The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-02-10

! Cti ny tllls pIOHlpb coup u ttut. 10 INTO Inat
cellar, or I'll scald you to deathr'
The man tried to demonstrate, but Miss
Comfort stepped forward with threatening
flourish of the tea kettle, and he was COM
| PEELED to obey; and second after Miss Com
fort smiled grimly to hear linn tumble down
the broad shallow flight of wooden steps that
led to the region of early rose potatoes, cab
bage and winter apples
And, with both her prisoners locked safely
up, Miss Comfort sat down once more with
her knitting-work although there was not
much extra color in her face, and the needles
jerked with more elastic force than their
| wont
The captives battered fiercely at the door,
especially the one in the china closet, whose
every motion brought down hail-storm of
Tin pans, pitchers, and pic-plates about his
ears, and assalled Miss Comfort with injurious
epithets, but she paid no more attention to
them than to the bowling of the wind with
out and in about half an hour-the longest
hall hour that our poor heroine had ever
known-the Reverend Caleb came in, drip
ping and amazed.
Got company, Comfort? ?" said he
MOP said his sister, shortly.
whats that carriage at the door with a
white horse, then ?" said the puzzled par
son.
tApttt, answered MISS comfort, Wltn
great philosophy, that it belongs to two
chaps I've got locked up here"
What" calculated the Reverend Caleb
And with this, the cannonading on the
door recommended in good earnest
Miss Comfort rose calmly up and unlock
ed the several DOORS
Come out, you !" said She "We're tolera-
bly, well matched now, with the help of the
ten kettle"
The Reverend Caleb Crabtree glared at his
unlimited guests with mingled indignation
and establishment.
who are your" he demanded "And
what brought you here ~
I'VE come on professional business" said
the stout man, rubbing his forehead, which
had been considerably abraded by the met
alic shower of missiles to which lie had been
so recently exposed
And we'll have the law on that crazy
creeter!" added the tall man, whose temper
was not improved by his fall down the eel
lar.steps in the dark.
"Wlllyou be so good as to explain your
SEWERS? demanded the clergyman.
III you must know" responded the short
man, I'm assistant warden of the BOonville
Insane Asylum, and I've physicians certi-
ticnte for the apprehension and removal of
barbara Pooley. And this gentleman" with
wave of the hand in the direction of his
confederate "is a keeper"
but Barbara Poolcy doesn't live here"
said Mr.. Crabtree, beginning to perceive
faint CLEAN of daylight in the darkness of
the dilemma. "Shc lives in the old Batters.
by Farmhouse, quarter of a mile beyond.
am the Reverend Caleb Crabtree, and this
lady is my sister, Comfort Eunicc, who is as
sane rs myself
"Eh !" said the keeper
Then we've made mistakc" cried out
the assistant warden, covered with confusion.
Il should think you had" said Miss Com
fort " and Il very awkward one, too"
And she jerked away at her knttng-nee-
dies more theoretically than ever
81 humbly ask the lady's pardon" said the
assistant warden. IL don't see how it
could have happenedn
And he snenked away, with his attendant
mnion, in no very enviabe frame of mind
MY dear Comfort" said the parson, when
he was left alone with his sister "were you
very much frightened?"
Enlightened? Nor said Miss Comfort
"lf there had been halfa dozen more, should
have been II match for them And now,
Caleb, take off your wet boots and I'll have
the chicken on the table in less than half
| minute
my dear" said the admiring parson, "you
are heroine! lou ought to be selected by
the Government to man one of our frontier
| forts"
But after that, whenever her brother was
absent ON night expeditions, Miss Comfort
Crabtree took particular care to lock and
bolt the doors.
For says Miss Comfort, II don't care
about being carried off, nilly.willy, to any of
| their insane asylums"