The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-11
generally get much practice at mrrdering

generally get much practice at numbering
their mothers
Tim going to DO it now, too. I've dal-
lied over it a dreadful while, and I'm going
to have it over by midnight. Then I'll
breathe freer. There'll be nothing more
but the marriage. and after that can rest.
Was she fiend. A red iea Appar-
rently they both were.
"'All right; go at it This from above.
DO it up brown. I'll help you spend the
money
Il could stand it no longer. 'Elizar
shrieked, there's murder! murder! murder
going on in this house Get up, get up
Il simply flew up. In two seconds had
on pair of trousers and a coat Eliza
tried to hold me, but flung her off. There
was no time to be lost. l expected the
sound of pistol-Shot before / could get
downstairs.
Il went down three steps at a time. On
my way l met party of people coming
from the front room, where they had been
playing whist.
'.tMr. JONES' shrieked our landlady, see
ing my excited face. and glancing at Eliza,
who was hurrying after me in her night
dress.
. Madam . l cried, there's murder going
on in your house Come at once-come. !.
To the rescue. command your
with the whole house following, L
10 JUe UOOT OF Miss
| flung my whole strength against the wood.
A series of shrieks came from within.
Z" It's locked! it's locked. it's lockedn l
cried.
''Of course it's locked, you indecent
man. cried our landlady. The ladies are
gone to bed. What do You mean"
Mean, madam | cried; i Imean there's
murder going on behind that door,
by this time had succeeded in con-
vincing somebody that some foul deed was
under way, for the two young men from
the drugstore and both servants came
rushing up. One had the fire tOngs, the
other the shovel. and one of the servants
had seized decanter, which she evidently
meant to use as a bludgeon.
Bent on saving that poor old lady from
a dreadful death at her daughters hands,
threw my whole strength against the door.
The drug clerk helped me. There was
straining of the wood, bursting of the
stood in the midst of the room. gaze one
spring topdrd the nurderesS, and piRiO'eed her
IN my arms"
At this point Mrs. Jones. Who had listened
with the utmost interest to her husbands
narrative, burst into a peal of laughter.
laughed too and then meekly inquired of
them both what | was laughing at.
''Well, Teddy, what was it! What hap
pened next"
Teddy Jones gave a prolonged sigh.
''What happened next! Why, that miser
able wretch, Will Graham, actually
threatened to have me arrested for as
saulting his promised wife. Think of lt-a
decent, respectable married man like me-"
''But the murder-Miss Emily-what was
it all about!"
what was it all about!" The disgusted
look that Teddy had worn when literary
people were first spoken OF came over his
face again. ''Why, it wasn't anything.
Miss Emily was one of your precious
literary people-writing nasty story with
a murder in it. She and Will Graham had
been engaged for three years. He usually
helped her out with her plots. Just now
there was a family row because Will
wouldn't take the old lady's money to go
into business with. Will said he wouldn't
risk impoverishing her. The old lady got
provoked. She was tired of seeing Will moth
ing but a telegraph clerk. so she said they
shouldn't speak to each other until he came
to his senses and went into something for
himself"
But how did Miss Emily come to under
stand telegraphy!"
didn't like it, and found writing, literature
-bah!" (JOnes was contemptuous StilD
paid her better. So she went at it, and,
as I afterwards learned, she really made
good thing of it."
''But what did they do to you for raising
such terrible fuss in the house"
Don't cpeak of it. l thought those
women would never have done screaming
and railing at me. Will Graham took me
upstairs by the car. and Eliza put me to
bed. The landlady said had behaved like
a fiend, that her house had always been
decent and respectable, and that l had
ruined her. Old Mrs. Marvin kept having
Mysteries twice day for fortnight. | had
brain-fever for six weeks. Then, before
had more than half recovered, they gave us
warning, and Eliza and had to turn out
into the street. Literary people-ughr'-
HdrDer'S UeeE1U