Middletown transcript., 1883-02-23

| ing tney uSeu 10 FlSlU HoA
often while the old gentleman llVeu'
But at lastsMr. Black was gathered 10
his fathers, and at about the same Time
nv wife was gathered to her mothers,
and | was left alone with my Ittle
Julia. | was rich then-the most
wealthy man in Falmouth, and l hau
built me a fine house, the same thaG
have lived in ever since, with my little
Julia as housekeeper. Well, how
things will come about Last summer
Young Tom Bunsby came out to Tad
mouth and put up at the hotel-they
have quite a number Of summer board
ers there-and the first thing the young
man did was to fall in love with my
daughter Julia. Of course the poor
fellow was not to blame. He couldn't u
help it. for she was the most bewitchlng
little woman that you ever saw, not
withstanding that old McStivers is her
father. He saw her first at a picnic,
danced with her, kissed her in the ring
and walked home with her at night. l
remember the evening very well. /
was sitting in my library smoking a
cigar and thinking Of the late Mrs.
McStivers- those apple dumpllngs
my mouth waters every time l think OF
them-when, the windows being open,
[ heard voices at the door. | knew it
was Julia, and knew she had young
fellow with her, and, tear my wig, if he
wasn't begging for kiss
How siIvery sweet sound lovers tongues
by night
Like softest music to attending ears"
1 remarked confdentially to McStivers.
In about five minutes Julia came in
blushing like a ten-acre flower garden,
and looking as lovely as fairy queen.
"Oh, papa I've had such splendid
time p said she, throwing herself into
my arms and kissing the cuticle off
from my right cheek.
Yes, l should think so, partic-
ularly during the last five minutes" l
remarked.
"Oh, father p and she hid her face
in my whiskers.
"Who was it, my dear ~ 1 en-
quired.
"Mr. Thomas Bunsby."
"Tom Bunsby n I yelled, spring
ing to my feet, while my eyes rolled
fearfully.
Oh, it was a terrible sight, I know,
because there was a mirror directly in
front of me.
cha ~
Nothing that you ever heard on the
stage ever equalled that blood-curdling
g Ha - of mine.
My daughter fell at my feet the pic
ture Of terrified terror or Mortified hor-
ror +; I can't tell which. The whole
thing was grand and awful in the ex-
treme.
"Girl - said l, in a voice Of thunder
and lightning, "did you know Tom
Bunsby's father ?n
No-o.''
Cor his mother ?"
C No.'
"Or his grandfather ~
No.''
81 am sorry, = said 1, making ter
rible effort to calm myself, "I'm very
sorry you didn't know his grandfather,
very sorry, indeed because the old
gentleman 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, I'll serve him in the same manner.
Oh, revenge is sweet-'tis sweet.
Julia got up then.
"Can go now, father ?" she asked.
Yes but, remember, no more Of
Tom Bunsby. Good night
X
Time passed on and Julia seemed the
same as usual. Whether she saw Tom
or not l did not know at the time,
though l have since learned that they
were in the habit of meeting quite fire.
quently. No, / did not know that they
met, but l suspected that they might,
and, to prevent any chance of an elope-
ment, | never allowed Julia to go 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 Sc
cure until morning You perceive by
this that | am not one of those who
wait until 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. | had
just finished my first nap, and had
turned over for the second, when the
door bell rang. And how it did ring
Egad ! 1 thought they'd pull it down.
Was it fire, burglars, or did somebody
mistake my house for the DOCTORS ? |
didn't stop to think, but throwing on
my clothes in the shortest possible time
I rushed down stairs and threw open
the door, holding my revolver straight
out before me as / did so.
+" A note for you, sir" said small
boy handing me a folded paper. My
first thought was that it was tele-
graphic dispatch.
!" Anything to pay" I asked.
No, sir, = and the boy vanished in
the thick darkness. Closing the door,
| tore open the.note and read:
Mr.. MCSTIvER Your daughter will
elope tonight with Tom Bunsby, if
she has not already. If you find her
not in her room, run to the hotel-room
Is, first flight. Adieu. JOE KERR.
All the tiger in the McStiverses was
aroused. | dashed madly upstairs,