The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-25

eiS"e. AhS NOhhSnj JcllluS liho phhbHoIA
attack the thief at the foot Of the stairs
He does not strike them, but hustle
them this way and that, sometimes knock
ing their heads together Then Clipper
appeared, plucky and savage, only to dis
appear-hung from the hall into the
parlor as if shot from catapult.
The thief smiled all the time he was
doing this, just as if he were merely tax
ing gymnastic exercise. His hand was
upon the door-knob, and in second he
would have been out of doors, when q
snort was head, and something half tum.
bled, half slid down the stairs, landed on
its teet on the floor, and held to the face
OF the thief the cleaning barrel of re.
volver. The figure was that of Mr.. Nor.
daunt, who, hearing the uproar, had
armed himself and came to the front with
startling agility.
Don't move! | beg of you to hold up
your hands" he said to the thief, poking
the muzzle of the pistol under the thief 4
nose, and putting from his exercise in
such way that it was dangerous to the
most innocent of men to be in front of
weapon. 81 don't want to spoil this car
pet with your brains" he continued,
"nor to alarm the ladies by fring-a pis-
tol. All! Clipper, you there? Please
search this mans pockets. Don't be
afraid, Clipper! I'll keep him from hurt
ing YOU"
Clipper worked nimbly, and had Just
unloaded the freight of the captive, when
steps were heard without. 1t was a
policeman. Transferring the prisoner to
him, Mr.. Mordaunt surveyed the scene.
The tableau was an impressive one. Mrs.
Kruller was holding Miss Dana's head
in her lap, tanning her with one hand
and keeping bottle Of salts to her nose
with the other. In her unconscious con-
dition it suddenly struck the bachelor
that Miss Dana was very pretty, and he
seemed slow to take his eyes away from
her. But Mrs. Kruller broke the charm.
"Where is Mr.. Btler?' she asked; "has
anybody seen him%'
Sure enough, where was he? Mr.. Nor
daunt came back to practical life from
his admiring consideration of Miss Dana
and went hurriedly upstairs.
Better run for a doctor, Mr.. Chip
peri" said Mrs. Kruller; and Mr.. Clipper,
with rather a vague idea that his revenge
was murderously complete, and that he
was in sad plight as result of his plot,
started for a physician.
Mr.. Bitler was found unconscious upon
the floor. The shattered pitcher had
made several bad wounds which had bled
profusely and weakened him greatly.
Mr. Mordaunt dragged him to his own
room and attended to his cuts. Mean
while Miss Dana had revived.
"Has he gone" she asked, opening her
eyes
"Who gone, my dear?" said Mrs. Krul-
Ter, kissing the little woman.
That man under the he'd. O, how
frightened I was!" There was silence for
two or three minutes. Then she spoke
again. 81 saw in the glass.his feet az
they stuck out from under the~bcd."
impossible, Amelia; put it away in
the closet" Mrs. X. thoughtlessly assert
ed then.
"What away?' said Amelia.
"Mr. Clippers dummy. He made it
to scare you just little, my dear. But
put it out of sight, boots and all"
"Ah! 1t could not be the same. This
man was in his stocking feet. It's funny;
but | saw him scratch one foot with the
other. Then ran"
80 you did, DEAR" remarks Mrs. X.
81 never saw such running"
"And you were trying to scare me,
were your asked the young lady, sitting
bolt upright. "Now, never take prac-
tical jokes, and Mr.. Clipper and can not
live in this house together"
30, Miss Danaw
81 mean it, responds the teacher 81
have been imposed upon. | would not
be 50 scared again for all the men in the
world. Clipper is miserable, mean fel-
low. That man from Oshkosh is hero
alongside of him. Mind, now. l will
not stay if Clipper remains"
just at that moment there was knock
at the door. 1t was the doctor. He
brought a note for Mrs. Kruller. 1t read:
"MY DEAR Mrs. KRuLLER--Thee events
of this evening-the results of my folly
have been of such character that / can
not return to your house. | will send
for my trunk in the morning. have
not.the courage to face the victims of my
joke.
Every truly yours,
"CHARLEs SUMNER CLIPPER"
Mrs. Kruller would not, in her di-
lemma, undeceive him; and so Miss Dana
remained-remained until Mr.. Bitter was
cured, until Mr.. Mordaunt made fool
of himself for her; until, in fact,
middle-agcd gentleman named Smith
came from California, married her,
spoiled the sequence Of her surprise party,
and broke the circle of Mrs. Kruller's
Happy Family" > Chicago Daily
News.