The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-04-06

been visiting you; hence my mistake
II am Mrs. Ackerman's sister,
"Strange never heard her speak OF
you! However, am sorry frightened
you, Miss-Aliss Arden, and if you viii
allow me 1 will explain matters. am
a bookeeper ut Bottoms hardware es-
adjustment -"
"You looked more hSe bootblaek,"
interrupted Amy, "ready to cry with
vexation and nervousness.
"Or burglar" added Tom. well,
as was saying, am book.keeper
there, but there was press OF work Ia
the foundry tonight, and, as they hap.
pened to be short Of hands, / offered to
stay and assist; this accounts for my
late arrival, also for my blackened face
and hands. Have you examined the
photograph album ?" he asked, sudden
ly. IF you will kindly do so, think
you will lind a very good representa-
tion of me there, which will convince
you .hat L am on terms of intimacy
here, at least"
He looked very much like indulging
in another hearty laugh, but restrained
himself at the sight Of Amy's white, dis
tressed face.
II am afraid 1 was rude" she said
"but it was such shock to me; am
very tired and"
Tom sprang to her side, or she would
have fallen from sheer exhaustion. He
helped her into the parlor, brought
wine and refreshments from Mollies
generous store-room, and they were
soon talking matter over quite calmly.
1t was after 2 o'clock when Tom pro-
posed to go and ask Mrs. Gates to
come over for the rest of the night but
Amy protested against this, saying she
was not afraid if he would remain In
the house.
Mollie was almost beside herself
when she came home and found how
affairs had gone in her absence; crying
one minute over Amy's fright, laughing
the next over Toms graphic description
of the same, it was some time before
they settled down into anything like
quiet.
AS the days and weeks went by Mol
lie could not determine whether certain
plans OF her were to prosper or not.
Tom spent all his evenings with them,
but he and Amy were always on con-
trary sides of every question, and they
tantalized each other so numerically
that poor Mollie sometimes despaired
of them being friends, not to mention
nearer relation. OF one thing she
was certain; she never tormented her
John in this ridiculous fashion.
They were all together as usual, one
evening, and Tom for the hundredth
time was describing Amy's appearance
on that memorable evening when she
so nearly Drained him for burglar.
"And little did L suspect them" he
went on, soberly, "that she would ever
have the privilege of brandishing the
poker over me for life"
"What do you mean?" cried Mollie,
staring first at Toms solemn visage and
and then at Amy's flushed cheeks.
Just what l said. Amy and are go
ing to set up housekeeping in the OPP
posite cottage, where 1 suppose she
will continue to flourish all sorts of
murderous weapons at me-"
John, darling, it's coming about ex-
actly as we planned" shouted Mollie,
springing up in excitement
1 spare the reader the congratulatory
scene that followed. Tom declares
that it was worse than being taken for
q burglar.
Well, it did come about just as Mol
lie desired. Mrs. Amy even made car
dinal the predominating color in her
parlor, and it harmonizes charmingly
with the dark beauty of the mistress.
The sisters are inseparable, and as
happy as two mortals can ever expect
to be. Tom is something more than
book-keeper in the Bolton hardware
business now, and he and John are talk
ing of buying two handsome properties
in the suburbs of the city. Mrs. Mol
lie declares that she would rather re-
main in the little home on Lake street,
but what woman was ever proof against
q handsome establishment in an aristo-
cratic neighborhood? Not our little
Mollie, / am sure.