The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-02
Jones, Hsx House.

| OVAOc SsCW uVUSCe
One day last week Mr.. Jones received
letter informing him of the death Of
an uncle OF whom he had never heard
and stating the comfortable fact that he
was sole heir to large amount of mon
ey. Jones answered the letter by the
next mail. telling the writer, who was q
lawyer, how to send the funds, and ther
he went home and INDUCED in some
day-dreaming. J..
"Maria," he said, approaching Mrs.
Jones with a sheet of drawing paper
covered with intricate lines, Edo you
know what that is?'
"Yes," answered Maria, looking a,
it a moment with careful attention; cit {
view of Central Africa; we had it al
school,"
Nonsense" retorted Jones, walking
heavily up and down the room. and
stepping on the baby, ..it's our new
house. That's what it is.
J "Are you going 10 build. Jeptha?'
she asked, as she bathed the baby g
head with vanilla under mistaken no
ton that it was arnica.
"lmmediately," answered Mr.. Jones,
putt ng both elbows through the rarlor
window in his excitement. "Do you
see that plan, Maria? l drew that all
out OF nv own head and have wood
enough left for another. Look at that
vesti ule! Fourteen ways to get out in
case of fire."
I'D rather be sure of one way to get
in-did papa break its little head.
poor thing? Seems to me I've heard,
Jeptha. offools building houses and wise
men living in them! What does it mean?''
at means that some fool of an archi.
tect will build this house and l will
live in it. He's making out the plans
now-four parlors, a hall with stained
| glass windows, marguerite floors. Tell
you what. Maria. folks will stare."
But don't you catch your lot first?''
asked Mrs. J..
"Oh. that's all right! Lots of build
ing corners everywhere. Now. let me
see. Every room must have tav win
dow, and there must be niche in the
hall for bracket of Venus or some
thing"
Willie Jones went to school and told
the boys they were going to have a new
house with the n itch in it. and he'd
catch it and give it to them all and
Jones went off up on Davenport street
to look at a house that suited him; he
staid there all the morning studying
modern architecture. and getting his
death of cold, and then when he sat
down before supper to make drawing
from memory he found that he had for
gotten whether the front door opened
in or out.
an go up and take another look, :"
he said to himself, and he did; he got
down on his knees on the door, mat in
the du k, and took a mental measure
ment of the premises. Just as he was
rising voice came through the key hole
into his nearest ear.
MY hero, my prince, / have long
waited for thee. fly to meet thee.
Be at the drug store at the corner at
nine tonight. Adieu, my unknown.
Read this letter and you will know that
your passion is reciprocated.
Jones took the letter that was insinu-
ated under the door, and turned to
leave, all in futter. when a brawny
hand fell on his shoulder.
81 say. you Teller, git! I've he'd nv
eye on you all day, and you're actin
mighty suspiciousiy. If you don't want
to be jagged keep out O this beat. Yer
appearance is agin yer"
'But," stammered the unfortunate
man, don't you know me? My name
is Jones. ] live on"
"Ilon't care if your names Smith or
Brown" retorted the policeman; cit
my opinyon yer n. $50 git"
Jones got; he went home rapidly,
filled with sweet, mysterious in iluence
from the secret letter he carried and
which he dare not stop to read under a
lamp-post. Maria met him in the hall.
so he didn't get any chance to slip the
missive out of his overcoat pocket unit
after tea. Then Ma ia came in with
the unlucky overcoat in her hand.
I'm going to sew on that button
this very minute" she said, holding the
said button in her teeth and turning the
pockets inside out, while quarts of per-
spiration ran down Jones' back and his
knees shook like castanets. She doesn't
stop to look at the letter. Oh yes she
does. let woman alone for that!
What's this?" she gasped. ITO INV
hearts idol" in a strange womans
hand. "Oh. hold me. I'm going to die.
Traffic. r-r-r! Wret-chr'
What is it?" asked Jones, Innocent
ly, in voice that seemed wrenched
from his boots. "Why, Maria. what a
goose YOU are? picked that up in the
car-don't open it. there's fine of five
hundred dollars for opening other peo-
pies lettersn'
Mrs. Jones concluded not to die Just
then, and they spent a lovely evening
quarreling as to whether there should
be 3 china closet in the front parlor or
not. and if marque RE was spelled with
two q S or one. The next day Just as
the architect was wishing either that he
was dead or Jones was, there came
another letter from the lawyer saying
that he was not the Jones-the money
was intended for Joseph Jones, the
Board of Trade man. The mistake
arose from the initials of their front
names being similar. MRS. j. says she
never was so thankful for anything in
her life. as she feels persuaded that be-
tween Jones and the what you-techt
she would have been worr ed out OF her
IL ~