Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-07-08


larg mansion where an ancient bachelor
J lay usaaming of superciious maiden
/ WHO had declined to meet him in her par.
'.C lew hours before. The men passed
7loy,y .Nto the house, and were soon
ding by the bedside of the dreamer.
| q s. mt later a swift blow fell upon
| the unconscious millionaire, but before it
could a repeated the assassin fell to the
fl0or, uls companion escaped. The po-
| lice EIc ummoned by the servants, who
/ bad ] this time been aroused by the
noise, and the captured man was led
away N IRONS.
Who Us this young man that has fol.
. .owsl lhC2e williams, and risked his own
. .'n "a save mine?" asked the wounded
. UH
/ Hl aue is George Adolphus Claren-
... he prompt reply.
AdOlphus," SAID the million
have done brave and noble
mortally wounded, aud must
die ina few hours, but you shall be re-
wMded. You shall be my heir"
The next morning there was Grape on
the door Of the Muggleton mansion, and
George Adolphus Clarendon was million.
aire. lie had been suddenly landed in
the lap of luxury. He could not have
been more completely taken by surprise
if he had suddenly succeeded to the En-.
glish crown. And yet his magical eeva.
tion to wealth and position did not so en-.
gage his mind as to dispel certain memo
ries that were lingering there-memorics
that carried him back to the foot-bridge
across the canal Who was the beautiful
stranger that had almost made the canal
Il bridge of sighs?" Why had she
sought watery gravel And it she
wanted to rid herself of sorrow, why didn't
she jump off house instead Of hunting
up dry canal, full Of broken glass, iron
and old boots? These questions were too
much for George Adolphus. In less than
Il week he found himself in perfect fever
Of mental excitement. He felt that he
was growing rapidly worse. 1t did seem
as if be could not get that hair-pin near
enough to his heart. He thought OF swal.
lowing it, but changed his mind and had
it made into a bosom.pin. In another
week the malady had obtained so complete
a mastery over him that he began to write
poetry. He could not even think In prose,
and when he read a newspaper the lines
all seemed to commence with capital let
tcrs and end with Il jingle.
Thus the weeks passed YEARLY by with.
out bringing the slightest intelligence Of
the owner Of the golden hair-pin.
In brilliantly lighted ball room in
Couponyille, gayest OF the gay, and adj
mired OF all admirers, Maud Muller prom
enaded to and fro like fairy queen. Her
wretchedness had departed with old Mr..
Muggleton, but she had not forgotten the
night when a stranger had rescued her
from seli-destruCtion, and she secretly
Ionged to know who it was that had saved
her from herself. She closely scanned
every gentleman that entered the room,
as if in half frighted expectancy. She had
heard of Mr.. Clarendon, the young million
aire, but as he had not appeared much
in society, she had not met him. Of
course she was not curious, for she was a
woman, and women are not curious; yet
she could not feel easy after learning that
Mr. Muggleton's heir was present, till she
had signifed her willingness to have him
presented.
AS George Adolphus advanced, arm In
arm with an acquaintance, n perceptible
pallor overspread Maud's countenance.
Was it caused by the peculiar pin that
ornamented his shirt bosOmT She tried to
convince herself that the pin Signifed
nothing. Perhaps he had picked up the
hairpin in the street on that eventful
evening she so well remembered. But
when she heard his voice she wlthered like
stricken flower. 1t was very singular
case indeed, they all said. Presently,
however, Maud rallied, as she and George
Adolphus were left alone.
"Do you remember mep" she asked,
faltenngly. "Do you remember having
seen me beforc?"
Suddenly the truth flushed upon George
Adolphus like national convention bull
letin.
"Yes," he replied, making an effort to
control himself, 81 remember u former
meeting with you very we'll"
II think papa would give his consent,
said Maud, very timidly.
"But you are not going to Try it again2"
said George Adolphus in surprise.
"0h, dear, mo-" exclaimed Maud, 81
don't mean that. think papa would give
his consent to-that isl don't think he'd
object"
"Ohject to whatP" asked George Adol,
phuS blandly.
"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Maud
"Do you mean to say, continued George
Adolphus, "that you don't think the old
man would object to your trying it again
after the water is let out?"
"No," said Maud. 81 don mean that,
for he Is very fond OF me, and | am sure
he would be glad TO encourage so worthy
a-that is-Oh, what am | saying2"
Then George Adolphus began to see how
the land lay; but as a ballroom is not a
favorable place for Il tableau, he mastered
his impulse to catch Maud in his arms and
merely observed in a whisper that she was
q gem Of the first water, and that he would
give his consent too.
Old Muller sat In his library that night
when Maud and Adolphus entered the
house, and the young man was soon pros
trate at his feet, caspingHhim tightly
about the legs and implOring his permis-
sion to marry his daughter.
"Ahem!" remarked Muller.
George Adolphus thought this rather
meaningless remark was favorable indi-
cation, and so squeezed the old mans legs
harder than before.
"Come, young man, said Mr.. Muller,
'you arc filling my slippers with tears.
Rise up and let 90 my legs"
"0h, do you give your consentp" sobbed
George Adolphus.
Consent" roared the old banker,
''heavens and earth! Of course | do.
Here, Maud, take this lunatic away and
get me dry pair OF socks"
And they were happy ever atterward.
Miraculous Escape.
At the close of course of lectures at