The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-11

for a nap Presently heard queer noise.
First couldn't think what it was, but II
seemed to come from the gas fixture. ]
listened again, and then l made up my
mind that somebody was playing on the
bracket below as if it were a piano. I've
always said her actions were very strange,
and Mrs. Smith says so, too. Fancy it
quarreling with her mother, and writing
like wild-fre talking to herself, and play
ing tunes on gas fixturei tell you, that S
it, Ted. I tell you, Edward. that that
beautiful young girl, with golden hair,
great open blue eyes, and forehead just
like that of a Roman Catholic saint, is crazy
stark, staring craZyn'
" 'FiddIesticks, Elizap ] cried. You're
crazy. tell you there's nothing wrong
about that girls mind any more than there
is about mine We argued, and argued,
and argued. But of course Ididn't convince
Eliza, and she didn't convince me.
Now must tell you, Bradford, how our
rooms were situated in that boarding house.
Old lady Marvin, being an invalid, couldn't t
go up and down stairs, so our landlady had
given her back room on the first floor.
Eliza and occupied the back room on the
second floor. Above our heads, on the
third floor, was viii Graham's room. We
had often seen him going in and out of the
door Just at the head of the staircase, and
Eliza always brought up as an evidence of
his love for Miss Emily the way he tranped
up and down that room at all hours of the
night with his boots on.
LAS matter of course paid no further
attention to what felt certain was Eliza s
nonsense about Miss Emily's mind being
out of order. But one evening | went hur-
riedly up to my room after dinner. | had
just seen Miss Emily leave her mother at
the table and disappear upstairs. The
moment got into our room | heard most
peculiar noise. What on earth was it! 1t
sounded like Tick tick tick-tick-tick tick
-tick-tick tick tick-tick tick tick and
it came from the gas pipe 'Ohon thought
/, there's EliZa's notion. She did hear
something after all. Somebody is knock
ing on that gas fixture Playing tune,
Eliza called it. Then all of a sudden a
strange thought came over me. 'Phewn l
gasped. It's so-it's so, just as sure as
you're bornr
.'Now must tell You, Bradford, that
among my earlier experiences in this life
was once a telegraph operator | didn't
work at the business long, and l was ex-
tremely stupid at it; but [ did learn the
sounds; / knew them all dots and dashes,
Just the horrid tick and succession of ticks,
and spaces between the ticks, that are
equivalent to the letters of the alphabet.
And here heard them again. Yes, that
was it. l saw through the whole business
dI OUC6, anu HS Oll 50 IuSJ NlOhl OH
the bed and laughed until was AFRAID 10
have every button off my waistcOat.
Some one had told me once that VIII
Graham was telegraph operator. he had
evidently taught Miss Emily the art, and
here they were communicating with each
other in the most satisfactory fashion,
while everybody imagined that they were
conducting themselves like perfect stran-
gers. o dear! oh dear! how did laugh.
Then 1 waited patiently to hear what was
being said. 1t was a kind of eaves-drop-
ping, certainly, but how could l help it,
The conversation | had happened upon ran
as follows:
"'HOw are you this evening?'
lawfully tired. And yOu'
'''Tired too. Mamma has been particu-
larly exasperating.'
elias she! Am never to have talk
with you again.
Il don't know. Keep up your spirits.
. Il will, but it's dreadfully trying
g 1 think somebody's coming
$50 dearr
81 heard a door open and shut, and
knew that somebody had entered the room
below. Conversation by the way of the
gas-pipe had ceaSed-for that occasion, at
least.
Il can't tell you how many of these con-
versations listened to, Every time that
mysterious tick tick tick, tick tick would
begin, couldn't help pricking up my ears.
And o, the sweet things l did hear! One
phrase that continually palpitated down
that gas-pipe was: Emily, you are just
perfectly lovely.
The reply generally was: Now, Will,
don't be silly
Instead of producing any effect, this
usually brought out some such sentiment
as: 1 never saw you look SO pretty as you
did at dinner
- Don't be foolish
"I will; l can't help it. II any other
fellow gets you | shall die
Don't talk nonsense. No other fellow
ever will
4" Tell me you love me-
az won't
after this, silence would generally en-
sue.
''Well, matters were going along in this
fashion when one day began to think that
the lovers were giving a new turn to their
conversations. Was anything going to
happen! Two or three things were said
that didn't understand. One day l heard
Miss Emily say to Will:
There's no use; I've got to do it."
WHAT
Kill her.
"'All right
g But hate to; and can't think how
Shoot her.
'NOnSenSer
JHlS IOlub IIllLd Cdl1t lEIO but TOOIIl,
and she made such noise that | couldn't
hear anything more. But not long after
ward there were more serious communi-
cations:
Dear, dear WILL
What is it!
Il won't love you if You won't help me-
'' i will help yOu-with all my might
Then tell me what is a good way to kill
an old wOmanf
Arsenic
. That won't do at ei:.'
Blow her up with gunpowder'
. Nonsense! You don't help me one
'''Tll die for YOU
81 don't want YOU to die / want her to
die, and don't know how to kill her.
Well, kill her somehow, or she'll be the
death of both of us. Do wear your blue
dress to-morrow-you do look SO pretty in
it,
'''Be STILL
might after night this thing went on. 1
saw the young couple every day at dinner.
Miss Emily still looked like an angel; and
as for Will Graham, he seemed honest
enough to be a deacon.
How could these two innocent-looking
young people be depraved enough to plot
the murder of fellow-being in such a
heartleSs manner! And who could the fell
low-being be!-who but the poor old lady
to whom Miss Emily owed her beingl I
really began to pity the old soul. She was
nearly eighty, ugly and ill-tempered. But
what an awful fate-to live daily and
hourly, to sleep in the same bed, with the
wretched girl, her own daughter, who was
plotting with her lover how to thrust her
out of lifes"
Jones was really getting eloquent in his
alarm.
"All day long thought about the mat
ter. lost flesh, grew pale and nervous.
My employers and fellow-clerks could not
imagine what was the matter. Eliza grew
alarmed; she threatened to call doctor.
was miserable. and my life burden, and
all because of the wickedneSs of wretched
girl whom scarcely knew.
1T is no use to ask me why l did not tell
somebody what troubled me. l would
have done SO If could only have kept to
one Opinion long enough. buff YOU can