Daily Republican., 1885-05-18

by MINNIE BELLE TRESENRIDBR.

BE not too ready to condemn
The wrong thy brothers may have dOno;
Ere ye too harshly censure them
For human faults, ask, Have nome
"My dear Oliver, have you seen my
trunk.key 2" Mr.. Oliver Westly's
brow contracted slightly at the words
and he drew away the hand which had
been caressing his wife's pretty golden
hair.
ais that trunk. key lost again %
A." Now, Ollie" said the little lady,
with q world of pretty penitence In the
heightened monosyllables, " don't
scold Upon my word, it's the first
time I've misiaid IL this whole morn
ing"
husband, pushing back the books on
the table before him with movement
denoting intense irritation. Twill you
hAbit, my love?"
Pearl was silent, looking down
like a naughty child who had been
chiddsn.
:" You don't know what annoyance
these needless habits are b q methoiical
man like myself, DEAR" he added, In .
q gentler tone, an the red lip began to
tvemble and the eyes to suffuse. Do
try to be more thoughtful, for my sake.
Here is your lost treasure" he added,
quietly drawing tiny steel key from
his vest pocket. 81 found it on the
stairs, and thought it an excellent OPP
portunity for giving my careless little
wife o lesson"
Pearl clasped her hands at sight of
the restored treasure, and danced out Of
the room in girlish glee.
A perfect child" murmured the
husband, looking after her, with q
smile and sigh blending unconscious
ly.
i" Well, If don't make haste, shall
Eberly. LIST me see-the notes are
in my iron safe. I believe. Nothing
like lock ing up things and keeping the
keys yourself. II Pearl only followed
my example"
Mr.. Westly paused, sAekinEa in his
various pockets, with nervous haste, for
something which seemed not TO be forth
coming.
=" Very strange" he muttered, biting
his lips. always put 1t in that coat
pocket Possibly / may have laid
it ON the table amongst those papers.
The aforesaid papers rustled hither
and thither like animated snow flakes.
as Mr.. Westley hurriedly sought
amongst their confused masses, but it
was all In vain.
in dire perplexity. And every one
of those notes are locked up in the safe,
with no earthly chance of ever getting
ut 1t. But Am certain the key can't be
lost. | never lose anything. 1t won't
do 10 wait many more minutes. I'll
just put on q clean shirt and run down
town. Hang that key ="
Mr.. Westly FASTENED up TO his dress-
ing room to complete the details of his
toilet ere he left the house but his
trials were not yet destined to termi-
nate.
He was methodical man, therefore
his wardrobe was carefully locked he
always kept things In one place, there.
fore the keys were snugly reposing in
one corner of the inaccessible Iron
safe.
He rushed frantically back to the
library, hoping family that the key
might be on the mantlepieCe, where he
| had not yet searched.
No, IL was not there; but treacher-
Gus inkstand was, the contents whereof,
by one unlucky sweep of the elbow,
descended in an ebon cataract over his
shirt front, the shirt bosom upon which
| alone he had depended.
Well, here IL IL catastropher" he
murmured, gloomily, stapehing the
inky flow with HIS pocket handker
chief. "Let me see>-thrre is that money
| promised to pay Er,'5 to-day, and
now"
He stopped abort, :. cold dew OF
dismay breaking out on his forehead
the money drawer was q fixture of the
| W retched iron safei
| Pnnniless and shirtless, what more
desperate state of affairs could his worst
enemy desire for him?
There was % lower depth yet, however
would he not be characterless, likewise,
If his wife should, by any inopportune
chance, discover that he, the model OF
rule and order, had lost his key?
So thought Mr.. Westly az he went of
to day of perplexities and mortifica-
tions In the city.
"If ever tease Pearl again about
losing things" he muttered, Az ne en-
tered the room ON returning home,
hope to be drowned with o hundred
weight Of keys about my neck! It's Ger
ttainly Judgment upon me-"
He unbuttoned hiB coat as he spoke
forgetful of the ink stains of the morn
ing.
Pearl uttered faint scream, ant
shrank back, exclaiming:
My dear Oliver, what is the matter
with your shirt ?''
The matter Oh l' he said, oolor1nf
and Laughing, remember now
spilt little ink over 1t this morning. il
idon't signify much"
Do let mo get you another, dear.
No, no." said he, eagerly OBTAINING
her /" II isn't at all worth while. d.
sit down and be easy, my love"
But Pearl started away to carry hel
baby up to the nursery. just as she
! reached the door something jing,ed
softly in the pocket of her white apron.
She stopped in the passage.
"Oh, by the way, Ollie, here Is tho
key to your iron safe. l found it on
the dininR-room table this morning
land" she added with an arch sparkle
In her roguish, brown eyes, though,
1t would be an excellent opportunity
for giving my careless husband q les
Ison 70
She laid the key in his hand and rar
Tout Of the room, rs he recoiled In
voluntarily from tho sound of his OWL
lpedantic words.
AS he contemplated tho cleaning
Isurface of the little steel mischief
maker, in mingled delight and NORTH
tcation, the echo of Pearls merry