Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-12-18

'Wouldn't you get it for me? / shal
break my neck over this furniture
a'If thought you were in earnest
Why, am; you seem to get about
with great facility
L certainly shall not get it for you
We'll, do just as you please; I'd just
as lief sit in the dark
If you don't get match l shall &c
out on the piazza again.
i dare say you're pining to. Was il
an appointWentY
This insinuation was more than Miss
Ethel is able TO bear with equinimity
She rises and moves away in the dark
ness. "'-
You are not angry, 1 hope be calls
after her.
L am going for match. she replies,
with marked emphasis.
f'Oue of the patent kind, where cap
comes down and dog-cart carries of
the ashes Y
L shall 60 up stairs and ask Aunt
Jane to sit with US.
Then Ill say good night now. You
won't and me when you bring her down.
Perhaps it would be as WELL
behave like an angel
sAll right, here it is then. Let US talk
about China.
All right; what shall we sayr
1T seems very far to China she re-
turns rather sentimentally. Bob you
never will know
Never will know how far it is to Chi
ma? / do know that already, thank you.
This confounded match won't light
You will never know, she continues.
with = dignifed ignoring of his interpO-
lation, how lonesome it was while you
were gone for
ibid you really miss me, Ethel?' he
queries, becoming in his turn somewhat
inclined to spooniness, and in some mys
terious way possessing himself of her
hand rs she stands before him.
For your mother concluded Miss
Mott in q matter-0f-fact tone. She
missed you dreadfully; though, as Aunt
Jane said, very likely her worry was
chiefly over the scrspes you were likely
to get into
Your Aunt Jane is a nasty old cat I;
and she isn't the only disagreeable one
in the family by any means. Bob nuts
tsrs irately, dropping the soft, warm
hand he had seized.
What did you say?' queried Ethel
with marvellous sweetness. l didn't
catch the last
When the young man begins most an
noyingly to whistle False Is the Sex,
throwing himself back into the corner
of the sofa in y position which would
have expressed nothing short of insO-
lence had there been light enough for it
to express anything. Mss Ethel is in
tuitively aware of his attitude and still
more conscious at the defiance conveyed
in his musical performances.
You never could catch tune, could
you, Bob she remarks with an assump>
ton of sympathy intended to crush the
offender vtterly.
Master Bob ignores this observance
entirely save for changing his whistle to
The Shrew of BallycaDnon, into which
he infuses shrillness which picrces
Miss Motifs ears and her armor of indif
ference at the same time. If there is
one song in the world she does deSpise,
is is The Shrew of Ballycannon.'
How can you sit there and whistle,
Bob Tracy ? she demands, Just as if
you don't care at all. / gave you credit
before this for good breeding at least
1 only adapt myself to the company
Pm with, Bob says indifferently, and
he goes on with The Shrew of Bally>
cannon
i wish yov would kindly light that
MATCH Miss Mott remarks icily. You
better strike it on the under side of the
mantel she'll
You'd better try it YOURSELF says Bob.
with indifferencs, the old match isn't
any good
1T would occur to some gentlemen to
try another, then, Ethel retOrts, moving
away IN the darkness and seating her,
self in an arm chair on tie other side of
the room.
Il shall only break my neck over the
furniture if try to Davigate about in
the dark. l don't know where the
matches are. If you'll bring nae one I'll
light the gas
This transparent ruse on the part of
Mr.. Tracy to make her return to nim is
utterly futile. Ethel remains where she
is, replying with great scorn:
you know perfectly well where the
match box is.' She laughs contemptu
ousiy and continues: They've stood in
the same corner of that msntel piece ey-
er since that July when you climbed
up and stole them and set ere to the lace
curtsiA5.
AT your suggestion
Because l was afraid of Aunt Jane
and you weren't, or said you werentF
Didn't / prove itT
Il don't know how you proved it,
There are some people who can't see
the most obvious things
And once more, with the most OBJ
streperous rudepass. he relapsed into the
shrill strains of The Shrew of Bally-
Here cries Ethel, in desperation,
seizing match and carrying it to him,
take your match, but for mercy's sake
do step that detestable tuDe.''
Bob receives hand and match togeth-
or, pulling Ethel down iu "a seat by his
side.
IF there is any tune you like better
be observed, L AN at your SERVICE
Bob, l certainly shall not sit over here
unless you light the gas
why not?' l surely can't hatter my
self you want to Look at me-
Il might
It's more likely you want me TO look
vt you:'
ITS possible
4 assure you that your image is so en- !
yravsd on my heart that don't need the |
gas.
That reminds me; Boz. what did you
svsr do with that horrid picture of ME /
you took to China?'
L gave it to my washerwoman for
Joss. although it is in his pocket at that
minute.
AT least, I'm glad you didn't keep it.
| don't think | ever had a picture OF
you.'
NO, returns Bob calmly. fully aware
hat the picture he gave Ethel when he
vent to China is that moment in the
ocket banging at her chhtelaine, i new
,r was in the habit of distributing my
pictures promiscuOusly.'