The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-10-24
A SUSPECTED BLOPEMENT.
Julian Aagnus, Argonaut

year. When / say that | was over
twenty-five. nv readers Of the sterner
sex will, | am sure. be impressed by
my constancy.
Bella had money. Not that this
had, Of course, anything to do with
my extraordinary devotion, but it
served for time to be a barrier to our
happiness. frs. met and fell a vic
tim to Bella's charms when her mother
was alive. Her father had been dead
several years. The old lady took to
me have . knack of getting on
with old ladies. This is q very useful
gift when thew are well of, and are the
mothers Of lovely daughters. [ advise
Ill young men to cultivate it. The
main point is always to be more atten-
tive to the mother than the daughter.
1t is we'll to throw in occasional re-
marks about the apparent degeneracy
Of the age, and allade to the superior
constitutions and characters of the pre-
eeding generation.
All was working smoothly for Bella
and me, when cruel fate, in the shape
of drunken Car driver, crushed the
mother under its Juggernaution wheels.
We prosecuted the driver. and an in
telIigent Jury, largely influenced by
wealth OF the car company. decided
that pedestrians have no rights which
car drivers are bound to respect.
1t turned out that by her fathers will
Bella. in the event of her mothers
death, Was. until her twenty-6rst year,
to be placed under the guardianship
of an uncle. who was farmer in Yer
mont. This same uncle, wasan admirable
specimen of the typical Vermonter.
He could freeze to the chance Of
making dollar harder than Holsters
claw to a email boys investigating
finger He had two hunking sons,
and determined that Bella should
marry one or the other. Indeed, he
believed he WAS acting most kindly
in giving her q choice. instead of
insisting on her taking the 6rst born.
When old Green found out that l had
come into the neighborhood, and was
hanging about the premises, he stern
" warned me off, and even limited
at the fierceness and number of dogs
which populated his yard at night. |
took bis word for the dogs-it was
about the only thing | would have
taken it for.
Bella was virtually a prisoner. The
old farmhouse was three stories high
"a very unusual thug in that part
Of the country-and she was locked
in at night in her room on the top
floor. With great difficulty l managed
to get one or two letters to her; but
so closely was she watched during
the day tina. speech with her was
impossible. l was in despair. There
was yet a year to run before she
could claim release from this
guardianship. Was there no means
of escape possible
While I was bordering over this
question I'M the little hotel where l
had now been staying some weeks, |
heard q strange voice addressed to the
proprietor in loud tones, and l distinct
" caught the words portable fire.
escape. Instantly an inspiration
flashed through my mind. joined
the party, and in doing 80 heard these
words.
Its just the simplest thing in the
world; a two year-oId baby couldn't
hurt itself No, sir. it 'ud like to
have one for a plaything. and nd
amuse itself all day long hauling itself
to the topo' the house and letting it.
self down again. They're so light and
easy, and when the folks dou't want
escapes l often sell tn m as baiy-
jumpers. jest try one it's only four
dollars and half. Make it four to
you, as an advertisement. seem You
keeps hotel, and you'd ought to have
one for the protection of your guests"
"Guess not. My place is only two
stories high; and if We have a fire.
they can jump out or burn just as they
durn please" And the careful hotel
keeper strolled off
"What have you there, my friends"
I asked of the stranger.
"A portable fire e.cape. Simplest
thing in the world. But | was a fool
5 to come to this section. anyhow. There
isn't house high enough for man
to hur: himself much if he rolled off
the roof, and a Vermonter 'ud sooner
take chances on his life, than spend a
dime any day"
Il tell you how you can sell one
escape for twenty dollars, and no
trouble either"
"Y0u will! I'm your oyster"
unfolded my plot and found a
sympathetic listener. He was to 90