man WAS seated BY
the fire with pair Of list slippers on bis feet:
Obviously, this WIS the "other gentleman"
aud he knew in moment who I WAS. His !
manner toward me was far from cordial hut !
bis frigidity relaxed when / explained and |
! apologizetl, and offered to pay for the damage /
| had innoceutly doue which offer ha firmly !
but politely declined, and be became quite sym
pathetic when expressed very strong senti- i
ments respecting the Demon Boots. We parted ;
pleasantly, and I ran lightly up staira to see II ;
nv luggage had been all taken out Of the bad
room. While passing al1ng the landing heard !
voices, and looking down cross passage be-
bsid my radiant Angel struggling in the arms Of
he Demon Boots, md heard her say-
''Doant'ee be fool. Huggles. Lot COOL"
II shan't, till you gives l a klss!"
For nearly minute was an unperceived
spectator Of vigorous struggle between Beauty