The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1875-03-17
The Bachelors Surprise.

walks, the gaslights at the corner flick.
ering sullenly through the mist, and
the wind taking one viciously as one
came round the corner. Not pleas
ant evening to assume possession of a
new home; but necessity knows no
law, and Mr.. Barkdale put up his
night key into the red brick house in
the middle of the block, sincerely
hoping that his new landlady would
have common sense enough to light a
fire in the CRATE.
"Is it you sir?" Mrs. Heman quote
beamingly. "There is a good fire, and
it's all right" =
"All right, ehP' said the bachelor
feeling the blue tip of his frosty nose
to see whether it had escaped being
frozen off entirely. "Well, Pm glad
to hear of that. Have the trunks
Gomez" y
"Oh, yes, sir, and the other things I"
"What other thingsT" demanded
Mr. Barkdale.
But Mrs. Heman pursed up her lips,
II wasn't to tell, sir please"
Rather an eccentric old LADY,"
thought Markdale, pushing past her
to the third story front room, which
he had solemnly engaged the day be-
fore. 1t had been rather dark and
dingy little den by the light of the
coral shine of well filled CRATE, it
wore quite another and brighter as
pect.
"Velvet paper on the walls, gilt
pane!ing, red carpet and a Sleepy
Hollow chair" thought Mr.. Barkdale,
glancing round. "Notso uncomforta-
bic after all. When 1 get my things
unpacked, it will seem quite home
like"
He set his yalise down in corner,
deliberately opened it, took out a pair
of slippers and invested his tired feet
therein. Next he laid off his over
coat.
"Now for a cigar" thought he.
Blu. the brown layered weed was
yet in his hand, when there was q
hustle and a hutter, and a whs-
per, and merry noise OH the landing
outside, and the door few open as if
by magic, to admit half dozen
blooming, laughing girls.
Mr., Barkdale dropped his cigar and
retreated a step or two.
"Don't be alarmed" said the tallest
and pretticst of the bevy, "It's only a
surprise.
"a very agreeable one, l am sure,"
said our friend, recovering in some de.
gree his presence of mind.
"The's no mistake, 1 hape," said
yellow tressed blond. "Your name is
Mott Greenfel6?"
"No mistake at all, l assure you,"
said Mr.. Barkdale. "Of course it is
not Greenfield, Sit down, ladies'"
And he pushed forward the Sleepy
Hollow chair, a camp. stool and two
rheumatic reception Chairs, which were
all the accommodations presented by
his apartment.
But instead of excepting his courte-
sy, the girls all futtered out again,
giggllng and in second, before be
could realize this strange condition of
affairs, they were back again, bearing
benches and table cloth, dishes,
boquets and pyramid of maccaro-
nies, piled up plates of sandwiches,
frosted cake and a mysterious some
thing like unto an ice cream freezer.
The golden tressed girl clapped her
hands.
"You needn't think we are doing all
this for you, sir" she said.
"Oh," said Mr. Barkdale, bashfnlly,
IL hadn't any such impression"
"It's all right, surprise designed
for Kate's cousin"
"And how do you suppose we found
it all out2" demanded the tall girl
with the black eyes and scarlet faath-
er in her hat.
81 haven't the least idea"
"We found your letter to Kate and
we girls read it, and we resolved to
take you and her by surprise. She is
to be here in half an hour. Barbara
that is Barbara Morris, in the blue
merino dress-pretends that she has
moved here, and Kate is to come and
spend the evening with her. Won't
it be a joke ?"
"Stupendus," said our hero, gradual
ly beginning to comprehend that he
was mistaken for some one else.
"What will Kate say when she sees
you here?" calculated another maiden
marrily.
"Ah, what, indeed" said Mr., Bark
dale, wondering in what words he
could best explain matters. "Very
consderate of you, l am sure"
'She's the sweetest girl in ST. Louis"
exclaimed the tall damsel, enthusias.
tically ~ am one Of her dearest