Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-03-15

s'Har'
Nothing that you ever heard on the
stage ever equaled that blood-curdling
"Ha!" of mine.
My daughter fell at my feet the pic
ture of terrified terror or Mortified hor-
rOr; | can't tell which. The whole thing
was grand and awful IN the extreme.
"Girll'' said /, in voice of thunder
and lightning, did you know Tom
Bunsby's fatherp"
moo"
''Or his grandmother"
mo"
''Or his grandfather"
''No."
I'm sorry," said I, making a terrible
effort to calm myself, ''I'm very sorry
that you didn't know his grandfather,
very sorry, indeed; because the old gen
tleman kicked me out of his front door
once for daring to make love to his
daughter; and, by Jove, girl, if young
Tom Bunsby comes here to see you III
serve him in the same manner. Oh,
revenge is Sweet-'tis sweet"
Julia got up then.
"Can go now, father?" she asked.
Bunsby, Goodnight"
Time passed on and Julia seemed the
same as usual. Whether she saw Tom
or not / did not know at the time,
though / have since learned that they
were in the habit of meeting quite fire.
quently. No, did not know that they
met. but I suspected that they might,
and, to prevent any chance of an elope-
ment, [ never allowed Julia to 90 out
| in the evening unless | went with her,
and at 10 o'clock every night the doors
and windows were all made fast against
! burglars and lovers, and we slept secure
until morning. You perceive by this
| that am not one of those who wait I'M
til the mare is stolen before locking the
| stable. Well, it was one night about a
month ago that, after locking up the
house as usual, retired to my room,
and disrobing this lovely form of mine,
crept into bed. I had just finished my
first nap, and had turned over for the
second, when the door bell rang. And
how it did ring. Egad! I thought
they'd pull it down. Was it fire, burg
lars, or did somebody mistake my house
for the doctors? | didn't stop to think,
but, throwing on my clothes in the
shortest possible time, l rushed down
stairs and threw open the door, holding
my revolver straight out before me as l
did so.
GA note for you sir, " said a small boy,
handing me a folded paper. My first
thought was that it was a telegraphic
dispatch.
Anything to payP" asked.
''No sir, and the boy vanished in the
thick darkness. Closing the door, l tore
open the note and read:
Mr.. McStivers: Your daughter will elope to-
night with Tom Bunsby, if she has not already.
| If you find her not in her room, run to the
JOE KERR.
All the tiger in the McStiverses was
aroused. 1 dashed madly up stairs, and,
| throwing open Julia's door, rushed in
Alas! | was too late. She was gone
the bird had flown. She had not been
in bed that night. / did not continue
| the search there, but flew on the wings
| of the wind out of the room. out of the
| house and along the street till Preached
the Falmouth Hotel. The clerk was
doing in the Office, and did not see me
when | entered. | did not speak, but
crept cautiously upstairs and along the
corridor until | reached No. Is.
death to the Bunsby," / muttered
through my clinched teeth.
Oh, how ferocious / must have looked.
| My blood curdles even now while /
think of it. knocked at the door.
Il will call him out and shoot him in
his tracks," said l. Pm insane now.
Mcfarland was nowhere compared with
me, and no jury will convict me-" But
no one answered the knock. | tried the
| door. Ha, it was unlocked. entered
| the room. The above tour words are of
terrible import. and want you to con-
slider them well. The gas was burning,
| but all was still, save the soft breathing
of a sleeper, whose face was hidden
from me by the curtains of the bed. /
sprang forward. tore open the cur
tains, seized bare arm, and, with the
| celebrity of lightning, yanked the sleeper
into the middle of the floor. The ex-
sleeper screamed. yelled once, and
then, with musical groan, fell to the
floor, tearing my hair as went.
'Roderickn' said the screamer.
'Oh, heavings! where am |? Ma
ry, is you? Where isis Bunsby?"
! Dead"
"And vouP'
I'm a widow; and you?''
''pm-Tm a widower,' I answered,
with a groan.
81 always loved you Roderick,'' said
she.
'And you are just as handsome as
ever" said I.
you've acted very improper to-
night, said she.
Internally so,' said I. ''Where is
your son?"
Il know not. He loves your daughter
and she loves him-and l love you''
Mary blushed. Considering that she
was in very light evening costume it
wasn't strange that she should)
"And Bunsby's deadp"
"Bunsby's dead!"
MARY, said I. ''may I be a second
Bunsby-that is-oh-ah! will you be
mine?n
She threw herself into my arms. Just
then heard footsteps; l turned, and
saw Tom and julia standing at the
| door.
THE deuce!" cried Tom.
| mo, no, it's my father!" said Julia.
| ''Oh, father, won't you forgive us?'
| There was a queer twinklein her eyes
when she said that.
Forgive you for what?"
For marrying Tom. I'll promise not
to do it again. -
land will you forgive me for marry
! ing his mother, as / mean to, do to-