Daily Republican., 1881-07-15

an inward thanksgiving, and hastily
examining the, hoop skirt into the barrel
joined my visitors at the front gate.
"We are just in time to make toul
Of your flower garden, Mr.. Blcdgett, ;
said Juliet, beguilingly; II do dote on
flowers" and she gave me a tender
glance; as if to say, 81 have not forgot.
ten the hot house r0sas and snowy came
has that certain individual used to
sent Hle!'
"With all my heart, ladies, this way
and Mr.. Ciggswell, too" and l led
them in triumph around the flower gar
den, rIucking the fairest blossoms of all
for Juliet and Mrs. Criggswell. 1t is
fortunate that Arabella did not see the
solicituds with which selected the per
feet specimens.
The Reverend Criggswell squinted
through is glasses toward the Altcilen
| fire.
"Nou have-aW-some very fine vege-
tables, too--aw-Mr. Blodgett, | per-
ceive. lam very fond of flooking-aw-
at a vegetable garden
could have murdered him. The
way to the vegetable patch led directly
past the ash barrel.
ooh, yes, dear Mr.. Blolgett, do show
lis the vegetables" said Juliet. 81 do
love to see the cunning little sguashes,
and the beets and onions and other nice
things"
There was no help for it. Sitting a
groan | conducted them to the desired
place. We neared the fatal ash barrel
Juliet's eyes were cast On the ground,
and | breathed freely AZ we passed 1t,
when an ominOus sound -tsiss- ss.t-
greeted my ears, and my boyrified eyes
bsheld a long, ragged rent in Jui,et's
pink cambric polonaise That niaboli-
cal hoop shirl-that haunting, remorse-
less tiend-the BanquO that would NOT
"lown'-had protruded broken wire
through a chink of the barrel and the
deed was done If Arabella were to be
inundated on fifty trains it would make
no difference now Juliet would never
smile on me again. A woman mu L be
an angel to forgive an irrel arabic in
jury to new dress.
OF course apologized, and of course
she pretended not to care; lu, certain
freezing dignity crept into her manner
for the remainder ofthe call, and by the
time we reached ''tlle cunning little
yellow squashes,' her enthusiasm was
as dead Us Julius C;rsar.
The visitors declined an invitation to
enter he house and rest. Mrs. Ciggs-
we'll, with an intinirude Of pins and an
abundance Of sympathy, made tcmpor-
ary repairs in the pink polonaise, and
bowed them out of the front gate with
an unwonteG chill at my heart.
Looking across the street, | espied
cart standing at the Widow
Dickerman's. A wild impulse seized
me, snatched the ''liend' from the ash
barrel, aud DIS ran up stairs called ous,
"BIidget, run over to Mrs. Dickerman's
please, and tell that ragman to be sure
and stop here.
The rag bag always hung by A1abel-
la S sewing machine in the bedroom.
Twisting the tiend into the smallest pos
,ible compass, | wrapped and tied it
securely in ragged dish towel, and
pushed it down, Gown, 10 the very bot
tom Of the lag. No, that would not do. !
The lowest rags would he sure to crop
out at the top when he empt;ed the bag.
With "A Machiavellian cunning | pulled !
he tiend up toward the middle. "He
will never discover ii till he gets to the
paper mill" thought |; farewell :"
BY the time my arrangements We're
the Widow Dickerman ha,.
ONE to the end of chaiering for half
pint tincupS and gri'ldlo cake turner's
aud the cart was at the door. With u
Itolid couutrnancc, but Il thrubuing
heart, | stood nonchalantly by While
The peddler weighed and emp.ied III ..
rags, and counted ont the cash, | did
not draw a full breath till saw the
back OF the cart vanish over the top OF
he long hiIly street on til. road to H.
The next day Arabrlla-dear girl-re.
urDed with Aunt Carraway. AS we
tat at dinner, plying our elderly relst-
i've with all delicacieS of the season, [
leard an animated discussion at the
;itchen door between Bridget and
trange man. Bridget's voice grew
hriller and the mans grutfel, then
eavy footsteps came near. | qlaked
With fearful presentiment. Tue door
2ened and the rag man stood before
ne with indignation on his freckled
ace.
Eff you suppose that Hiram Sala-
HAL Bangs is goin' tew pay five cents
paound for old hrpskirt wire, you re
nst eetle out Of you're rec. min, for
e don I calC' late to kerry on bi2ness in
my sich style. III trouble yew for
ID cents, mister, " and he handed me
he tend: still tied in the ragged towel.
Arahella was completely mystifed.
.unt Carraway looked unutter,bie
lings. | handed out dime; IIiram
ala'hial Bangs departed. flung my-
,lf bacf in my chair in an attitude OF
tier hopeles,ness. :,
"lt's no use, Arabeila I've tried to II
rt rid of the internal thing ever since
uesday. It's bewitched! Where's a
~ hat - and plunged wildly out of y
ln house. l.
It's all right, Plrily. Aunt Cara.
'ay WASH t nearly so mortified as yol
'ould suppose. Sh.'s asleep in her p
WI room now, like Il blessed old lamb
ill.,"
She led me up to the side of the DOM
here the bookcase stood and pointed
)guishly to mysteIiously looking ser
entine arrangement Oh the wall, lined q
ith Turkey red, finished off with r.
Dws of ribbon and filled with newspa-
erS.
"You know, Phil, you never can find q
our paper again when you lay it down
} this afternoon | made you wall g.
Dcket for surprise. -
| looked again. Could | believe my u
yes? Yes, it must be, it was the fend a
into an object both useful
I'd ornamental by the ready wit and
,ft fingers Of a woman. .
81 acknowledge myself surprised,
rabella. Men sometms don't know
,lf as much rs they thInk they do. -
Arabella spilled demureIy.
u
The Garfield EnNN.