The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-05-14

"o"o rocc. "Ha, Ia, ha! 1.-TWO on the
shovel. Mary"
Margaret's wrath began to ris" once
more ut this unseemly and brutal mirth,
rs she deemed it, and she WIS about to
exchange satire for upbraiding, when
she noted the expression on the face OF
her lover, who had stopped short in his
quotation and was gazing open-mOuthed
mt the door. The young lady had her
back to it, and rs she turned round she
saw that it WAS half-open, disclosing the
form Janet, who was making mysterious
signals to Mr.. Smith, but had vanished
on catching her mistress eye. The fact
was, the damsel WAS listening ut the key
hole, and hearing no illusion made to the
cari-case, wished to indicate its where
abouts to its owner.
What the meaning-?" began Miss
Kennedy; but, rs has been said, Janet
had incontinently disappeared.
as that girl ut al wrong here?" i'll
quircd Smith, tapping his forehead
- don't know think everything is
wrong" rejoined Margaret, whose tenn
per was fast getting the better OF her.
by the way, Mr.. Smith, she started
ut the unwonted appellation-"I have
forgotten to give you your card-case.
Here it is; Janet found it OH the floor
this morning.
She spoke with chilling significance,
and fixed stern eye upon him; but he
remained all unconscious.
Thanks, he said, sliding the case in
to his pocket; - thought l must have
left it here. But, | say, Maggie" draw
ing his chair nearer, "what on earth's
the matter?"
Matter, Mr.. Smith, exclaimed the
young lady. rising to her full height, and
looking withrringly upon him. "Mat-
ter! When, may ask, were You last III
High street,"
Young Smith drew his hand across his
forehead in helpless perplcxity.
elias the whole household gone sud
denly cracked? 2" he asked himself, half
aloud Then, looking up" i'll High
street, Maggie? What curious ques-
ton. High street?'
Eyes, High street, Mr.. Smith,
"Well," he said, with half laugh,
"really hardly remember. Let me see.
Oh, think the last time was when l saw
You and your aunt off ut College Station
about three weeks ago. But what do
You mean?'
"Oh, you know very well what | mean.
/ mean when you went to see your
brother-your friend, Mr.. -"
As she paused To rccollect the name of
the benevolent moncy-lender the door
flew open and Joe bounced i'll with his
usual want OF ceremony.
"How are you, Smith - he said, with II
careless nod; and, then, throwing his
books on the table he resumed the search
which had been interrupted i'll the morn
ing.
BY this time Mr.. Smith, like his lady
love, had risen. His face looked grave
and troubled.
"Would you mind leaving your sister
and Inc alone for little while, Joe 2" said
he. "There is slight misunderstood
ing, and
"Oh, if it's Il row, never mind me, re-
joined the medical student. "You've
often heard Mag and me slanging each
other, SO, if it's your turn, spout away!
Spout, by Jove!' lie continued under
his breath, ~ wish | hadn't
Here, III the midst of his wild search,
he upset china ornament, and his sis
ter turned upon him with,
"Joseph!"
Joe always became "Joseph" when
war was declared.
sob, bother" he returned. THE
I blessed things all right.
/ What are YOU about?'
! I'm only looking" was the reply, as
he prObcd the rccesscs of pot-pourri,
"for-for something. Go ahead, Smith.
/ Don't mind me-.
/ For few moments Mr.. Smith looked
irrcsolutely from Joe to his sister, and
then, lowering his voice, lie said to the
latter:
won't You sit down, Margaret, and
/ down."
/ The young lady hesitatingly complied,
/ and her lover, also seating himself, con-
/ tinued earnestly:
Il have evidently offended you in
some way; but l pledge you my word
that do not know how, and / am will
ling to do anything to redeem my fault,
/ whatever it may be-
"Pledge' Redeem" muttered Joe.
Don't | wish one was rs easy us t'Other?"
He was now peering under the sofa
where his sister sat, and ns he kicked her
dress aside in order to clear the ground,
she exclaimed augrily, What are YOU
/ looking for, Joseph" while Smith
chimed III almost rs holly with, 81 wish
you'd leave us alone!'
ga loan Yes, that's just what's de
matter. What am / looking for? Oh,
for at paper.
Here lie made dart ut bookshelf
which he had hitherto overlooked, and
Mr.. Smith resumed:
"This. Margaret, has been our first
misunderstanding. Hitherto our hearts
have beaten us one. Our thoughts, our
feelings, have been, rs | may say, in
duplicate.
"That's the ticket cried Joe, glee-
fully, plucking something from recess
of the shelf "No, it isn't" he added
with Il rueful expression as he examined
his prize, which was scrap OF blue
paper.
Without needing the interruption Mt
Smith continued to plead, but apparent
ly with little success. In the meantime
where he stood biting his nails and look
ing aimlessly about him, the image of
anxious perplcxity.
ats deuced queer" he muttered. 81
must have dropped it outside. And yet
/ know had it last night. The govern
or may come i'll at any moment, and
there will be the deuce and all to pay. L
saw him cycling my waistcoat curiOusly
Mt breakfast this morning, and he's sure
to cross-cxamine me before night"
At this point Smith ceased his entrea-
ties, pushed back his chair impatiently,
and, walking to the window, affected to
study the outside world, whistling the
while with assumed Indifference some
thing that sounded like Pop goes the
Weasel"
"Pop goes the-tickerp' sang Joe
under his breath, and then he, too,
whistled the refrain, us he dropped into
chair plunged his hands into his pock-
cts, stuck his legs out before him, and
modify contemplated space.
As for Margaret, she put her fingers in
her ears as if to shut out the discordant
sounds, and cast looks of disgust alter
nately at her brother and her lover. Sud-
denly the latter turned, and approaching
her, said abruptly:
"There's no use in my saying any
thing more ut present, Margaret. Per-
haps you may give me some explanation
when You are i'll more reasonable frame
of mind. In the meantime | shall say
good day." He was approaching the
door when he stopped and added: 'Oh,
! forgot that wished to give .your faith
or my new address"
lis tin Duke street ?" inquired Mar
s" duke street =? Hardly. I'm not a