Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-03-20
Mr.. BLIN

Don't sit up for me on any &C.
count" said Mr. Blinks. 81 have my
la~tch-key. I've told 1 should be late,
and when l return l shan't disturb
you. HI just lie down in the spare
bed room. So you'll not sit up,
Eliza"
Very well, William" said Eliza,
with an injured sigh. '.Bue l might AZ
we'll sit up as not. I've often told you
that never sleep a wink when you are
out late"
Nonsense" said MIR. Blinks. "You
can be under no anxlety-no reason
why you should not 60 to Sleep"
Mrs. BliDks breathed another sigh,
which spoke more deeply otinjury than
the last.
Every we'll, William" she said
again; "Ill 60 through the form Of 60
ing to bed il you like"
Then Mr.. Blinks having finished his
breakfast. went through the form of
kissing his wife and family and depart
ed for that mysterious region known
as downtown. where ho transacted
business. He bad q certain feeling Of
triumph in that he persuaded his we'd
ded Eliza TO retire before his return.
Her apparition in a night cap and
crimping pins; a long night-robe and a
small shawl and fiat toilet slippers
damped all his jollity when, after a nice
little evening, he entered his own door
about the ''wee sma' hours" She
never scolded, but she was so meekiy
injured; she inquired in such softly re-
proachful tones whether the clock
really was right, and she begged him
in such a sad, %imploring way not to
wake the baby.
MIR. Blinks was jovial, and hated to
have his spirits lowered. Mrs. Blinks
was very serious and rather fancied
high spirits criminal.
They had married rather late in life,
for she was 80 end he past 40 on their
wedding day; and they had fixed
opinions on all such subjects. and
could not give them up. II ever it had
entered their minds that it was a pity
that they had agreed once, and made a
match of it, it was on Blinks' ~conyivial
evenings when no stayed out late and
his wife kept vigil in consequence. AS
Miss Partlette, Eliza never had to sit
up for any one. AS a bachelor, Blinks
tumbled home when he pleased.
Mr.. Blinks had a very jolly evening
-jollier than usual, for the knowledge
that he had forbidden Mrs. Blinks to
sit up for him inspired him; and at 2
o'clock in the morning he made his
way home. singing to himself occa-
sionally, and now and then compelled
to laugh aloud at some joke that
flashed across his memory. Always
before the fact that Eliza was sitting
up for him caused Mr.. Blinks to be
somewhat abstomious as to vino; but
now no had ordered her to retire. He
had arranged matters SO that they
were ali in his own hands, and he was
not as steady on his feet or as clear of
comprehension as he might have been.
AS he stumbled up stairs in the dark,
and felt his way up to the spare room
he muttered to himself:
This is just as it ought to be. Eliza
shan't sit up for me again"
Then, having bumped his head
against a led post. he took off his coat
and boots, gave up the rest as a bad
job, retired. tangled nextrlcably in a
maze of counterpanes, and fell asleep.
In a short time he was awakened by a
strong smell Of tobacco smoke. Lift
ing himself on his elbow, he looked
about the room and say in the moon
light by the window a figure draped in
some kind of gown and smoking a
short pipe. A hazy idea that this was
Eliza, who had disobeyed him, and
had also taken to tobacco, entered his
Laind.
II told you not to sit up for me, my
dear" he said. rebukingly, "and when
did you learn to smoker"
And then q masculine voice cried:
What the deuce"
The gas flashed up and he saw be.
fore him q stout man with q dressing
gown who, having stared at him d
moment, cast away his pipe, tucked
up his sleeves and advanced toward
the bed. Blinks was still dreamy. He
tried to remember whether there wa:
any reason for this strangers presence,
and was he a strangerP Did he know
himp At last
"Why, who are your" he said. "Ant
what do you want in my house?"
That's a very nice dodge" CRIED
the other, ''but it won't do"
$50, l understand it now," sale