Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-09-26
A vALUABLE
rHEsnAN WHO HAs cRED1r.
THE DECEASED WlFE's Sis.
TER BILL.

""S q on4No
were gathered together in the ante
ROOM, over which the dusk of the
cleaning was fast stealing. with only
the freight to dispel it. Bottles was
sitting half asleep in a big chair, when
the sound Of q voice reused him from
his melancholy meditations.
Eyes. he's q good fellow" the voice
said; ..but he's such . fool--such an
awful fool, You know"
They were at Lucy again. so Boobies
cast his meditations to the winds and
flung himself into the fray.
$50 you always say-so everybody
says" he responded, coolly. $50, by
Jove! does poor old Lucy himself say
likewise. But, all the same, it'ssimply =
mistake. Lucy is as clever as daylight
down at the bottom of all that put-on
drawling foolishness of his. You fell
lows see no further than the expression
Of intense stupidity which is Lucy's
habitual form. You seem to think
that because he can't or won't, use an
r. without q W. in front of it that
he is not capable of seeing as far
through q deal board as any other fell
low. But it's just the very greatest
mistake in the world. Old Lucy is
not such . fool as he looks. b, a long
way"
You're quite right. Booties; he
most decidedly is not" laughed an
other nan from the depths Of Il huge
sofa. Lucy is no fool-far from t;
but you'll admit that 10 i've as lig q
fool as he looks he woul.i have to be a
big fool indeed. By-the-by. what was
that joke at the Deanery on Sunday.
afternoon? You we're close to HIM all
the time. and l was pinned iu the in
ner drawing-room."
Bottles began to laugh Immediately.
well, you know that some of the
Bishops people were at the afternoon
service at the Cathedral, and went in
to the Deanery afterwards?"
'Yes!' cried several voices.
'As soon % Lucy put his nose inside
the room, he was promptly taken pos
session of by the eldest Miss Jones.
and a. promptly tackled on the De-
ceased Wife's Sister BILL"
what do you think of the .Deceas-
ed Wife's Sister Bill, Mr.. Lucy?" Miss
Jones asked, with an engaging smile.
She's awfully like the Bishop, Is Miss
JoneA"
Just shows her teeth in the same
%iy;" laughed H'F'0z' WELL go
well. she certainly is not hand
some" Bottles admitted, NOR yet
very young, but really she gave poor
old Lucy such q killing look out Of the
corners of her eyes that really / began
to think she would hook him on the
spot
Lucy looked up, with his head on
one side, and with his most reflective
air Of wisdom, just as if he were .
monkey blessed with an extra quantity
Of downright stupidity and cunning
mingled, and she was . harder nut to
crack than had ever crossed his path
before"
''In which he wasn't very far out of
it." put in Hardness, with q dry laugh.
SWELL and what thenP"
He looked at her for full half .
minute" Boobies went on. land then
he asked, in the most plaintive man
ner imaginable. Is it a wriddle7 I
nevah could CESS a wriddle in all my
life. I'll give it up. please"
'"A riddlei's echoed the Bishops
daughter, scornfuliy; of course not,
Mr.. Lucy; it's q measur which they
are trying to pass through Parliament.
But they won't-the BENCH speak
ing in q great. big, capitai-letter style
OF importance-'the BENCH will new
er allow it,
Lucy looked politely interested.
"a measure-de-ah me! you
don't say 30. Miss Jones! And-er
how much does it measured"
"'It's a Bill they are trying to get
through the House-the Upper Housed!
She began to get a little cross over it
and, ~by-the-by. you fellows all know
in an aside.
'Yes, rather" answered . voice.
amidst q general laugh.
Bottles continued his story
"Oh, q Bill! returned Lucy very
politely, and with = great snow Of III
prise. Ter thought you said it was
. measured And how much-er-is
the bill for, Miss Jones?'
"Miss Jones uttered an exclamation
of impotence and despair. ITS an
ACT! She fairly hurled the word at
him; but Lucy's serenity remained alb
solutely unrufaed.
"sOh, wreslly!' be echoed. An
Act. il it? And does Nelly Farwrsn
play in iti'"
A roar of laughter greeted this. and
when it had subsidized Boobies contin-
ued his story
''She couldn't very we'll tell him to
his face that he was the fool she
thought him, aud she hadn't Wit
enough to see that he was merely
chatting her. So she patiently explain
cd the whole matter to him. just AZ
she might have done to q child Of
three-what Parliament is, what the
House is, what the BENCH Is, and
how it practically rules the roost in the
Upper House; what an Act is. and,
finally, what is the Deceased Wife's
Sister Bill
"tAnd now she ended. triumphant
ly, what do you think of il, Mr.. Lucy?'
Lucy stroked his mustache, care
fully balanced his teaspoon on the
edge Of his cup. looked with his wise.
reflective air Ut the Bishops daughter,
and said. Il don't know
":But,' she persisted. do you think
man ought to be allowed to marry
his deceased wife's sister? Don't you
think it would break down much o.
the most sacred family intercoursel
Don't you think it would be . keer
blow struck ct the very root of trus
family affection and trustfulnessp
".Do you think that there are any
grounds afforded in tho Bible for q
man being permitted to marry his de