The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-03-14
"A solitary place this, ladies.
he warmed his hands at the Dire.
VERY" said Miss DorcAs.
"Quite So" said Miss Naomi.


81 should think You would go crazy, liv.
ing here all alone" said Mr.. Mallow "In-
deed, have often thought that insanity and
solitude go hand in hand"
"Dont talk to him about insanity Mao.
mi whispered to her sister-so Dorcas merely
simpered and observed.
"Tea viii be ready directly"
With the simple evening meal, in came
John, the stableman, odorous of his haunts.
His jacket was clean. his hair brushed into Q
stiff crest, and he had donned white apron,
suggestive Of waitership; but he broke two
plates, tipped over Miss Naomi's cup of tea,
and upset the cream.jug in a most unpro-
fessional manner, before he had been five
minutes in the room.
Mr.. Mallow took his seat before the leg of
cold boiled ham.
Allow me to carve" said he pleasantly
SECT me the knife, my man" to John.
But John, whose dull, fishy regards were
steadfastly fixed upon him, did not stir.
''Missis said wasn't to mind thing as
you said to me-" said this faithful servitor.
"Ehf" said Mr.. Mallow. "Why not?"
because you're as crazy as hornet, /"
said John, bluntly.
-" Is the man mad?" cried Mr. Mallow.
John chuckled. 81 beant mad sir" said
he, but you be. Now don't zee go to cut
ting up nor nothin', cause all the doors is
locked, and I'll just have to knock you down
and tie you hand and foot with the clothes
| lin scc;S kat
Mr.. Mallow turned pale. He was small
man, and John, the stableman, was rustic
giant
Eth ?" said he. MAY venture to in.
quire what all this means 2"
Dent get angry, that's dear man, "
coaxed Miss Naomi
I" 1t isn't your fault that you're mad, u said
Miss Dorcas.
But" demonstrated Mr. Mallow," am
not mad It's all mistake"
That's what they all says" muttered
John. who had by this time got ont the
clothes-line and was surreptitiously untying
it. If was to fasten him up in the old
stone barn, Miss Naomi"
Here, however, Mr.. Mallow, who was
prepared to endure this sort of thing no
longer, caught up his hat from the sideboard,
opened the easement, and jumped nimbly
out into snow-drift below.
" Good gracious!" cried Miss Chapman
abe has escaped"
He's running like hare toward the rail-
say station said Miss Naomi
Will run after he, miss 2" said John,
lwitching of his white apron.
No, John, no." said Miss Naomi author
tatively. eve have done our best. II he
has given US the slip, it is through no fault
Of ours. Let him go,-and let US be thank
full that we are not all murdered in our
beds"
And she gave hysterical shudder
Mr.. Benjamin Mallow in the meantime
vas making the best of his way to the near
est railway station.
GOOD heayeus,n he exclaimed, as be
jumped on board the train. do they take
me for a-madman 2"
lie reached New York the next morning,
and went straight to the law Office of his
friend, Mr.. Henry Hartop.
Mr.. Hartop's particularly engaged, just
now, sir with some ladies'" said the clerk.
"He'll see you presently"
Mallow sat down--but as he VA he
could hear the voices of ladies ms;
"Madi" cried one. CAS- mad ia King
Lear.-and q deal ne3a--"
Mr.. Mailow pricked up his ears What
did this mean? Was all the world going
crazy together2
" He hadn't been in the room half an
aour before he wanted to dance hornpipe,"
said another soft, full contralto. "And he
was going to fight his keeper,-and insisted
IN walking across the room on his hands,
with his feet in the air. Oh, we were all
frightened to death"
$50, of course" chirped the first, 1--WE
called in Mr.. Day, and shut the poor crea-
lure up in the west wing. And such
shouting and hallooing as he made oil night
and If this is the style of friend you send
as to be entertained, Mr.. Henry Hartop,
perhaps you'd better refrain altogether for
the futurel"
"It's very strange" said the voice of Mr..
Hartop. "Look here, Lizzie, there has
been some outlandish mistake gave my
friend Mallow, the best fellow in the world,
letter of introduction to you-and Percy,
the poor insane man, who was left In my
charge by his father, sent to Miss Chip
man, up at Ulster Lake, in the mountains,
and"
"Then the letters got pretty wen mixed
up" said Mr.. Mallow himself appearing on
the scene. Hartop, behold in me the
victim of your carelessness. You gave me
the letter which told Miss Chapman to ex-
pect raving maniac, and was treated &C.
eordingly, and some other man got the letter
which introduced me so politely to your
cousins -
Mr.. Hartop smote his hands together.
"Is it possible" said he. that I was
that ?'
The two pretty girls in the sealskin furs
and plumed hats began to laugh. Mr..
Hartop promptly introduced them to his
friend
"You can fancy" said Mallow, what my
feelings were when saw two skinny old
maids with red noses. and believed them to
be the two cousins you had 30 often spoken
of They supposed / was mad; and !
don't much wonder The little wits I had
seemed temporarily to be gone wooLeather-
ing !"
1t was all Mr.. Hartop's fault. Mr.. NAL
low had gone of in the role of the mailman,
while the veritable monomaniac was intro
duced as desirable young bachelor, to the
Miss Wargraves.
"And can tell you what" said Mallow,
with a shiyer, It's peculiar sensation,
and not an agreeable one either, to feel
yourself regarded in the light of . mad
man! !"
81 should think so ~ observed Mr.. Har-
top Shirley Broom.
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