The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-10-13
stand you," said Miss Kent, per

The next week. Cousin Mark
arrived, and / liked him at once.
An unhappy marriage would have
been the last thing thought of in
connection with the gentleman.
He had accepted the situation ike
a man, Jennie told me, and for
fifteen years carried a load of
misery that few could have endur-
ed. Oesth came to his relief at
last. and now the poor fellow
honestly believed himself an alien
from domestic happiness.
Singular as it may appear, Cous-
In Mark was the embodiment of
good health and good nature; fif-
ty, perhaps, though he didn't look
it, and as rotund and fresh in his
way as the little dressmaker was
in hers. As / looked at him. i
defied anybody to see one and not
be Immediately reminded OF the
other. True, he had more of the
polish which comes from travel
and adaptation to different classes
and individuals, but he was not a
whit more intelligent by nature
than was the bright little woman
whom Jennie had determined he
should marry.
81 was surprised you should
think necessary to caution me
about that, Cousin Mark" coOed
the plotter, as she stood by his
side looking out of the window.
"The idea of my being so ridicul-
ousr' and in the same breath, with
wink at me, "Come, let US go to
my sitting-room. We are at work
there, but it won't make any differ
ence to you, will it?''
OF course Cousin Mark answer
ed NO" promptly, as innocent as
a dove about the trap being laid
for him.
"This is my cousin-Mr. Ian
sing, Miss Kent" and Mr.. Ian
sing bowed politely, and Miss
Kent arose, dropped her scissors,
blushed, and sat down again,
Cousin Mark picked up the re-
fractory implements, and then
Mrs. Jennie, with rare caution
and tact, began her labor of love.
Cousin Mark, at her request. read
aloud an article from the Popular
Science Monthly, drawing Miss
Kent into the discussion as deity
as was ever fly drawn into the web
of the spider.
"Who was that lady, Jennie?'
| Cousin Mark inquired in the even
ing.
''Do you mean Miss Kent?' said
Jennie, looking up from her paper.
"Oh, she is lady L have known
for a long time. She is making
some dresses for me now. WhyT'
"She seemed uncommonly well
posted for woman"
| Under other circumstances Mrs
Carlisle would have resented this,
but now she only queried, "Do
1 you think sop and that ended it
Two or three invitations to the
sewing-room were quite sufficient
to make Cousin Mark perfectly al
home there; and after week he
became as familiar as this:
eff you are not too busy,
should like to read you this arti.
cle;" and this is what Miss Kent
would say:
sob, l am never too busy to be
read to. Sit down by the window
in this comfortable chair and let's
hear it,
After couple of weeks, when the
gentleman came in, hearse with a
sudden cold, Miss Kent hustled
about, her voice full of sympathy,
and brewed him q dose which he
declared he should never forget tc
hts dying day; but one dose cured
him. After this, Miss Kent was
really wonderful woman.
Ay, Jennie was an arcbplotter
She let them skirmish about
but not once did she give them g
chance to be alone together-hel
plans were not to be destroyed by
premature cofdences-until the
very evening preceding Cousin
Marks departure for California
Then Miss Kent was very de
murely asked to remain and KEEP
an eye on Master Carlisle, whom
the fond mother did not like tt
leave quite alone with his nurse.
ave are compelled to be gone {
couple of hours; but Cousin Mark
will read to you, won't you, Cous.
imp
Certainly, if Miss Kent would
like it, replied the gentleman.
The infant Carlisle, thanks tC
good management, was never
awake in the evening, so the
victims of this matrimonial
speculation would have plenty
of time.
The back parlor was the room
most IN use during the evening,
and out of this room was q large
closet with a large blind venti-
lator, and out of this closet a
door leading to the back stoop
and garden. Imagine my surprise
when / was informed that Mr..
Carlisle was going to lodge, and
that we after profnse warnings
about baby, and promises not to
be gone too long, were to pro-
coed to this closet overlooking the
back parlor via back gate and
i garden. In vain 1 protested.
"Why, you goose" laughed Jen-
ME, "there'n be fun encngh to last
a lifetime. John wanted to come
awfully, but l knew he'd make a
noise and spoil everything, so /
wouldn't let him." The WHY
schemer had taken the precaution
to lock the closet door from the
outside, so there was no fear of
detection. On q high bench, as
still as two mice, We awaited res
ults.
| Cousin Mark(as if arousing from
a protracted reverie )-"Wouid
you like to have me read?'
i Miss Kent-"Oh, I'm not partic-
ular'
| Cousin Mark-s'Here is an ex-