The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-09

night unused the miserable John, and he
ground his fingers in the corners of his swollen
eyes and leered grimly at the feverlsh orps,
blood-shotten, blurred and aching.
The pounding on the door continued John
looked at his watch; it was only o'clock
Hi, there he called yiciously What do
you mean, anyhow" he went on, elevating his
voice again; shaking man out OF bed when
he's just dropping into his first sleepF
II mean that you're going to get up; that's
whatr replied firm female voice. It's o'clock
and want to put your room in order, and I'm
not going to wait all day about it, either Get
up and 60 down to your breakfast and let me
have the roomlD And the clamor at the door
was indust riousIy renewed.
"Sayp called John, querulously, hurrying on
his clothes, Say! your
'.There's no say about it!r responded the de-
termined voice. 1--WE heard about you, and your
ways around this house, and Tn not going to
put up with i'll You'll not lie in bed till high
noon when I've got to keep your room in proper
orderw
.'Oh ho" said John: reckon you're the new
invasion herel Doubtless you're the girl that's
been hanging up the new window blinds that
won't roll and Disgusting the pillows with clean
slips, and hennin around among my books ana
papers on the table here and ageing me gener-
ally till don't know my own handwriting by
the time find it. Oh yes! you're going to
revolutionize things here; you're going to m
tfoduce promptneSs, and system, and order. See
you've even filed the wash-pitcher and tucked
two starched towels through the handle Haven't
got any tin towels, have you9 rather like this
new soap. too! So solid and durable. you know;
warranted not to raise lather. Might as well
wash ones hands with a door-knob!s And as
Johns voice grumbled away into the sullen 81
lence again, the determined voice without re-
sponded: HOh, you can growl away to your
hearts content Mr.. Mckinney, but want you
to distinctly understand that I'm not going to
humor YOU in any of your old bachelor slug
gardly, slovenly ways and whims and notions
And want you to understand too, that IN not
hired help in this house, nor q chambermaid,
nor anything of the kind. I'm the landlady
here, and III give you just five minutes more to
get down to your breakfast, or you'll not get
any-thatis what" And as the reversed cuff he
was in the act Of huttoning slid from Johns
wrist and rolled under the dresser, he lizard
stiff rustling of starched muslin feuneing past
the door, and the quick italicized patter of deter
mined CATERS down the hall
Look here said John, to the ghtfaced
boy in the hotel Office, half hour later, ut
seems the house here's been changing hands
| again."
Eyes, sir said the boy closing the cigar case,
and handing him lighted match. well, the
new landlord, whoever he is, continued John,
patronizingY, lis "a good one Leastwise, he
knows what's good to eat, and how to serve 1t.
The boy laughed timidly,-'It amt land
lord, thoughts a landIady; it's my mother
"Ah,n said John, dallying with the change the
boy had pushed toward him. Your mother,
chr And where's your fatherr
HAnd what's this forqp abruptly asked John,
examining his change.
That's your change, said the boy '::You got
three for quarter, and gave me a half.
back the change. tits for good luck, you know,
my boy. Same as drinking your long life and
prosperity. And Oh, yes, by the way, you may
tell your mother I'll have friend to dinner with
me, to- day"
Eyes, sir, and thank you sir said the beaming
boy.
Handsome boy unused John, as he walked
down street Takes that from his father,
though I'll wager my existence
Upon his Office desk John found a hastily writ
ten note. It was addressed in the we'll known
hand of his old chum He eyed the missive APP
prehensively and there was positive pathos in
his voice as he said aloud: Its our divorce.
feel itl' The note, headed, eat the Office in
morning, ran like this
Dear Maek-I left you slumbering so
soundly that by noon, when you waken, hope,
in your refreshed state, you will look more
tolerantly on my intentions as confded to you
! this might. will not see you here again to
/ say goodbye. I wanted to, but was afraid to
| rouse the sleeping lion.' I will not close my
| eyes to-night-fact is / haven't time. Our
serenade at Josie's was a pre- -arranged signal by
which she is to be ready and at the station for
| the morning train. You may remember the
lighting of three consecutive matches at her win
dow before the igniting of her lamp. That
meant. thrice, dearest one, I'll meet thee at the
depot at 4;30 sharp SO, my dear Mack, this is
to inform you that even as you read, Josie and
/ have eloped. 1t is all the old mans fault. yet
l forgive him. Hope he'll return the favor
Josie predicts he will inside of week-or ten
days, anyhow. Goodbye Mack, old boy, and let
fellow down as easy as yog st can,
Heavens exclaimed John sitting the note
in his hand and stalking tragically around the
room. "Can it be possible that have nursed a
ingY An urangoutang in gents furnishingsln
Was you calm me, STRIP asked voice at the
door. It was the janitor.
MOP Numbered John; quit my sight get
that, y he called after him "Here's half dol
lar for you, and want you to lock up the Office,
and tell anybody that wants to see me that
I've been set upon and sacked and assassinated
in cold blood, and I've fed to my fathers in the
country, and am lying there in the commissions
Of dissolution, babbling Of green fields and run
ming brooks and thirsting for the life of every
woman that comes in gun-shotW And then,
more like a confirmed invalid than a man in
the strength and pride of his prime, he crept
down into the street again, and thence back to
his hotel
Dejectedly climbing to his room, he encoun-
tered on the landing above little woman in
jaunty dugtng-cap and trim habit of crisp
muslin. He tried to evade her, but in vain.
She looked him squareIy in the face.
You're the gentleman in No. 81 believer
she said.
He nodded confusedly.
tfMr. Mckinney is your name, Think? she
querried, with pretty elevation Of the eye
| brows.
"Yes, ma'amY said John rather abjectly. 'You
see, maam-but beg pardon, he went on STAN
eringly, and with very awkward bow beg
pardon, but I am addressing ah-the-ah-
the
"You are addressing the new 1andlady,r she
interpolated. pleasantly: Mrs. Miller is my
name. think we should be friends, Mr. Nc
Kinney, since hear you are one of the Oldest
patrons of the house.
THANK you-thank you!" said John, com
yes yes really we must be quite old friends, /
assure you, Mrs-Mrs. 80"
"NIrs. Miller" smilingly prompted the little
woman.
Eyes, alb yes Mrs. Miller. Lovely morning,
Mrs Miller said John, edging past her and