The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-08-18

lowing Wednesday, the house would be
left and the rent not paid.
Saturday and Sunday passed delight
fully. "But long to come home again.
Tom DEAR Lucy said, as l leaned out
of the carriage-window to bid her good
by on the Monday morning.
Gas soon as ever that COMPOUNDED
landlord has put the house to rights
you shall. "
"Have you done what you can your
self? Have you searched to see if there
are any pipes broken on the kitchen
| fioor?h she inquired, innocently.
.Drain-pipes are not laid on kitchen
floors, pussy" l replied, as the train
BEGAN to move on. She walked beside
the carriage few steps:
No. of course; but there's that cup
board under the kitchen stairs. Have
YOU looked in there? Perhaps it's
something moldering: boots or some-
thing" She waved her parasol, and
blew her a kiss, smiling at her absurd
conjecture about the boots.
On Wednesday evening Mr.. Pulton's
grace would expire, and l had a note
from him in the morning to say he
would be there without fail at eight D.
m. Meantime, there was no diminu-
ton of the nuisance, and | expected
every day to be indicted by the neigh
bors. | started for home early that
evening, bracing myself up for the
coming encounter. On my way I
bought "Handy Guide to the Law of
Landlord and Tenant and gotqux-
i T e-t,,1ioI ~ in fhn bpn1p-
ward tram. The 'Handy Guide in
formed me that it was the landbrd's
business to execute all repairs forwhich
he was responsible, and the teusnt's to
execute all repairs for which he was
responsible; that if the tenelt could
prove legal neglect he void obtain
damages from jury; but that if ne
couldn't, then he wouldn't; that in the
great case of Smithers VS.. Smathers the
| landlord had been held responsible for
defective drainage of hmse; though,
in the equally authoritative case of
Blithers VS.. Blathers, tie tenant had
been held solely at fault in the matter;
finally, that any one bringing an action
had ''better be very CAREFUL" from all
which l concluded thatrather than buy
the Handy Guide you had better keep
your shilling in your pocket.
When [ reached home, the charring
one, whose work must have been re-
markably clean thatday, for she was as
black as a coal-heaver, received me
with gasp. ''Sir, the stinks is worse
than ever" she said. "They've given
me the hagey"-ague, I concluded
"and 1 hope it'll be remembered. "
My temper was up. | scarcely tasted
the tea which Mrs. Hedges had pro-
vided for me in the bedroom Down to
the kitchen | went, determined to have
it out with those drains. threw off my
coat "Now for the saw" | said; ''Tll
take up the floor, and FULTON can do what
he likes. I'll be practical enough for him.
The saw-wheres the saw, Mrs.
HedgeS?" Mrs Hedges hadn' seen nc
saw, not if she was to be struck dead
the next minute. Where could it bel
Not on its proper hook in the kitchen
not in the greenhouse, not inside the
piano, where Lucy frequently leaves
the tools. Perhaps it was in the cup;
board under the kitchen stairs. opened
the cupboard door, 1t stuck a little
evidently not having been opened TO
some time.
immediately / did so, trcmbled, TO
L felt, or rather smelt, that | was on tn
threshold of a discovery. The cupboard
was darkness; but from it proceeded
stencil that nearly knocked me back
wards. 1t seemed as if the whole of thu
London "outfall' was concentrated il
that cupboard. 1t was as though al
the sewer gases of the metropolis hac
taken rendezvous there. The atmos
phere of ''tea-meeting" in no
weather was sweet by comparison. /
almost approached the odor of Coven
Garden Market after shower of rain
"a candle, candle!" | cried to tn
agued one. With excited hands sh
lighted it. l held it aloft and peereC
within. The cause of all the trouble
lay before me.
1t was the tortoise. My wife's tor
toise, that she was so fond of. Dead
in one sense; but far too much alive il
another. You, my gentle reader, NJ
doubt know what tortoise looks lik,
when basking in the sun; nay you neve
know what it smells like after Ions
period of decay, 1t was fearful. Blu
let me, metaphorically, throw sea O
eau-de-cologne over this part of m,
story. By the aid of the tongs trans
ported the defunct to the back garden
and buried him deep-not deeper thar
my curses-under the popular" TIL,
demon was at length exercised.
All at once terrible thought flashed
across my mind-the landlord. Wher
L remembered how l had bullied anC
baited that man, how had sent him ;
lawyers letter, how had accused him
of blood-guiltiness, how'd had threat
ened to denounce him in the Hiqhqat,
Cato, and how l had goaded him il
every possible way, my heart sank with
In me. And he was coming even now
Eight O'Clock was striking, and Their,
was the sound of his highly practica
boots on the front steps, Should bolt
There was just a chance of escaping b,
the side of the house, while Mrs. Hedge
parleyed with him at the front door
But no, that would be cowardly. linus
diplomatise. He knocked. While M,
retainer was opening the door, hurried
to the "cellarette,' and drew forth
bottle of sherry and a sponge-cake. as
had seen my wife do when anybod,
called that she was afraid of. put OF
NV blandnct emilia 10 M. D,,I4o,. -.