McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-06-26


sect your hat, Cornelia," said her
mother, "I'll just put on this sun hat.
What is it, SallyP do you know?"
81 know it's something dreadful.
Missus is almost wild, and there's lots
of folks there. Something about Mr..
Spear
The two ladies said no more. They
hurried away together, and entering
grandma's parlor, found there assem-
bled more of the members of the Spear
family, and friend or two besides.
Orville had indeed disappeared. He
had never been home since his visit to
Cornelia, and now the alarmed rela-
tives were anxious to get all the infor-
nation they could regarding TIE inter-
view between Orville and Cornelia.
81 had reason to be angry, Mrs.
SPEAK," said Cornelia, proudly; s'good
reason, and I took off my ring and gave
it back and went out of the room. That
is all know, 1 don't know when he
went or where. II thought he would
not mind so much. / believed he had
stopped caring about me-"
'He ought to now, at all events"
said grandma.
'sMy boy is dead, I'm sure. 1 shall
have the pond dragged!' said Mrs.
Spear, amidst her tears. she left all
his money at home. He wouldn't have
gone travelling without a change of
clothes. Oh, you wicked girl!''
81 hope" cried the eldest Miss Spear,
sthat he'll haunt you'll
81 could kill you, you hateful thing!"
cried the youngest Miss Spear.
Co1nelia had kept up bravely until
now; but when her two friends turned
upon her thus, she gave scream and
fell over on the sofa. She was in a
dead swoon, and the water they
sprinkled in her face did not bring her
to.
Grandma grew frightened.
81 hope it isn't an attack of heart
disease" she said. "Poor child! she
looks as if she were dead"
"Oh, don't say that" cried the
mother.
They gathered around Cornelia and
did all they could for her, and soon she
recovered and sat up, but all her pride
was gone.
"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" she sobbed.
81 wish 1 had died! l wish had never
come to. Oh, Orville! Orville! what
has become of you?'
"Oh, obi" moaned the mother.
"Oh, OH" moaned the sisters.
And then Cornelia's head fell back
again.
''Emma, get the lavender out of the
china closet,'' said grandma to her
daughter. "Quick! It is on the corner
shelf!'
Mrs. Rashleigh went hurriedly to the
closet.
"Why, it won't open!" she cried
wildly.
"It's patent lock' said grandma,
clocks as it shuts. Here's the key"
And Mrs. Rashleigh flew back to the
closet, opened it and then uttered
shrek.
There on the floor, cuddled up under
the shelf, lay poor Orville Spear.
He was white and lifeless.
Cornelia sat and stared at him in the
most awful way. She thought him dead.
But the more experienced matron saw
that he was yet living.
Sally was sent post haste for the doc
tor, and there in Mrs. Rashleigh's
drawing room he found Cornelia and
Orville lying quite unconscious, like
Romeo and Juliet at the tomb, and the
rest of the party in state of bewilder-
ment and terror past description.
At last, however, both were restored
to consciousness, and, seated in arm
chairs, regarded each other, while the
observers kept silence, and Orville
Spear uttered the first words.
ssOf all COMPOUNDED fools
"Who, dear?" asked his mother.
s'Me,'' said Orville, regardless of
grammar. "Who shut me in?''
ssWhat were you in the closet for?"
asked grandma, with a guilty con-
science.
"To pick something up that rolled
there" said Orville.
"The ring?" asked Cornelia, fran
tically.
eyes, the ring" said Mr.. Spear.
ssMore fool L! Some one banged the
door to. 1 shouted, and howled, and
kicked, and no one heard me-"
"Oh, oh, oh, oh!'' shrieked Corne-
liza, 81 believe you hid there just to kin
me, for no other purpose than out of
revenge"
"You banged the door on me-" said
Mr.. Spear. ga jealous woman will do
apything.''
81 banged the door, Orville," said
old Mrs. Rashleigh. 81! You'd left
everything flying. 1 just pushed it as
[ passed, and you ought to bless your
stars that you are alive, for people don't
60 into the drawing room sometimes
for fortnight, in this small family.
We use the parlor much more, and 1 am
deaf and so is old Hepsiba, and you
might have died there. Yes, and you'd
have killed him, Cornelia," added the
old lady, throwing his pretty diamond
ring on the floor.
s'Oh!" moaned Cornelia, "Oh!"
cit wasn't her fault. I was con-
founded fool all through" cried Or
vile. 81 knew the closet had spring
lock No don't blame Cornelia -