Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-02-18
The Bachelors Surprise,

~ $780, ~
greeable sort of conglomeration on
the sidewalks; the gas lamps at the
corner iickering sulienly through
the mist, and the wind taking M
VIGOROUSLY as n turned the cor
ner. Not a pleasant evening to as
sumo possession of a new house; but
necessity knows no law, and Mr..
Barkdale put up his night key into
the red brick house in the middle of
the block, sincerely hoping that his
new landlady would have sense
enough to light a fire in the CRATE.
"Is it you, sir ?" Mrs. Human
quoth b%eamingly. There's a good
fire, and its all right
"All right, eh ?" said the bache-
lor, feeling the blue tip of his frosty
nose, to see wheter it had escaped
being frozen off entirely. "Weli, /
am glad to hear that. Have the
trunks come ?"
"Oh, yes, sir, and the other things
Also"
"What other things ?" demanded
Mr.. Barkdale.
But Mrs. Human pursed her lips.
II wasn't to tell sir, please"
"Rather an eccentric old lady,"
thought MI. Barkdale, pushing past
her to the third story front room,
which he had solemnly engaged the
day before.
1t had been rather a dark and din
gy little den by the light of the sill.
very moon: but now, softened by the
choreal shine of a we'll filled CRATE, it
wore'Quite another and brighter as
pect.
"Velvet paper on the walls. gilt
paneRing, red carpet and "Sleepy
Hollow" chair" thought Mr.. B.,
glancing around. mot so uncom-
fortable after all. WheE | get my
things unpacked it will seem like
home"
He sat down his valise in the cor
ner, deliberately opened it, took out
a pair of slippers, and invested his
tired feet therein. Next be laid off
his avercoat.
"Now for a cigar" thought he.
Bat the weed was yet in his hand.
when there was a hustle, and a fut-
ter, and a whisper, and a merry
noise on the landing outside, and
the door flew open, as if by magic to
admit half a dozen blooming, laugh
ing girls.
Mr.. Barkdale dropped his cigar,
and retreated a step OF two.
'I10n't be alarmed" said the tall
est and the prettiest of them; cts
only a surprise"
"a very agreeable one, I'm sure,'
said our friend, recovering ia some
degree his presence of mind.
"There is no mistake, l Aope,'
said a yellow.tressed blonde. Your
name is not Greenfield J"
mo mistake at all, | assure you,''
said Mr.. Barkdale. "Of course it's
not Greenfield. Sit down ladies'"
And he pushed forward the Sleepy
Hollow chair, a camp.stOol and two
rheumatic reception chairs which
were all the accommodations pre-
sented by his apartment.
But, iEstead of of accepting his
courtesy, the girls all futtered out
again, giggling, and in a second, be-
fore he could realize this strange
condition of affairs, they were back
again, beasing benches, and "A table
cloth, boquets, "A pyramid of maea-
ronirs, piled up plates of sandwiches,
of frosted cakes, and Il mysterious
something like unto an ice.crean
freezer.
The golden tress girl capped heC
hands.
"You needn't think VT are doing
this for you, sir,' she said.
"Oh," said Me. Barkdale, bashful-
ly. III hadn't any such impress
sion."
1T is a surprise designed for
Rates cousin"
is it ?" said Mr.. Barkdale, more
in the dark than ever
"And how do you suppose we
found it out ?n demanded the tall
girl with the black eyes and scarlet
feather in her hat.