The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-29

sound. 1t might be the first threat OF
an earthquake.
whats that?', she said, starting
foolishly. Wanda had almost begun tc
doze.
"Why do you ask me?" she spoke ur
with considerable temper. 81 don't
know any better than YOU"
Bertha cuddled down rebuked, and
tried to sleep. In an adjoining room q
voice, which they had for some time
been vaguely conscious of, began to
take on defniteness and emphasis. as a
scene in Macbeth reused the reader to
energy.
80, wish that old man would stop
his reading" exclaimed Wanda, with
growing petulance.
go, my! so do l." groaned Bertha.
"And l hear a mosquito, Wanda, "
springing nervously into a sitting pos
ture.
Mosquito! mosquitoes in Chicago
Why Bertha Hegel, any one would
know you came from the countryr'
| "But l surely do, Wanda" and q
slap in the dark testified to her convic-
| ton.
The voice read on and on half ar
hour. perhaps, though it seemed much
| longer.
''Here shall they lie till famine and
the ague eat them up" it droned.
Bertha began to laugh out of sheer
| disquiet. Between Shakespeare and
mosquitoes she was getting historical.
macbeth doth murder sleepr' she
recited, in exact imitation of the voice
They were high-school girls. and knew
a good many odds and ends.
A sudden prompting seized Wanda,
in whom an amusing impulse was sure
to quickly follow an impatient one. She
slipped from the bed, took her parasol,
that she remembered to have stood in
the corner, and with the handle raped
imperatively upon the wall that sep
arated them from their tormentor.
Sharp, vigorous strokes she made
three; an interval, then three more.
An absolute hush ensued.
With his feet on the table, a cigar
that had gone out between his fingers,
and the drop light arranged to the best
advantage for the eyes, sat Mr.. Charles
Burnham. He had been much abb
sorbed in his warlike part, was flushed
with true amateur zeal, and was ex-
periencing that triumphant sensation of
mastery one can so harmlessly yet so
satisfactorily indulge in in solitude.
The sound of the gavel calling him
to order was most unexpected. He
knew very well who was in that room.
Nine. Muller was his friend and had
told him all the circumstances of their
coming as well as their history.
This was not the introduction to the
pretty strangers which his fancy had
mapped out. He, lonely bachelor
lawyer, had allowed himself to feel
curious about them and interested in
them. He had speculated as to their
possible future acquaintance, and had
already in his Imagination become
hero in relation to them. He had even
been On the lookout with his door aiar
when they arrived, and had been de-
lightfully conscious in spite of provin-
cial dress and generally dusty exterior,
of Wanda's tall fairness and of Bertha's
tripping grace.
The decision of that parasol-handle
against his wall confounded him. 1t
literally paralyzed him for the time
being. But if he could have witnessed
the commissions of laughter on the other
side at the instant success of their
measures he would have died rather
than come to that sudden halt.
$50, Bertha" said Wanda, smother
ing her face in her pillow for fear her
laugh should be heard, I'm afraid
we've stopped his breath so quick we've
killed him. Now we never shall 90 to
sleep! And [ do hear a mosquito, Ber-
tha."
Burnham shut his book with dis
heartened quiet and went sheepishly to
bed. No further whisper came from
him that night. He never remembered
in his life to have been so summarily
silenced and suppressed. He was out
ragged, indignant. 1.-TWO little country
minxes rapping on my wall to keep me
still"
He mentally set himself down as
fool for stopping. Then why had he
not gone on? He could not tell. The
pause having once been so markedly
made it was clearly impossible Tor him
to resume. Indeed. the pause itself
was an admission that he had been
After wi hat seemed interminable wake
fulness the sisters finally found sleep,
as young senses will, in spite of strange
ness and the worst mosquitoes they had
ever encountered in their lives The
wakeful night fell to Mr.. Burnham's
lot And in the morning, instead of
waiting to see the young ladies come
forth, as he had planned to do, he abb
breviated his toilet of its usual whistling
and whisk-brOom, and went out without |
even a glance at their door.
When Nine. Muller's voice aroused |
them long after eight o'clock they were
able soon to make themselves visible,
and when ready for breakfast showed |
small trace of travel stain or fatigue.
They had quite forgotten the nights
funny incident.
The dining-room looked to them like |
q church congregation, and in the
novelty of everything they might not
have required to it at all had not an
apoplectic old gentleman at a table |
near them begun a discourse on Booth |
in "Hamlet." Something in the con-
tinuous stress of his voice reminded |
Wanda of their sleep-destroying neigh
Dor.
THAT is our reader" she whispered |
to Bertha. 81 recognize his voice. He |
has been constantly staring at us. He |
will dislike us very much"
They heard Nine. Muller address him /
as Mr.. Forsythe.
They gave q few days to general |
and then their lessons be- |
gan. They rented a piano and alter |
mated in their practice hours. They |
Wara indn strinnS and am hitinns nd i'm