Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-08-05

eh! My dear madam, you are as
as air. Had he been un-
der this roof you would have screamed
blue murder long before this"
ooh, oh, you varmint!" I groaned
in pure agony of spirit. "What do
you want?"
swell, madam. since that is fair,
honest question, will attempt to an
swer it. To begin with, my financial
affairs are In complicated condition.
Money have but little of-credit,
none; so am forced to levy trifing
tax upon my friends in this and other
neighborhoods, to extricate me from
my disastrous condition. As soon as
l collect a certain amount / intend
leaving this country for France or
Italy, never, perhaps, to return. Do
not shed tears at this, dear madam.
for wherever my footsteps tend, your
nightcap and all-will
remain forever imprinted upon my
heart"
''You old goose!' I said.
''Please do not interrupt me,
madam have but few moments
longer to stay, and l must do busi-
ness at once. l have learned that
you have deposited in trunk in an
adjoining closet forty dollars and
eighty cents. The forty dollars 1
would like to borrow of you for an
indefinite length of time. The eigh-
ty cents l do not care anything
about. You can retain that as tri-
fling evidence of my generosity in
this great emergency of my life
''You are a robber, a thief, then?"
l said, spitefully.
''Either at your service, madam"
rising and making low for all the
world like French dancing-master.
"Now, the money if you please" d"
He wasn't polite looking now.
There was a determined look in his
eyes and about his mouth.
"He that giveth to the poor lend
eth to the Lord" be said, speaking
just like preacher.
"And he that steals from the poor
-WilaI Oh MIN
My Bible does not dispose of his
case, especially, madam"
''And you came here to rob me
me. !, poor woman ~
Il come to borrow of you for an
indefinite length Of time
| saw it was useless to waste words
with him, besides l didn't altogether
like the look in his eyes I closed my
lips tightly together, resolving that l
would not speak again.
''It you have no objection, ma am,
I'll look around bit,' he said, TAX
ing up the lamp as he spoke. ''If l
hear any NOISE from you, my dear,
or if l see that you are becoming
nervous, shall be obliged to quiet
you b" the use eff
He held up a small vial.
''Chloroform," l gasped.
SAT your service, madam
"It would be the death of me-
moaned.
81 should be sorry to bring such q
loss to the world; but, believe me,
all that rests in your hands. This
door leads into the closet where the
trunk is, Il believe" he said, making
straight for the closet where my forty
dollars were put for safe keeping.
4 didn't say word. To tell the
truth, the chloroform had nearl,
scared me out of my wits. He turn.
cd the key in the door U had Away.
kept it loocked) and glanced into the
closet. 1t was large and the trunl
was at the further end of it. lie
me say here that this closet, or stor,
room, WIS in the IL" part of tn.
house, full Il foot lower than IN
room. Mr.. Burglar was not acquaint
ed with this fact. Glancing towart
J me with his sharp eyes, to see if
was quiet, he took step forward an,
: went sprawling upon all fours. l d,
not know to this day how he man
, aged to save the lamp as he did, bu
it was not broken in the fall, an,
> burned as brightly as ever. My wit
. came to me here. l sprang as light
!, ly as l could out of bed. and befor
he could get upon his feet had th
door OF the closet shut and locke
upon him. He grew lamb-like in
moment.
you've done it now, haven't you
you charming creatureI Iswear II
. in love with you from this hour t
the end of my life. You've come
II splendid dodge! You've got M
/, tight and fast. What's the use {
y money now! I'll take the eight
/, cents and you may have the fort
0 dollars, if you will let me out
"No, sir; I'm going to call tn
o neighbours" said |, resolutely.
Going with that night-cap on
% You'll make your fortune. But don
5 hurry, that's dear. Let's have
little friendly talk. Say, I'll gi,
v you hundred dollars if you'll Ii
il me out"
"Yes, and leave you free to scal
v some other woman nearly to death
/ no, sir.
o "Well, then, I'll give you tw
hundred.'
r "No, sir"
"Name the price, then, dear cir
O l suppose every woman has her prit
Y they say every man has
VI mo, it wouldn't be right" sal,
a hesitatingly.
heard him chuckle: First sts
towards it; she begins to talk ofwh
s is right
a II thought of hiring my poor gi
C out to work by the week, and so an:
1T ious to get an education, and l.
% sure it isn't to be wondered at if
II began to set price. But said n
is a word.
"Look here! I'll put five hundr,
at dollars in good, sound gold und
the door, and you can count it as
j, push it through piece by piece,
es you'll only let me out of this ours
in hole. I'm smotherlng."
er ''Try some chloroform," 1 VIII
ty pered through the key-hole.
ar Course the chloroforml Will Y
n. let me out!
:~f. l.. IL: I,